Kuwait Shopping

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Saahel al-Bahrain is definitely not what you would consider to be a premiere clothing store, but the staff here is quite friendly and they are always ready to help you choose the best-fitting dishdasha (Kuwaiti mens' robe). I don't know if any of them speak English, but given that most of the staff is Indian, I would imagine that the answer is yes. The basement entrance makes the store look rather small, but it is actually a massive store with aisles and aisles of dishdashas, ghutras and shomaghs (headscarves), 9oqals (headbands) and other accoutrement of Gulf dress.

What to buy: I bought a black dishdasha here. It's simple, but well made and comfortable. Don't shy away from being measured by the salesmen. They take your basic measurements (height, chest, shoulders) and it makes a world of difference to ensuring that the dishdasha fits correctly.

What to pay: Prices here are quite reasonable and bargaining is acceptable. I was able to get my dishdasha for KD5.5, or about $20, which is quite good considering that cheaper quality ones are sold in the market for KD7.

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Marina Crescent is a sort of annex to Marina Mall. It's connected to the shopping centre by a bridge over Arabian Gulf Street and is right up against the marina for which the mall is named. The vast majority of stores here are restaurants and cafés, but I believe that there are a few other retailers. During the winter months you're able to sit outside on the patios and enjoy the nice weather and the views of the boats and the Gulf. I've been told that that's fairly impossible during the summer, when temperatures reach 50C. All of the restaurants here are American or British, so don't expect anything more than token Middle Eastern accents. Nevertheless, this place is more about the views and the attempts at Lebanese-style café culture. Enjoy it while the weather is good.

What to buy: Any type of American food.

What to pay: Food here is more expensive than you can pay on average in the country, but is fairly reasonable for Western outlets (KD1.5 for cappuccino or a latte).

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Marina Mall is so named because across from the Mall, connected to it by a bridge over Arabian Gulf Street, is a large marina that opens out into the Arab Gulf. The Mall is not nearly as large as The Avenues, but it does feature all the same high-end stores and boutiques that you will find at the latter. Marina Mall has Hugo Boss, Givenchy, Massimo Dutti, Diesel as well as Zara and H&M. The Mall also has a Kuwaiti style food court, which is a large open patio (open concept, but still in the air conditioning) where you can find Paul, Le Nôtre and other faux-French cafés. There's not much to say about the malls in Kuwait except that they are the country's equivalent of café culture in the Mediterranean; people watching is done indoors rather than outdoors. Marina Mall occasionally has "exhibitions" in the bridge that connects it to Marina Crescent and the Gulf. I purchased Lebanese perfume at one of these booths; you can often find unique gifts here that you wouldn't otherwise be able to purchase.

What to buy: Anything and everything

What to pay: Standard prices set by international retailers, less sales tax.

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Souq Sharq, despite its name, is just another one of Kuwait's many, many malls. Unlike The Avenues and Marina Mall, Souq Sharq is not packed with designer stores. This is the place to find low and mid-range Western good, as well as a few higher end items (mainly watches, perfumes and glasses). Souq Sharq also has Sultan Centre, which is a large grocery store that sells all the same Western products as Wegmans in the US. Despite the fact that this is one of Kuwait's "lesser" malls, it is still worth a visit, just because of its location. The front of Souq Sharq includes a marina, and the back side of the structure features a beautiful view out to the Gulf, complete with a corniche and plenty of spots to sit and watch the waves on a spring afternoon. It is also right next to the new Fish Market, where you can watch the fishing vessels come in and unload their catches.

What to buy: Pretty much anything you want.

What to pay: Again, Kuwait has no tax, so prices are standard less whatever the tax rate is in your home country.

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The Avenues is not a shop, but the largest shopping mall in Kuwait. This massive pilgrimage site for shopaholics is not yet complete and still has two more phases to be completed. There are few (if any) luxury good stores that are not in the Avenues, where you can purchase Cuban cigars, Louis Vuitton bags, Cartier watches and Prada shoes after finishing off a French meal. It's also possible to find cheaper goods too, as Zara and H&M have outlets in this mall. So does IKEA, although you're unlikely to look to buy Swedish furniture unless you are living in Kuwait.

What to buy: Pretty much anything.

What to pay: Prices are standard and set by the retailers - you may find it cheaper, though, since Kuwait has no taxes.

This is a basic rundown of the malls in Kuwait. Designer Shopping here is great.
Salhiya Complex (Very Expensive): Here you can find the following designer boutiques: Chopard, Cartier, Valentino, Sergio Rossi, Bulgari, Rolex, Tods, Chanel, Dior, Versace, Louis Viutton, Christofle, Van Clef, Korloff, Aigner, Givenchy, Fendi, Graff, DiGrisgono, Tiffany, Dupont, Tumi, Lacoste, Piaget, Max Mara, Marina Renaldi, Kenzo, Alberta Feretti and Jimmy Choo. There are also lots of shops with mixed european designers. One who stands out is Al-Ostoura, however there is a vast array of shops selling all sorts of upmarket goods such as designer clothes and acessories, leathers, silverwear, and jewelry. Generally it is nothing but t he best so be prepared to spend a small fortune here. Food wise it is attached to th JW MArriot so you have direct access to their restaurants. Also, there is a Starbucks as well as two coffee shop/snacky type places- one on the ground fllor and one on mezzanine 2. A new addition to the mall (across the street) houses a Caribu Cafe-good coffee, Jhonny Rockets, Lorenzo (a restaurant with a modern Italian style menu), and Hashi (a fushion type Japanese restaurant-quite good).

What to buy: Good luck shoppin and have fun in Kuwait!

Last but not least I must mention Mariam Complex (Salem AlMubarak St, Salmiya). It is a hole in the wall of a mall, but damn they got some good clothes. On the ground floor there is the Guess Store and some really nice clothes shops. One side of the basement is Al-Othman, the home of Mathew Williamson in Kuwait. They also carry fantastic evening dresses by Temperly, Escasda, and Ellie Saab. One word: WOW. The other half of the basement is taken up by a store called "The Basement" which basically carries designer childrenswear. Here you can Find Mona Lisa, Guess, D&G, Kenzo, and Elle. They also carry a grand of healthy childerens shoes: Naturino.

Thorya Mall (Salem Al-Mubarak St, Salmiya)is a tiny little luxury mall which houses the shops of Alberta Feretti, Chloe, Roberto Cavalli, and Cacherel, amonst others. If you are into luxury shopping its worth a visit, but if you are on a budget give it a miss.