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Popular Shopping | Other Shopping Tips | All Tips (189) The Gold & Diamond Park is not actually a park, but a shopping centre with more than 100 shops that just sell gold, diamonds and other jewellery. It is a girls paradise....and their husband's worst nightmare! It is located off Sheikh Zayed Road, close to the Mall of Emirates.
I was in the market for a new diamond ring. Whilst researching diamond shopping in Dubai prior to our trip I read numerous reviews about one shop in the Gold & Diamond Park, called Cara. Everyone was raving about it- apparently the service was excellent, the prices very reasonable, the quality of the diamonds impressive etc.
When we arrived at the Park, we had a wander around and then came across Cara. It was pretty much the only shop in the mall that had people shopping in it. That was a good sign. We went in and started looking at some rings. One of the friendly staff, Mayur, asked us to take a seat and show him some examples of what we were after. He seemed to know exactly what I wanted, and within 10 minutes we had found the perfect ring.
A small amount of haggling later, we had agreed on a price, which worked out to be only about a third of the price of similar rings we had looked at in London. The ring needed to be re-sized as I have slim fingers, and I expected we would have to return in a couple of days to collect it. No need to - they resized it while we waited, and even polished up my existing ring as well.
Can't wait for our next visit to Dubai and to Cara's ; )
Diamonds!
Don't forget to haggle Leave a Comment
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Bur Juman Centre is located smack-bang in the middle of Bur Dubai, and in summer 2005 was extended to now twice its size!
It's very easy to find, and every taxi driver knows it. The old part of the mall has a pink exterior, whilst the new extension is a sleek, modern, glass design.
If you don't want to battle the traffic to get across the creek to the Deira City Centre, then I definitely recommend the Bur Juman.
I used to live close-by and love to shop there.
There are also many great food outlets: there is a Food Court in the old section with Subway, Burger King, etc. (top level, centre court) as well as a very nice restaurant area on the top floor of the new extension as well. Many great restaurants & cafes, inluding Gloria Jean's Coffee (South Court), Cafe Havanna (new extension), Dome Cafe (Parking level), Yo!Sushi (Ground level) and Paul's French Bakery (new extension) have branches in Bur Juman Centre.
There are shops to fit every budget, every taste and every age! Definitely worth a visit.
Some of the shops you may look for in the mall are:
> Virgin Megastore
> ZARA (Fashion for Women & Men)
> MANGO (Fashion for Women)
> NEW LOOK (newly openend in April 2008)
> Paris Gallery (Cosmetics, Perfumes, Watches, etc.)
Opening Hours: Saturday to Thursday 10:00 am - 10:00pm.
Friday 02:00pm - 10:00pm.
The Bur Juman has grown a lot in the past years. It now also boasts a residential tower with luxury duplex apartments, and an office tower as well. Also, directly connected to the mall you will also find the BURJUMAN ROTANA SUITES Hotel: http://www.rotana.com/property-11.htm This is a 4-star hotel in a very central location indeed.
I have found this general rule: The "old" (pink) part of the mall mainly has affordable "medium-range" shops, while the new (glass) part mainly has exclusive designer stores such as Gucci, Armani, Donna Karen... you get the picture.
UPDATE: Since January 2008 a smoking ban has come into effect in Dubai's shopping malls. Leave a Comment Theme: OtherAddress: Bur Dubai, opposite Regent Palace HotelPhone: 00971-4 -352 0222Directions: Exactly on the corner / Intersection of Trade Centre Road and Khalid bin Walid Road (Bank Street)Website: http://www.burjuman.com/
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There are many shops around Dubai selling souvenirs, sheeshas (water pipes), Arabic arts & crafts and so on. There's the Arabian Court in Deira City Centre, and also the Dubai Duty Free (in the departure hall).
But if you don't want to pay "tourist prices", visit the area called Karama.
It may not look like much compared to the flashy & modern shopping malls, but there are numerous little shops on either side of the street where you can bargain for discounts to your heart's content!
Welcome to the Karama shopping experience.
