Souk Shopping In Dubai

By Author: Bonny Kominek
Total Articles: 96
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Many people head for Dubai, a mere 5 hours from the UK, solely to shop. Dubai may be host to some of the largest and most luxurious shopping malls in the world, but for those who care to look beneath the veneer of the shiny new Dubai, there are still a myriad of souks, or traditional markets, in the city where some real bargains and truly unique items can be found.

Each souk tends to specialise, so you will find textile souks, meat souks, perfum souks, jewellery souks - there is a souk for everything. The vast majority of them are in Deira, but there are large clusters of them along the Dubia Creek. This traditional souk area is easy to and inexpensive to cross by small boat, or you can drive around the Creek quite cheaply by taxi or bus.

Most of the souks open from between 7am and 9am until 1pm when they close for the hottest part of the day, and then reopen from 4pm until about 9pm. They are at their busiest on Thursdays and Fridays as this is considered the weekend in Dubai. Some souks close early on Fridays as a result.

One of the key traditions at the souks is haggling! You will be expected to haggle ...
... with the seller over the price of anything you want to buy, especially if you are buying more than one item from the seller. Do not be afraid to try your hand at haggling, simply ask what the best price from the seller and take it from there.

One of the most colourful souks that you will come across is the textile souk. Look on in amazement at the sheer variety of textiles, fabrics and haberdashery items that are for sale, and at ridiculously low prices too. Anything from French lace, to local textiles, vibrant silks to delicate voiles - it is all here!

A delight for foodies everywhere, and especially seafood lovers, is the fish souk. You will never have seen such an amazing array of seafood, fresh, gutted and ready to cook. You may well see some seafood that is new to you, and you are sure to enjoy the bustling atmosphere here as fish are chopped up while locals haggle loudly with vendors.

If you like to cook, then you will be in heaven wandering round the narrow alleys of the spice souk. The aroma is out of this world, as are the colourful spice displays. Sellers are always more than willing to tell you about the spices on sale and how best to use them too.

One souk among all souks is deemed unmissable by all who have seen it - the gold souk. Riches as you have never seen before laid out, street after street, stall after stall and shop after shop. The gold glistens and dazzles beautifully in the sunlight, and you will find all manner of jewellery design from traditional to modern, as well as a range of precious metals stones and jewels. Get on the phone to DialAFlight to secure your flights to Dubai today. Travel to Dubai with confidence and luxury with an award winning flight service.