Dubai & Abu Dhabi 7 - Full PDF eBook

h w to o find a bargain

The range of stores – high-street to de-

signer, electronics to carpets – is amazing,

but true bargains are as rare as tulips in

Tonga, except during the Dubai Shopping

Festival (p73). The souqs in Deira and Bur

Dubai can equal good prices, providing

you are willing to haggle. In general, cut

the first suggested price by half and start

from there. The Deira Gold Souq is one

of the cheapest places in the world to buy

gold and, because the regulations regard-

ing authenticity are very strict here, you

can be sure that if you are considering a

24-carat bauble, then it is undoubtedly

genuine. Small Indian- or Asian-run

department stores are also good places to

pick up bargain basics, as long as you’re

not looking for anything of fashion cat-

walk calibre. And don’t miss the Dubai

Flea Market (www.dubai-fleamarket.com),

held on the first Saturday of the month at

Al-Safa Park in Jumeirah, where you can

find just about everything – including the

kitchen sink.

Main Malls

Dubai Mall (p88) The shopper’s Shangri-la,

Dubai Mall is the largest shopping mall in the

world.

Mall of the Emirates (p112) another whopper,

probably most famous for its indoor ski slope.

BurJuman Centre (p72) especially good for

high-end fashion.

Mirdif City Centre (p58) opened in 2010 with a

superb range of shops, plus a massive play station

for kids.

Ibn Battuta Mall (p113) Covers six country-

themed courts on one easy-to-navigate level.

Deira City Centre (p58) one of the first malls to

open here.

Dubai Festival Centre (p61) a pretty canalside

setting, plus great restaurants and shops.

Marina Mall (p113) More than 400 shops on the

breakwater, plus a huge activity centre for kids.

Abu Dhabi Mall (p123) a tempting choice of bou-

tiques, designer stores and international chains.

b st e buys

B DOUINE JEWELLERY

Bedouin jewellery is brilliant in Dubai and

with the steady popularity of boho ethnic

chic, makes a great gift. Look for elaborate

silver necklaces and pendants, chunky ear-

rings and rings, and wedding belts, many

of which incorporate coral, turquoise and

semiprecious stones. Very little of the

older Bedouin jewellery comes from the

n ed e To KnoW

o ening p hours

Malls in Dubai open from 10am to 10pm

Sunday to Wednesday, from 10am to

midnight Thursday to Saturday (week-

ends), and later during the Dubai Shop-

ping Festival and Ramadan (often until

1am)� Traditionally, souqs and non-mall

stores close a few hours during the after-

noon for prayer, lunch and rest, and don’t

open on Fridays until late afternoon,

but that’s changing� These days many

remain open all day� Malls get packed on

Friday nights�

r turnse

Try before you buy and ask about return

policies, especially for gifts� Many stores

offer returns for store credit only� When

in doubt, consider a gift certificate,

which generally has an extensive expira-

tion period and with international chains

can often be used online�

Websites

̈ www �quickdubai�com Great for

gifts, including last-minute essentials

such as cakes and flowers�

̈ www �sukar�com A private online

shopping site offering top discounts on

known brands� You will need an invite –

persevere, you won’t be sorry�

̈ www �souq�com A local version of

eBay with some top bargains and plenty

of variety�

̈ www �nahel�com A great range of

products, including electronics, per-

fumes and watches�

̈ www �berrybehaved�com Includes

home-decor items and stylish

accessories�

̈ www �emiratesavenue�com Great for

the latest electronics, including Tvs and

iPhones�

l stingsi

̈ The listings in this title are in order of

author preference�

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