We made a short stop at the mosque, considered the oldest in the UAE. This little mud-brick structure dates to 1446. The mosque is built on a low hillside along the coastal road just north of Badiyah (Bidyah and Bidiya) village and guarded by two ruined watchtowers. We were free to enter modestly dressed, but our girls needed to borrow headscarves from the security guard.
It’s adorned with four pointed domes and rests on a single internal pillar. The inside prayer hall has a tranquil, contemplative feel, with colorful rugs laid out on palm-leaf plaited matting and Qurans stacked into the niches of its smooth plastered walls. We admired the simple geometric designs on the domes and the minbar (mosque pulpit) made from stones and coral blocks.
Parking location – Al Bidyah: 25.438781N 56.353977E (🚻)