You won't see this on your Emirates Airlines in-flight video, but most people on their way to Dubai will know about this bastion of counterfeit goods nonetheless. For years, tourists & residents alike have made a beeline for the fake designer clothes, bags, watches & of course souvenirs that adorn many of the stores' jumbled shelves.
TIP Women: dress modestly, as shop owners are Indians/Pakistanis and you may get more attention than you're comfortable with. The shop salesmen can be quite annoying, trying to lure you into their shops, but don't worry: they would never actually touch you.
Competition is fierce, which is why you can really get the cheapest prices here!
It's great for souvenirs, Arabic reminders for back home & some holiday clothes: fake t-shirts, shorts, sports clothing, handbags & real brand shoes can be found here for the best prices in town.
TIP: If you are looking for fake watches, note that most shop-owners will deny that they have them, as Dubai Police has been raiding the little shops trying to put an end to this practice. But if you gain his trust, he will take you into a back corner of the shop & show you his hidden stash of fakes.
You can also buy Pashmina Shawls for very little money, but compare the quality before you buy. --> (see my Tourist Trap Tip about Pashminas)
If you've been sampling the wonderful flavours of smoking sheesha and don't want to miss it when you're back home: this is the place to purchase your very own waterpipe, coals & tobacco!* They even come in their own padded carrying-case, so they don't get damaged during transport.
Many people will also pass you by, whispering "you want DVD sir/madam?". These pirated DVDs (mostly from Asia) are cheap (between AED 10 - 30), but you never know what kind of quality you get.
Bargain, bargain and don't give up until you get the lowest price; Anything goes!
TIP: For souvenirs at best prices, I recommend TEBSA Trading... ask for Rashid. He'll give you good prices.
TIP: After you're done with shopping, have lunch/dinner at the YAHALA Restaurant (see my seperate restaurant tip!)
Opening Hours: 10:00am - 01:30pm & 04:30pm - 10:00pm, closed on Friday mornings. Leave a Comment
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Affectionatley dubbed "Moe's" by UAE residents, Mall of the Emirates (M.O.E.) was opened on September 28. 2005 & is the largest shopping centre outside of North America (the name seems to make a statement, imitating the theme of "Mall of America" - it truly is gigantic)
The mall covers 223,000 square metres & is home to over 400 retailers... so get your credit-card ready & dive into Dubai’s newest version of a shoppaholic's nirvana ;-) You can spend an entire day in the mall & probably still won't manage to visit all the shops.
If you are looking for something specific, pick-up a map at one of the many information desks to save yourself time & to not wander around aimlessly.
The mall is of course also famous for Ski Dubai, the first indoor ski slope in the Middle East. (check my Sports Tips for more info) You can also pop into the mall to catch a movie at the 14-screen Cinestar Cinema.
There's also a massive hypermarket for grocery shopping, electronics & everything else called Carrefour. And when you need to re-norish yourself after all that shopping, you can choose between 65 restaurants and coffee shops with everything from fast food to themed restaurants & exclusive dining alternatives. (Try the Indian Pavillon restaurant... it's superb! Or the fabulous Almaz by Momo, Moroccan Rest. in Harvey Nichols)
TIP: Wear comfortable walking shoes when you visit this mall! You'll be doing a lot of walking & the floor is made of very slippery marble tiles. So leave those fancy heels at home & wear non-slip sports shoes or comfortable flat sandals!
Generally, the shops are the same that are strewn around the other malls of Dubai, but there are about 60 retailers making their Middle East debut with their first ever shops: the 1st Harvey Nichols can be found here, as well as CoolCat, a cool clothing shop from Amsterdam which I really like! Aizone, Bois & Chiffon, Reiss, M Missoni & Marc Jacobs are also new luxury shops to the UAE. Good old Debenhams have opened their largest stores in the region in this mall and you'll be able to find plenty of other affordable favourites like ZARA, Mango, H&M (Hennes & Mauritz), NEXT, BHS, XoXo, etc.
