Places for shopping in Dubai
A shoppers dream come true, Dubai is right up there in any shoppers list of places to visit. For them to have a separate festival just for shopping means they have something there which people would like to buy. With the variety of malls and shops to choose from, shopping seems like a national pastime here. It may sound ridiculous to some that the city is so dedicated to making itself a shoppers paradise. In spite of there being nearly 80 malls, many more of underway. As a tourist if you are coming to Dubai make sure you have enough bags to carry the shopped goods back to your country.
Dubai just spoils you with choices when it comes to shopping. Known for designer goods and electronics, the city has much to offer to a shopaholic. The best thing is you can either go for the contemporary way of shopping to the malls or even go back in time to the days when small shops were popular. Malls are a great place to do some quality shopping, everything and anything is available there. They are comfortable places to max out your credit cards. Fully air conditioned they are also a great way to beat the heat. They also provide indoor entertainment. The biggest mall in the world, The Dubai Mall has an underwater zoo and play zones for kids. It is situated next to the Burj Khalifa, the worlds tallest tower. The show stopper in this mall is the Bloomingdale’s outlet, which is the only one outside the USA. It has an indoor ice rink and cinema theatres. The Mall of Emirates is another must stop shopping area. Even though it stands at a close second, this mall is well known for its inbuilt ski slope. The mall has various high end designer outlets. It also houses a kids arcade and a multiplex. Other malls to visit are Dubai Festival City, Deira City Centre etc. Most of Dubai’s malls are open from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Even though the city is liberal certain rules should be followed in public areas like dressing decently. Another thing to follow is you should not eat in public places during the holy month of Ramadan.
There are several Arabian style souks which are the areas where consumerism is at its peak. The notable souks in town are Gold Souk, the Spice Souk and Textile Souk. The Gold Souk located in Deira is the best place to find a variety of gold and diamond jewelery. The Spice Souk is five minutes away from the Gold Souk in Deira. The allure of fresh spices will not let you leave the place without buying something. The Textile Souk is the best place to buy lush silks fabrics that the Middle East is famous for. If you are visiting Dubai with the sole purpose of shopping then do it during the month of January when the Dubai Shopping Festival happens. You will have all the above under one roof with the best discounts.
