The most beautiful and prosperous emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dubai is a shopper’s paradise. The place is known for its nearly fifty shopping centers and a great many souks which offer a variety of items at attractive tax free prices. People from all over the world come to Dubai and take great delight in shopping at this ‘Shopping Capital of the Middle East’. Shopping therefore, is one of the greatest pulls of this emirate.

The most hunted thing in Dubai is its gold. Dubai is popular for gold and boasts one of the biggest markets of gold called the Gold Souk. Located at the Sikkat al-Khali Street, this souk is famous worldwide for the gold necklaces, rings, bangles, brooches and other ornaments offered here at prices that are perhaps lowest in the world. The gold souks mainly provide 22 ct quality gold and are strictly regulated. So there are least chances of customers being cheated in terms of quality, although there is a variation in prices and lot of bargaining done.

The Fish Souk in Deira is another big hit among the visitors. The place is known for its unique variety of fish. Early in the morning and late at night, the local fishermen of the area unload a heap of fresh fish which they sale at a good bargain. No doubt, the place is thronged by all the fish lovers throughout the year. But fish and gold are not the only things found for cheap in Dubai. Unlike other places in the world Dubai offers good electronic items at reduced prices. The Electronics Souk near Beniyas Square is the hub of all kinds of electronic goods which have perfect quality and can be purchased for less if you are good at bargaining. Like other souks, this one too opens daily 0700-1200 and 1700-1900 and is closed on Friday mornings.

Besides souks, the malls in Dubai are a perennial attraction. This emirate is known for its huge malls such as the Majid Al Futtaim’s City Centre mall which inaugurated a series of the malls in Dubai. The Bur Juman center is another major shopping mall which comprises of 300 thousand sq. ft. of retail space with 190 stores of popular American and European brands, wonderful restaurants, a food court and cafes. The Mercato Mall with its unique theme is also quite popular among the tourists. The mall derives its name from the Italian word ‘market’ and boasts an unparalleled Renaissance style architecture and serves Italian, French and Spanish flavors. Not to miss are the Wafi City Mall which is regarded as one of the most elegant shopping complexes in Dubai, the Al Ghurair Centre that offers a combination of traditional and contemporary merchandise from Middle Eastern textile to perfumeries, the Lamcy Plaza mall with 150 retail outlets and the Al Mulla Plaza mall etc.

However, to cover it all, there is the big Dubai shopping festival. Held in the first quarter of the year, the Dubai shopping festival lures immense people from all corners of the world for some great tax free shopping. During the festival, shopkeepers give huge discount on their merchandise, daily car raffles are drawn and fireworks light Dubai’s night sky. The festival is a life time experience to explore this beautiful place and enjoy some heavy discounts.

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