Stores have been grouped in themed precincts on the 2 shopping levels, which is a pretty smart idea. So all sports stores are located next to each other, the same goes for shoe stores & cosmetics stores.
Opening Hours:
Saturday - Tuesday: 10:00am – 10:00pm.
Wednesday - Friday: 10:00am - Midnight.
There are shops for every taste & every budget, so even if you are not a millionaire, you will be able to find something here.
UPDATE: Since January 2008 a smoking ban has come into effect in Dubai's shopping malls. Leave a Comment Theme: OtherAddress: 4th Interchange, Sheikh Zayed RoadPhone: +971-4-409 9000Directions: Location Map: http://www.malloftheemirates.com/Images/map_large.jpgWebsite: http://www.malloftheemirates.com/ Other Contact: info@malloftheemirates.com
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Mercato (Italian for market) is the first themed mall in the Middle East and UAE. This is the largest shopping mall along the Jumeirah Beach Road!
With its large glass roof, picturesque bridges & small court yards its hustling & bustling, but find yourself a comfy corner in one of the cafes for a nicely relaxing time.
Mercato is an inspired creation from well-known Italian architect Daniele Morelli.
The interior of the mall replicates the concept of several squares (cute & cozy!), with rural scenes painted on the walls, tall stylish pillars and sparkly-shiny marble floors (definitly typical for Dubai, not necessarily Italy! ;-) It's cheesy, but it's cute.
TIP: Traffic around the Mercato Mall can be hellish!
Especially on Fridays & in the evenings. There's a large car park + underground parking, but this is (as with many malls in Dubai) hardly enough. Either get there early, or ask your hotel reception for free transportation (bus schedule) to and from Mercato, or take a taxi to avoid circling for a parking space when you could spend the time shopping!
As with all large malls in Dubai, the choices are endless. You'll find pretty much everything you may (or may not) be looking for!
Some of the most noteworthy stores & facilities of the mall include:
> Cinema (Century Cinemas)
> Virgin Megastore.
> Triumph Lingery.
> Starbuck's (isn't it annoying how they get everywhere?!)
> Spinney's supermarket.
> Bella Donna Italian Restaurant (click to see photo! Sit outside on the balcony & you can just about see the ocean)
> Fiesta Restaurant.
> Paul's French Bakery (very nice, freshly-baked breads!)
> Costa Coffee.
> Food Court.
NOTE:
The cafes and restaurant within the mall are Unlicensed - no alcoholic beverages.
In the UAE, only restaurants in hotels may obtain the licence to serve alcohol. Cafes/Restaurants in shopping malls are therefore not licenced, but usually offer a huge variety of soft-drinks, "mocktails" & fresh fruit juices.
Opening Hours:
Saturdays - Thursdays: 10:00am - 10:00pm.
Fridays: 02:00pm - midnight.
No haggling here! You're not in the souks - so you pay what's on the price tag and the shops are mostly high-profile!
UPDATE: Since January 2008 a smoking ban has come into effect in Dubai's shopping malls. Leave a Comment Theme: OtherAddress: Jumeirah Beach Road, DubaiPhone: +971-4-3444 161 / 344 0111Directions: LOCATION MAP: http://www.mercatoshoppingmall.com/common/file/locationmap/locationmap.pdfWebsite: http://www.mercatoshoppingmall.com/
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Away from the shiny giants called shopping malls, mostly untouched by Dubai's megalomaniac drive towards modernisation, full of grubby charm & old memories of the heavy Indian influence on the region, lies one of the city's best-kept secrets: Satwa.
Pop into any shop to see the numerous massive rolls of textiles, crammed against every wall & into every tiny space in the shop. The salesmen are very knowledgeable and will climb up ladders or crawl under piles of merchandise to find exactly what you're looking for.
The best known and most frequented shops are REGAL and DEEPAK'S.
Both stores will recommend nearby tailors to turn your fabrics into perfectly fitting garments.
