Where Did I Shop In Dubai?
I did a bit of homework on the gold prices and most importantly the exchange rate of our Australian Dollar before heading off on my gold buying adventure in the old Dubai Gold Souk, known as Deira.
On arrival it felt quite over whelming, with rows and rows of gold retailers and so much gold hanging everywhere. It didn’t look real! Men came up to us wanting to take us to their stores to purchase designer copies. But – it was an extremely hot morning, reaching 45 degrees, and I had my non-shopper hubby with me so I declined. How strong I am!
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I was on a mission as I had a certain piece in mind, so we walked in and out of different retailers which appealed to me. Just by looking in the windows I could tell whether they would stock what I was looking for. After comparing prices from different retailers, and of course haggling, I opted not to purchase from the Gold Souk.
After a fifteen minute taxi ride we arrived at Dubai Mall. This place is definitely a shopper’s paradise – it is spotless, luxurious and very safe if you’re shopping on your own. I did a lot of window shopping and dreaming, as most of the stores were very “high end” and the exchange rate wasn’t great at the time.
Then I discovered Dubai mall has its own Gold Souk. After haggling with different retailers I made my purchase – which was a slightly better price than the Gold Souk in Deira, and I also felt confident and safer making my purchase in Dubai mall. On the second floor is the famous Aquarium and under-water Zoo.
The next morning I caught the free shuttle from the Zabeel Saray to The Mall of Emirates. Hubby decided not to come along this time and I was able to get a bit of shopping time on my own. This was another luxurious, spotless and safe place to shop. I did more window shopping and dreaming.
I loved looking at the rich coloured furs and the beautiful gowns. The Mall of Emirates is not your everyday shopping centre – it’s famous for Ski Dubai, an indoor ski resort!
Both shopping Malls have so much to offer. This is not just shopping, it’s an experience! You could easily arrive, have breakfast, spend the whole day, stay and have dinner and still leave without having seen it all!
Dubai was around 43 degrees every day, so the shopping malls were an experience while escaping the heat.
One place I didn’t get to was the Dubai Outlet Mall. I would have liked to have seen what they had to show off and what the price points were.
On the whole I enjoyed the Dubai experience but I felt it was expensive for everyday clothing. However, if you’re looking for jewellery it’s definitely the place to purchase.
It’s important to remember that if you’re visiting Dubai to dress modestly, keeping shoulders and knees covered when leaving your hotel or going out into public areas.
