BurJuman has a huge concentration of
high-end labels and an easy-to-navigate
floor plan. There are wide expanses of shiny
marble studded with white leather sofas for
resting weary feet. Max out your credit card
at over 320 top purveyors, including Saks
Fifth Avenue, Dolce & Gabbana, Donna
Karan, Kenzo, Calvin Klein, Christian Lac-
roix, Cartier and Tiffany. There’s a cheap
and chowable food court on the 3rd floor, as
well as some classier choices, like Paul and
Olive Gourmet. The mall is also a stop on
the Big Bus Company (p176) route.
f GreeniVe Fa ionSh
Map p 214 (Garden home, oud Metha rd, oud
Metha) You may get lost trying to find one
of the city’s leading indie boutiques and
concept stores, but it’s worth it to meet the
cool kids of Dubai’s retail scene. In addition
to its art installations, international maga-
zines and music by Jazzanova and Soot,
Five Green carries cool unisex labels such
as Teenage Millionaire, Paul Frank, Paper
Denim & Cloth and Upper Playground.
a hMed eisa KaMali Shee Sha
Map p 214 ( mcy la plaza) This modest store
has some fine sheeshas (water pipes used
to smoke tobacco), ranging from Dh30 to
Dh350 and from bejewelled and colourful
to the more mainstream version. There’s an
endless range of flavoured tobaccos, includ-
ing strawberry and coffee. In fact, there’s
just about every flavour you can think of,
except for plain tobacco.a -lorooba orienTal Carpe TS
Map p 210 ( Juman Centre; cnr bur khalid bin al-
Waleed & Sheikh khalifa bin Zayed rds) You’ll
have to decide whether to enjoy the ritual
of unfurling fine carpets or combing over
the cool collection of Bedouin jewellery,
Kashmiri shawls, prayer beads, ceramics
and khanjars. You won’t have time for both:
this is high-quality stuff that merits careful
attention.Gala Xy piano p anoi S
Map p 210 (www.galaxypiano.com; burJuman
Centre; cnr khalid bin al-Waleed & Sheikh khalifa
bin Zayed rds) OK, we know you’re unlikely
to buy a piano while on your hols, but this
showroom would even make Elton John
swoon. Acrylic glass uprights and grands
include a little gold number and a scarlet-
and-silver show-stopper. Fabulous!d bai’s u shoppinG fesTiValsEvery year from mid-January to mid-February, the month-long d bai u shopping
festival (www.dubaishoppingfestival.com) draws hordes of bargain-hunting tourists
from around the world� This is a good time to visit Dubai: in addition to the huge
discounts in the souqs and malls, the weather is usually gorgeous and the city is
abuzz� Outdoor souqs, amusement rides and food stalls are set up in many neigh-
bourhoods, with the best on the Bur Dubai waterfront across from the British
Embassy� There are traditional performances and displays at the Heritage and
Diving villages, family entertainment across the city, concerts and events in the
parks, and nightly fireworks, best viewed from Creekside Park� d bai u summer
surprises, a related event, is held during the unbearably hot months of July and
August; it mainly attracts visitors from other Gulf countries� NB: For the best bar-
gains at either festival, come during the last week, when retailers slash prices even
further to clear out their inventory�
The carnival-like Global Village (%04-362 4114; http://www.globalvillage.ae; off hwy e 3 11;
admission Dh10; h4pm-midnight Sun-Wed, to 1am Thu & Fri) runs from late November
to late February, about 13km south of Sheikh Zayed Rd� Think of it as a sort of ‘world
fair’ for shoppers� Each of the 30-something pavilions showcases a specific nation’s
culture and – of course – products� Some favourites: the Afghanistan pavilion for
fretwork-bordered stone pendants and beaded-silver earrings; Palestine for tradi-
tional cross-stitch kandouras (casual shirt-dresses worn by men and women) and
ever-popular cushion covers; Yemen for its authentic khanjars (traditional curved
daggers); India for spangled fabrics and slippers; and Kenya for its kitsch bottle-top
handbags� Check out the earnest entertainment, from Chinese opera to Turkish
whirling dervishes�b
urd
u
bai
ShoppinG