There's a store on the same road (opposite Satwa clinic & next to Deepak's) called FIDA: here you will find loads of "the small stuff that holds the world together": zippers, buttons, hair clips, lace, thread, tassels, beads, velcro strips, knitting wool & needles, etc. Very useful for finding little add-ons for your textiles before taking them to the tailor.
This is the perfect place to uncover hidden textile treasures.
The entire narrow street is lined with small, run-down stalls as well as fancy, large textile merchants. You will find everything: from white fluff for your Santa outfit, cotton for bed sheets, intricate designs for curtains, high-quality cloth for men's suits, to stunning hand-woven, beaded & painted silks for gorgeous evening gowns. You can also find Pashmina Shawls here --> (see my Tourist Trap Tip on Pashminas!)
Opening Hours of most shops:
09:00am - 01:30pm & 04:30pm - 10:00pm.
(closed on Friday mornings)
NOTE: Please note that these parking areas cost 1 Dirham for 1 hour and 5 Dirhams for 2 hours. Parking is free on Fridays & public holidays, as well as from 1pm–4pm in the afternoon & from 9pm at night until 8am in the morning.
Prices are extremely low, charged by the yard & haggling is expected; so bargain to your heart's content!
UPDATE MAY 2008: SATWA IS BEING DEMOLISHED THIS YEAR! Great - another historic part of the city is making way for a uniform, cloned, overpriced residential project. Just what we need! Argh! Click here for full article: http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/08/06/24/10223483.html Leave a Comment Theme: OtherAddress: Satwa High StreetDirections: Satwa, just off Diyafah Street, opposite Rydges Plaza Hotel. REGAL Tel: +971-4-344 2696 Deepak's Tel: +9714-344 3182 / 344 8836 FIDA Trading Tel: +971-4-344 4008Website: http://souqwatch.blogspot.com/
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As you are surely aware, Muslims do not eat pork and do not drink alcohol. (Well, at least they are not supposed to... but that's a different story...;-)
Therefore, I've noticed quite some confusion from first-time UAE visitors in regards to what is allowed, what is not, and where to purchase it legally.
ALCOHOL:
Alcohol is *not* sold in supermarkets in the UAE. Even products containing any kind of alcohol (i.e. chocolates) are sold in designated liquor stores:
MMI Maritime Mercantile International
or
A&E (African & Eastern) are the 2 licenced suppliers of alcohol.
They are often adjacent to a supermarket, but with a seperate entrance and no windows.
To purchase alcohol you must hold a liquor licence. Any non-Muslim UAE resident who wishes to drink alcoholic beverages, buy alcohol from an officially approved retailer, transport the legally purchased alcoholic beverages or store them at their residence for their family and guests can apply for a licence. Based on your income, the Dubai Police-CID decides the appropriate monthly budget you are allowed to spend on your licence.
Tourists can only buy alcohol in the airport's Duty Free upon arrival.
--> Alcohol is served in restaurants & bars that are located in hotels. Indepenent eateries (e.g. in shopping malls) do *not* have a license to serve alcholic beverages. (you will see that in all of my restaurant tips I indicate at the beginning whether the venue is licensed or not)
PORK:
Pork is sold in the more "Western-oriented" supermarket chains, such as
Spinney's (various locations),
Choithram's (various locations),
Carrefour Hypermarket (Deira City Centre, Bur Dubai near Shindagha Tunnel),
Park 'n' Shop (near Safa Park, Jumeirah).
There is a seperate section (click on picture) in the butchery reserved for pork & any food items containing pork (i.e. bacon flavoured potato chips, canned soup, pork gelatine, etc.)
Both Alcohol & Pork items are generally more expensive than they would be in Europe, America, United Kingdom, etc.
Although Dubai is in the desert it is possible to purchase pretty much everything you know in your home country. You can buy Vegemite, Peanut Butter, Haribo, Beef Jerky, Thai products, Japanese products, South African biltong, German bread, Swiss cheese, French yoghurt...
