Dubai Shopping

2 more images

The Mall of Emirates is a large shopping mall located off Sheikh Zayed Road, in New Dubai, not too far from the Burj Al Arab. This large modern shopping centre is filled with endless shops - it just seems to go on and on. Split over two floors, the shops consist mostly of European and British brands, including Harvey Nichols department store.

There are numerous cafes and food outlets, along with a few restaurants which are officially connected to the Kempinski Hotel. This means that they are all licensed to sell alcohol.

One very special attraction at the Mall or Emirates is Ski Dubai - an indoor ski field! It looks a bit like a movie set. If you have a drink or meal at Après you can sit and watch the skiing action through the window.

Taxi queues can be a big problem at shopping malls. When we left the mall there was around 30 people in the queue ahead of us, but we were in a taxi within about 10 minutes.

Mall opening hours:
Sun to Wed: 10am - 10pm
Thu to Sat: 10am - 12am

4 more images

Wafi City Mall is an upmarket Egyptian-themed shopping mall located in Bur Dubai. The mall has three pyramids which allow lots of natural light to flood in, two of them made from stained glass. We mainly window shopped at this mall, as there were plenty of designer shops here, along with a few UK locals such as Marks & Spencer and Top Shop.

The most interesting shop for me was Wafi Gourmet, a gourmet food shop and delicatessen. It sells all sorts of Arabian delicacies, and the large boxes of colourful, sticky baklawa certainly tempted me.

The mall is connected to the Pyramids complex, which contains some top night spots and restaurants. Another part of the Wafi City experience is the brand new Raffles Hotel, its prominent pyramid shape has become a new Dubai landmark.

Taxi queues can be a big problem at shopping malls. When we left the mall thankfully there was no queue at all and we jumped straight into a waiting taxi.

Mall opening hours:
Sat to Wed: 10am - 10pm
Thu & Fri: 10am - 12am

4 more images

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!

What to buy: 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.

What to pay: 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.

--> UPDATE May 2009: Do you really still think that Dubai is great for shopping? Actually, it's a rip-off! Click here: http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090509/NATIONAL/705089803/0/FRONTPAGE

4 more images

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.

What to buy: 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!)

On Al Hudaiba Street ("Plant Street") you can find many shops selling gardening tools, pots & plants and unfortunately also many run-down and grotty pet stores.

--> For an even large selection of textiles, you'll love visiting the historic Textile Souk (see my seperate tip under "Things to do.")
*

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.

What to pay: Prices are extremely low, charged by the yard & haggling is expected; so bargain to your heart's content!

Some of my recommended stores / tailors:
> REGAL Tel: +971-4-344 2696
> Deepak's Tel: +9714-344 3182 / 344 8836
> FIDA Trading Tel: +971-4-344 4008
> MONTEXA (British tailor) Tel: +971-4-349 4037

2 more images

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!

What to buy: 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.

What to pay: Bargain, bargain and don't give up until you get the lowest price; almost anything goes!
TIP: For souvenirs at best prices, I recommend TEBSA Trading... ask for Rashid. He'll give you a good deal.

One of my favourite shops for fantastic handbags, wallets, etc. is JANVIN trading.

UPDATE May 2009: Do you really still think that Dubai's malls are great for shopping? Actually, it's a rip-off! Click here: http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090509/NATIONAL/705089803/0/FRONTPAGE

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.

4 more images

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!

What to buy: 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.

What to pay: 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!

3 more images

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.

What to buy: 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.

What to pay: 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.

4 more images

Everyone that lives in Dubai knows Wafi City - it's one of the most popular locations in town, for day-time shopping & night-time hopping! The Wafi has everything a great mall should have... and more!

The architecture is stunning, resembling Ancient Egypt and the pyramids - the main mall features numerous shops catering for the middle and upper-class brands, and the adjacent "Pyramids Complex" boasts some of Dubai's most fabulous cafes, restaurants and nightclubs!

Check this link for the full list of Wafi City's restaurants and bars: http://www.wafi.com

The Pyramids Complex also houses Dubai's very own "Planet Hollywood", and one of the best beauty centre & spas (for both women & men) in town: Cleopatra's Spa

What to buy: Mostly well-known exclusive brands can be found in Wafi City, such as Armani - Hugo Boss - DKNY - Breitling Watches - etc. Nevertheless, there are also a few more "affordable" stores in this mall: Marks 'n' Spencer, Oasis Fashion, Studio R, etc.

Generally, it's a bit of an expensive place, but it's soooooo pretty!
So come on over, have a look, taste some food, drink some coffee or cocktails, do a spot of people-watching, and just enjoy the Wafi experience :-)

Opening Hours of Mall:
Saturdays - Wednesday: 10:00am - 10:00pm.
Friday: 02:00pm - 10:00pm.

Opening Hours of Pyramids Complex:
10:00am till 03:00am.

Update Oct. 2007: Exactly next to the Wafi Mall Dubai's first RAFFLES HOTEL has openend. (see my seperate Hotel tip) The shopping mall's new, enormous extension is now open, with underground car park. New Nightclub of Wafi City Pyramids: "PLAN B".

Update May 2008: The new underground souk "Khan Murjan" underneath the Wafi City & Raffles hotel complex has openend!

What to pay: UPDATE: Since January 2008 a smoking ban has come into effect in Dubai's shopping malls. Some of the restaurants and bars at Wafi have their own policy on smoking.