Shopping in Dubai
Dubai has many tourist attractions; however shopping in Dubai is one of the major attractions. Dubai sees a huge amount of tourists who come specifically for the shopping. It has low import duties which means some of the top brands are often the lowest prices in the world. There are many designer shopping Malls and Souks which specialise in gold, fashion, food and electronics. Besides the shopping and souks, shopping in Dubai can be done at the duty free shops. Dubai airport duty free shop is ranked among the largest duty free shop in the world. Opening times for the large malls are general as follow: Sunday - Wednesday 10:00 - 22:00 / Thursday - Saturday 10:00 - 24:00. The shopping hours in Dubai for smaller shops are often from 9am until 1pm and then again from 4pm until 9pm. On Friday some smaller shops are closed between 1130am and 130pm for Friday prayers.
Dubai Souks
“Souk” is Arabic for market or place, where any kind of goods are brought or exchanged. The Dubai Souks are busy with people negotiating prices with the shopkeeper, which is the traditional style of doing business. Souks sell gold, jewellery, traditional spices, designer wear and perfumes. Visit the gold Souk to see the large variety of gold sold at reasonable prices. Prices are normally determined by weight rather than design or craftsmanship. You will find many different shades of gold such as pink, yellow, white or hues of green. The gold souks are worth visiting even if you have no intention of buying. However, be aware as it is difficult not to come away without purchasing anything such is the beauty and variety of designs available. At the perfume souk, you will find it difficult not to find something that you “don’t” like. The owners will even make a perfume up for you to suit your required fragrance.
Dubai Shopping Malls
Dubai is the most advanced city in the Middle East, and is said to be the shopping capital of the world. There are as many as 20 major shopping malls in Dubai where you can purchase gold, jewellery, carpets, handicrafts, textiles, perfumes and many other goods .
The major Dubai shopping malls are located on Faheidi, Al Rigga, Al Satwa, Al Karama, Al Dhiyafa Roads and Beniyas Square. Most shopping malls contain hotels, restaurants, cinema halls, carpet and rug showrooms, luxury car showrooms, branded clothes, designer boutiques, watch and jewellery showrooms, designer shoe showrooms, toy stores and grocery stores all under one roof, the shopping malls are the place to be with luxury air conditioning when the weather is unbearable outside. The Dubai Shopping festival is held in the months of January and February and is a celebration time for the shopkeepers. Around 30 million bulbs illuminate the streets and lanes of Dubai in electronic patterns during the festival period goods are normally cheaper by 25 to 50% than the country of origin
Amongst the popular Dubai shopping malls are:
Currently the worlds largest mall; The Dubai Mall is the region's premier shopping, lifestyle and entertainment destination. With the number of stores totalling more than 1,200 stores The Dubai Mall was determined to revolutionise the modern shopping experience all in a building totalling 440,000 sq ft over four floors. Incorporating Dubai’s first Olympic-size ice rink, and the flagship 22-screen Reel Cinemas at The Dubai Mall which is the first Megaplex developed and operated by the company; not to mention a huge SEGA republic.
Inset in the mall is an aquarium like no other, housing an impressive 33,000 aquatic animals and carrying over 10 million litres of water you can understand why this centrepiece is a world record holder for the largest in its class.
There is a store for everyone from fashion to boutiques, from the sports and leisure industry to nearly 20 specialised sweet and confectionary stores including the 10,000 sq ft Candilicious store. Whole wings of the building are given over to specialised areas such as High End Fashion brands and Watches. This mall has everything including watches and jewellery stores totalling over 40 stores selling Tag Heuer to Rolex, Omega to Mont Blanc, although time will pass quickly once in this mall as you lose yourself in such an immense shopping area. This venue also houses Dubai’s largest department store Galeries Lafayette which is Frances most famous store and also houses an even larger store from the US, Bloomingdales due to open late 2010; department stores from the UK such as Debenhams and other well know UK brands such as Next, M&S, Topshop and Burton. Its almost like shopping in New York, London, Paris & Rome all under one roof.
If you get hungry whilst shopping, and you fancy a bite to eat, there are over 150 food outlets to choose from.
This mall opened in 2005 and houses over 450 international brands including department stores, fashion, lifestyle, sports, electronics and home furnishing outlets, the largest Carrefour in the city and over 60 stores that are unique to the centre. The complex includes a Magic Planet family entertainment area, a 14-screen multiplex cinema, and the world-renowned Ski Dubai which is the first indoor ski centre in Dubai, a perfect place to cool down in the searing summer heat at a constant temperature of -1º to -2º. It also adjoins the five star Kempinski Hotel, the “DUCTAC”, which is the Mall's 500-seat community theatre and accompanying arts centre, and 70 coffee shops and restaurants.
The Mall is undergoing its largest ever expansion program to ensure that it is up to date with rival malls and has had a lot of money invested in new space to house further outlets and is due to be completed by the end of 2010. In the year 2008, 30 million visitors had visited the mall which showed that an “upgrade” was very much needed to keep drawing customers in.
This is located near the waterfront in Deira. On weekends this mall is fun with a friendly atmosphere. The mall is spread over three floors, with over 350 stores. You will find fashion, electronics, and entertainment in “Magic Planet”, which allows you to view and explore moving digital images of the Earth, other planets and space as well as providing a completely new way of displaying multi-media content.
There is also the 11 screen cinema “Cinestar”, a huge supermarket, in excess of 40 different restaurants and cafes, 33 jewellery stores and textiles, such as silks and cashmere The whole of the mall has Wi-Fi so you can keep in touch with friends and family on the move while shopping.
Mercato Shopping Mall is a shopping centre in Jumeirah, Dubai. The mall is designed to look like a Mediterranean town during the Renaissance. The mall was opened in 2002 and has in excess of 90 stores. Fashion stores such as Gap, Nike and Lacoste through to the food court which recently saw the opening of American brands Charley’s Grilled Subs and Marble Slab Creamery .
Following the huge upgrade that the Mercato Mall underwent in 2008; the mall continues to wow its customers with even more shopping options. The mall has welcomed 15 well-known brands since the beginning of 2009 and three more international brands are scheduled to open very soon.
The festival city mall was opened in 2007 with further planned extensions, “housed” within Festival Centre which will total 2.9 million sq ft upon completion.
With the most picturesque waterfront setting, the retail experience holds over 550 shops including 25 international flagship stores, over 90 cafe’s, restaurants, and bistros. Including 40 al fresco dining venues along canal walk which runs at the side of the neighbouring canal, where you can get a water taxi from one end of the mall to the other and is the perfect place to enjoy a spot of lunch or dinner. Highly recommended is the “Marble Slab Creamery” where you get to pick your ice cream and then add fruit, marshmallows chocolate pieces and whatever else takes your fancy to have it all crushed together in front of you as a “smoothy” drink which is a fantastic way to cool down sipping it from a glass knowing that your drink is not like anyone else’s.
Shopping consists of over 400 world-leading brands offering a rich diversity of fashion, jewellery, home accessories, toys and gifts for every occasion. Such stores as Toys ‘r’ us, Marks and Spencer, Ikea, Diesel, Billabong and many more fashion outlets. The centre also features it own 12 screen Cinema
Shimmering with water features and infused with natural light this shopping centre received the prestigious award for “International Shopping Centre of the Year” in 2008.
