At the Dubai Flea Market at Barsha Pond, Dubai.
PHOTO BY DUBAI FLEA MARKET
Dubai may be home to some of the largest and swankiest malls in the world, but it also has colourful and lively souks that offer shoppers a touch of tradition.
Bargaining is expected in these local markets and if you are lucky, sellers might just drop their prices by as much as 50 percent!
Unleash your inner shopping enthusiast with these six souks in the city, popular for their own unique selling points.
Dubai wouldn’t be hailed as the “city of gold” for no reason. The Gold Souk located in Deira is one of the emirate’s oldest traditional markets, with over 350 retailers selling premium gold from 18 carats to 24 carats. You can also find platinum, diamonds, silver, pearls, and other precious metals and stones that will surely delight the jewellery lover in you.
Timings: 9:30am to 9:30pm; Friday 4pm to 9:30pm
Also one of the oldest souks in the city, the Textile Souk is located along the Dubai Creek in the Bur Dubai side. This souk is known for its colourful fabrics with unique designs and colours that you probably have never seen before. Premium quality silk, cotton, exotic weaves, and sari fabrics are just a few of their collections. Along with fabrics, there’s an enormous selection of stones, laces, buttons, sequins. If you want to get customised clothing, tailor shops are also available in this market.
Timings: Saturday to Thursday, 10am to 10pm; Friday 4pm to 10pm
Located just next to the Gold Souk at Sikkat Al Khali Street, this souk has hundreds of stalls selling enchanting scents and aromas. Each shop exudes different fragrance from floral, to woody, to fresh, and musk. Aside from perfumes, you can also find incense sticks, crystals, powder, and exotic traditional oud in this market. You can also get a personalised perfume, according to your favourite type of scent or one which suits your skin.
Timings: Saturday to Thursday 9:30am to 10pm; closed on Friday
Located beside the Gold Souk, this market is filled with flavorful exotic and homegrown sacks of spices, herbs, dried fruits, rice, candied nuts, and fragrant teas. It also offers high-quality saffron strands at local prices, organic dates, cinnamon, chilli, and pepper of various colours and varieties. The spices here are imported from India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and other countries in the Middle East and Asia, and can be purchased by weight or in packets.
Timings: Saturday to Thursday 10am to 10pm; Friday 4pm to 10pm
This huge second-hand market allows you to buy and sell goods with over 300 stalls of books, clothes, ceramics, furniture, antiques, music instruments, electrical appliances, and so much more at very cheap rates. Breakfast, lunch and drinks are offered at a wide selection of pop-up stalls that are perfect for the whole family!
Timings: Saturday and Sunday in various locations, from 10am to 6pm. Check https://dubai-fleamarket.com/ for details
If you are looking for a more upscale souk, then Souk Madinat Jumeirah is the place to go. The modern, airconditioned souk is one of Dubai’s popular markets located on south of Burj Al Arab in Dubai’s Jumeirah district. It is interconnected with waterways and surrounded by lush gardens, lined with lovely cafes, bars, bistros, and offers a picturesque view of the Burj Al Arab. This place is a blend of both modern luxury brand shops and traditional Arabian shops selling crafts, perfume, jewelries, and so much more.
Timings: 10am to 11pm
DMM/Expat Media
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