Downtown Dubai
With around 1300 shops, this isn't merely the world's largest shopping mall – it’s a small city, with a giant ice rink and aquarium, a dinosaur skeleton,…
Must-see shopping in Dubai
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Downtown Dubai
The art of crafting fine chocolate is taken very seriously at this high-tech 'Willy Wonka' factory, where all stages from roasting to handwrapping take…
Dubai
More tourist-geared boutique mall than traditional Arab market, this handsomely designed souq is part of the Arab-village-style Madinat Jumeirah resort…
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Dubai
Southeast of the airport, near Business Bay Bridge, this 350-store behemoth has all the standard shops, plus Ikea – a draw for locals and expats. Its main…
Dubai
This top-notch tailor has made bespoke suits for distinguished clients such as Roger Federer and Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, along with men's and women…
Dubai
This city-centre shopping, dining and entertainment district has the feel of a European town centre with its faux Georgian-style buildings, water features…
Dubai
This market features not only fruit and veg from local growers but also local honey, nuts, spices and eggs, plus arts and crafts, food stations and…
Dubai
Plain and simple they are not, the clothes and accessories at S*uce (pronounced ‘sauce’), a pioneer in Dubai’s growing lifestyle-fashion scene. Join…
Dubai
Home to Ski Dubai, a community theatre, a 24-screen multiplex cinema and – let's not forget – 630 shops, Mall of the Emirates is one of Dubai's most…
Dubai
Label-lovers on a budget flock to this indoor outlet mall whose architecture was inspired by a Tuscan hillside village. Midrange to fancy brands from…
Dubai
Inspired by the London original, this 1.3km-long outdoor lifestyle mall was built from upcycled shipping containers and has injected a welcome dose of…
Dubai
Hands-down the best spot for kid-friendly camel souvenirs: stuffed camels in all sizes and colours, camels on T-shirts, coffee cups, notebooks, greeting…
Downtown Dubai
This massive shop is El Dorado for bookworms. Shelves are stocked with a mind-boggling half-a-million tomes plus 1000 or so magazines in English, Arabic,…
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Bur Dubai
The place for traditional Middle Eastern attars (perfumes), Ajmal custom blends its earthy scents and pours them into fancy gold or jewel-encrusted…
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Bur Dubai
Rather than rest on its laurels, Dubai's oldest high-end mall (open since 1992) just keeps reinventing itself. A recent remodel added some 200 shops …
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Downtown Dubai
The carrots may have roots attached and dirt might stick to the fennel bulb, because both were still in the ground the previous day. Now they're vying for…
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Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
The shopping is good if nothing extraordinary, but it's the lavish and exotic design and architecture of this 400-shop mall that steal the show, tracing…
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Bur Dubai
Arguably the oldest shopping district in Dubai, the Meena Bazaar comprises a labyrinth of streets surrounding the Bur Dubai Souq that are packed with…
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Bur Dubai
Now in her 70s, Ritu Kumar is an Indian fashion designer famed for her stunning colourful prints and fabrics. As well as traditional lehengas (ankle…
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Bur Dubai
In business since 1950, Fabindia is one of India's biggest retail chains and mostly sells products handmade by more than 50,000 Indian villagers using…
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Dubai
The first outlet mall in the Middle East is a bargain shopper's nirvana with 240 stores offering discounts ranging from 30% to 90%. Don't expect the…
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Dubai
The Syrian couple behind Urbanist dedicate the shop's shelf space to hand-curated items rooted in both tradition and modernity, and Western and Middle…
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Dubai
The modern-Middle Eastern design of this locally adored boutique mall is as much a draw as the shops, which include rare gems like the first UAE branch of…
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Bur Dubai
Really handy if you have a sudden hardware/software demand or dilemma, this jam-packed computer and electronics mall has more than 80 outlets selling…
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Downtown Dubai
Clued-in gourmets know that some of the world's best honey is Sidr, produced by nomadic beekeepers in war-torn Yemen. At this little kiosk near the…
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Downtown Dubai
Stand under the lollipop tree, watch the candy-makers at work or gorge yourself on gourmet popcorn at this colourful candy emporium stocked to the rafters…
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Dubai
This is the kind of shop where 'notebooks' are still made from paper. Indeed, here they come in all shapes and sizes, from cutesy to corporate, along with…
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Bur Dubai
Old-style traditional Arab hospitality meant dates and camel milk. Now Emiratis offer their guests Bateel’s scrumptious date chocolates and truffles, made…
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Dubai
This 2000-sq-metre expanse of showroom is the exact opposite of a Scandi flatpack store and its sheer opulence makes it fun to visit. The furniture and…
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Bur Dubai
Trade malls for stalls and look for bargains amid the piles of preloved stuff that’s spilled out of local closets at Dubai's cherished flea markets, which…
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Downtown Dubai
With chic new quarters in the edgy Dubai Design District, this concept boutique pushes the boundaries when it comes to fashion and accessories. Look for …
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Downtown Dubai
A keen coffee radar is required to track down this boutique roastery, in a hidden alley amid the dusty warehouses of Al Quoz. The building houses not only…
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Bur Dubai
Kamal Makhija and his army of tailors have had women looking good since 1971. They can create original designs, copy a beloved dress or even sew you an…
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Bur Dubai
Nirvana for design-minded home decorators, this airy showroom unites funky, innovative and top-quality items from dozens of international manufacturers…
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Bur Dubai
A potpourri of exotic fragrances hits you as you enter this small shop stocked to the hilt with oils, teas, dates and sweet treats such as Turkish delight…
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Downtown Dubai
These 100% cotton kurtas (tunics) from Pakistan are stunning, with beautiful designs and colours, some featuring flowers, others exotic patterns. Expect…
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Bur Dubai
In business since 1976 and highly reliable, this outfit specialises in exquisitely tailored men's suits and has lots of fabrics to choose from. Turn…
Downtown Dubai
One of Dubai's raciest stores stocks push-up bras, high-heeled feathery slippers, slinky night gowns, seductive beauty products (we like the 'Booty Parlor…
Dubai
This concept store in trendy BoxPark stocks quirky gifts, gadgets, jewellery, clothes and accessories. Owner Hussein Abdul Rasheed curates an always…
Downtown Dubai
Translated as 'market of the sailor', Souk Al Bahar is a small arabesque-style mall next to the Dubai Mall that sells mostly tourist-geared items. It's…
