travel books (ask nicely and they may show
you the banned book list).
ibn baTTuTa Mall ShoppinG Mall
Map p220 (www.ibnbattutamall.com; Sheikh Za-
yed rd, btwn interchanges no 5 & no 6; h10am-
10pm Sun-Wed, 10am-midnight Thu-Sat) The
14th-century Arab scholar Ibn Battuta
travelled 120,000km over 30 years. You’ll
have a better idea of how he felt after trek-
king from one end of this behemoth mall
to the other. It’s divided into six sections,
each decorated in the style of a country he
visited – Andalucía, Tunisia, Egypt, Persia,
India and China. Though the shopping
is not nearly as special as the decoration,
worthwhile stops include Ginger & Lace
and the Bauhaus lifestyle store. If you’re too
exhausted to walk back, hop on the golf-
cart shuttle (Dh5).
coVenT Garden MarKeT MarkeT
Map p220 (www.coventgardenmarket.ae; The
Walk at Jbr, rimal Sector; h5pm-midnight Wed
& Thu, 10am-9pm Fri & Sat) If you’re not into
shopping, grab a latte and send the others
out to peruse the lacy scarves, fancy neck-
laces, designer T-shirts and pretty purses at
this bustling arts and crafts market. Bring
the kids: clowns, bands and balloon-animal
makers provide the entertainment. Easy to
find, near the entrance to the Hilton Hotel.Marina Mall ShoppinG Mall
Map p220 (Dubai Marina, http://www.dubaimarinamall
.com; h10am-10pm Sun-Wed, 10am-midnight Thu-
Sat) It makes a change. A mall with around
160 stores, where you won’t get lost quite
so readily as you will in the mega-size vari-
ety, yet the shops are just as good. Here you
can find such great stores as H&M, Reebok,
Mango, Boots, Mothercare, Monsoon, Miss
Sixty, the Early Learning Centre and the up-
market UK supermarket chain Waitrose, as
well as plenty of restaurants and cafes.GinGer & lace FaShion
Map p220 (ibn battuta Mall, Sheikh Zayed rd)
Ginger & Lace stocks an eclectic selection
of colourful, whimsical fashion by high-
spirited New York designers Anna Sui and
Betsey Johnson, London-based bag maven
Zufi Alexander and Spanish illustrator-
turned–fashion designer Jordi Labanda.
There’s another store in Wafi Mall.aiZone FaShion
Map p220 (Mall of the emirates, Sheikh Zayed rd,
al-barsha) Lose yourself for hours in thissKi dubaiSkiing in the desert? Where else but in Dubai? The city’s most incongruous at-
traction, ski dubai (Map p220; %04-409 4000; http://www.skidxb.com; Mall of the emirates,
al-barsha; Snow park admission adult/child Dh120/110, Ski Slope per 2hr Dh180/150, all
day Dh300/275, lessons per hr from Dh140; h10am-11pm Sun-Wed, 10am-midnight Thu,
9am-midnight Fri, 9am-11pm Sat; c) is a faux winter wonderland built right into the
gargantuan Mall of the Emirates� It comes complete with ice sculptures, a tiny sled-
ding hill, five ski runs (the longest being 400m) and a Freestyle Zone with jumps and
rails� Gulf Arabs especially are fascinated by this snowy display, but they typically
restrict themselves to the walk-through Snow Park, passing through a colour-lit igloo
filled with carved-ice penguins and dragons, then sledding down a little hill in plastic
toboggans� Skiers and boarders are kept separate from the Snow Park and instead
whiz down a forking slope – one side for beginners, one for intermediates� The 60m
(196ft) vertical drop is an ant hill when compared with a real ski mountain, but if
you’ve never skied or boarded before, it’s a good place to learn the basics� Advanced
skiers quickly grow weary of the too-short runs (think 30 seconds at a good clip) but
generally everybody is pleasantly surprised by the velvety snow� Conditions are ideal:
at night, the interior is chilled to -8°C, and snow guns blow feather-light powder�
During opening hours it warms to a perfect -1°C� Though weekends are more crowd-
ed, Ski Dubai operates a faster-moving secondary lift and a rope tow that significant-
ly shortens the ride uphill, giving you more runs per hour than you can get riding the
chair� Pretty much everything is provided, including socks and skis, although gloves
and hats are not (for hygiene reasons)� Bring your own or buy some in the adjoining
ski shop; gloves start at around Dh10, and hats at Dh30� If you bring your own equip-
ment and/or clothing you’ll get a 5% discount on each�n
ewd
ubai(^) Shoppin
G