NOTE: Although Dubai prides itself on having "everything" available for its huge expatriate community, be aware that most European imports can be extremely expensive. For example: A large yoghurt that costs 50 cents in Germany costs 18 Dirhams (4 Euros!) here. Leave a Comment Theme: Food and DrinkDirections: Spinney's Centre Umm Suqeim (MMI) Spinney's Centre Jumeirah, next to Magrudy's (A&E) Spinney's in Dubai Marina (A&E) Mall of the Emirates (MMI)Website: http://www.mmidubai.com/
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Whether you're a resident of Dubai or visiting the city for a holiday, Deira City Centre has plenty to offer. Shopping malls are the only escape from the summer heat for us Dubai residents, so we have learnt quickly to tell the good ones from the "unworthy" ones!
Even if I'm not planning on shopping, it's always a great place to meet friends for lunch, go to the cinema or just sit in a cafe and practice people-watching; one of our favourite pastimes in Dubai!
The mall is one of the leading shopping destinations in the entire Gulf. The complex has over 300 shops and 1.2 million sq.ft. of retail space. The (free) car park has space for 6,000 cars.
Magic Planet - indoor entertainment centre; with video games & rides to keep nagging kids entertained! Adjacent there's a Food Court with the usual: McDonald's, KFC & Burger King, Chinese, etc. As far as food courts go it's generally what you'd expect: noisy rides, screaming children & stressed waiters.
You'll also find the UAE's leading Book & Stationary Store: Magrudy's here.
For all your electronics-needs with computers, audio, stereo, cameras, etc. visit Plug Ins Electronix.
CityWalk comprises of 13 restaurants & cafes.
There's also the 11-screen CineStar Cinema and Virgin Megastore for all music lovers! This part of the mall has recently (2007/2008) been rennovated & now has even more shops.
The mall also features a number of themed courtyards: the Jewellery Court, Textile Court & Arabian Treasures. TIP: However, these courts definitely charge tourist-prices, and the exact same jewellery, souvenirs & textiles can be bought over 50% cheaper in the Gold Souk, Karama Shopping Strip & Textile Souk.
A post office, money exchange & pharmacy are located on the lower level of the Centre Court.
The mall also features a HUGE supermarket called Carrefour, where visitors can shop for groceries, clothes, cosmetics & perfumes, cigarettes & more.
NOTE: Alcohol is not available in this or any other supermarket. Alcohol can only be purchased with a licence (available to UAE residents) in specific liquor stores. Non-residents can purchase alcohol in the airport's Duty Free section only.
Update Feb. 2008: The mall's new extension is open with "New Look", "Crispy Creme", "Cool Cat" and many fabulous restaurants (try Bella Donna Italian Rest.)!
There's something for every taste & every budget... There are over 300 shops, so if you cannot find what you want, you cannot be helped!
Opening Hours: Saturday - Tuesday 10:00am - 10:00pm.
Wednesday - Friday 10:00am - midnight.
UPDATE: Since January 2008 a smoking ban has come into effect in Dubai's shopping malls. Leave a Comment Theme: OtherAddress: Deira, Dubai - UAEPhone: +971-4-295 1010 / 295 4545Directions: Very close to Dubai Airport & located opposite the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, next to the "Floating Bridge."Website: http://www.majidalfuttaim.com/
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The Duty Free section upon *arrival* is quite disappointingly small you may think, with your bare essentials of some liquor, cigarettes, perfumes & chocolates. (LIMITS: You are allowed to bring 4 bottles of alcohol & 400 cigarettes into Dubai per person)
But just wait until it's time to leave Dubai and you arrive in the Departures Hall... there's no easier way to loose those last few Dirhams out of your pockets!
"Where is it located?", you may ask... Well, you can't miss it!
The retail area is situated in the heart of the airport's Sheikh Rashid Terminal. The complex covers an area of 5,400 square meters, while the operation in Terminal 2 covers over 1,400 square meters. Arrivals shops & others bring the total retail area to over 7,000 square meters.
MILLENNIUM MILLIONAIRE DRAW:
DDF (Dubai Duty Free) always hold raffle draws, competitions, etc. to win luxury cars, air tickets, shopping vouchers, gold and up to 1 Million Dirhams! Each draw is limited to only 5,000 tickets, so there is a good chance that you could win the next "big one!"
Tickets can also be purchased online.
The area is modern, elegant, with your archetypal Dubai-over-the-top-chic; including tacky golden palm trees and huge flashy banners, with more of the well-known Dubai-propaganda.
So my advise: Get there nice & early, at least 3 hours before your flight & endulge:
> Liquor (at very good prices!)
> Cigarettes, Cigars.
> Cosmetics & Perfumes.
> Electronics (Audio, Cameras, etc.)
> Delicatessen & fine foods.
> DVDs, CDs, Toys, etc.
> Books, Magazines, etc.
> Gifts & Souvenirs.
> Jewellery: Watches, Gold, etc.
Limitations: (per person)
2000 cigarettes.
400 cigars.
2kg tobacco.
2 litres of spirits + 2 litres of wine (non-Muslims only)
A reasonable amount of perfume.
Opening Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
No haggling/bargaining here: you pay what's printed on the price tag... and that's usually pretty good value for money. Leave a Comment Theme: OtherAddress: Dubai Int'l Airport, Departure Terminal 1Phone: 00971-4-216 2453Directions: Check in gates & luggage check, through passport control, down the stairs, through the tunnel, up the stairs & there you are! Just follow the crowds :-)Website: http://www.dubaidutyfree.com/ Other Contact: UAE Toll free: 800 4443
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One of our more recent additions to Dubai's fleet of shopping malls; I must admit that Ibn Battuta is quite spectacular... sheerly by its size!
Strolling through the corridors and the courtyards of the 6 different countries (India, China, Persia, Egypt, Tunesia & Andalusia) it took us approx. 2 1/2 hours and we still hadn't seen everything! It is named after a famous Persian explorer: Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta was the only medieval traveller who is known to have visited the lands of every Muslim ruler in his lifetime. He also travelled to Ceylon (present Sri Lanka), China, Byzantium & Southern Russia.
At first I thought: what can be so different about this one? Shopping mall after shopping mall in Dubai basically offers the same stores, same things & same food outlets. But Ibn Battuta actually has a "Health Food Court" besides McDonald's, KFC, etc. which promotes healthy Asian dishes, vegetarian food, salads, fresh fruit cocktails and so on to the many overweight local Arab children.
Obesity is becoming a problem in the UAE and Ibn Battuta surely offers a great health-food and exercise plan, turning every shopping trip into a walk-a-thon! :-)
There's also a large Fun World for kids and the architecture of the various courts really is beautiful.
For Dubai residents, our choices of what to do with our free time & weekends are drastically reduced as soon as summer comes around (June-September), so there's really nothing else you can do to escape the heat than to walk around the various shopping malls, meet friends, go to the cinema, eat - drink - and be merry & cool in the airconditioning!
Ibn Battuta has managed to bring in some shops that have opened their doors for the first time in the UAE, e.g. Sasch, Lego Technik, Geant Hypermarket, etc.
TIP for Tourists: The Mall has a "viewing baloon" which rises on a wire and gives you a great view of the surrounding cityscape. (see my photo)
Opening Hours: 7 Days a week, 10:00am - midnight
NOTE: This is a nice mall, with lots to see and do - but if you don't have much time during your visit to see all major malls, I'd honestly "skip" Ibn Battuta and visit the Mall of the Emirates instead... Somehow it's nicer, easier to navigate & the restaurants are better.
UPDATE: Since January 2008 a smoking ban has come into effect in Dubai's shopping malls.
The various courts offer specialities from the respective countries, but if you want to buy souveniers, I still recommend the shopping area of Karama where the same items are more than 60% cheaper! Leave a Comment Theme: OtherAddress: Sheikh Zayed Road, between Interchange 4 & 5Phone: 00971-4-362 1900Directions: LOCATION MAP: http://www.ibnbattutamall.com/Map.aspWebsite: http://www.ibnbattutamall.com
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on January 7, 2008
on April 17, 2008
