Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Best places to shop in Dubai

5 markets, malls and shopping districts in Dubai — what to buy, when to go, and the tourist traps to avoid at each one.

Last updated 2026-08-08

1. Gold Souk, Deira

Hundreds of jewellers in a covered lane holding tonnes of gold on display. Prices are set by the daily international gold rate plus a workmanship charge, which makes them genuinely competitive.

Where: Souk
Map: Open in Maps
Best time: Saturday to Thursday 10:00–22:00; Friday from 16:00
Cost: Mid–Luxury
Tip: Ask for the rate and the making charge separately — the rate is fixed and public, the making charge is where you negotiate. Gold is sold by weight, so watch the scale.

Watch outTouts in the lane offering 'copy watches and bags' lead to back rooms selling counterfeits, which are illegal to export and to bring into most countries. Genuine shops display a Dubai Municipality licence.

2. The Dubai Mall

One of the largest malls in the world — 1,200 shops, an aquarium, an ice rink and the fountains outside, attached to the Burj Khalifa.

Where: Mall
Map: Open in Maps
Best time: Daily 10:00–24:00
Cost: Mid–Luxury
Tip: Tourists can reclaim VAT at the airport on purchases over AED 250. Ask for the tax-free tag at the till.

3. Spice Souk and Textile Souk

The old trading lanes either side of the creek — saffron, frankincense, dried lime and rose petals in Deira; fabric by the metre and pashmina in Bur Dubai.

Where: Souk
Map: Open in Maps
Best time: Saturday to Thursday 10:00–22:00
Cost: Budget–Mid

Watch outSaffron is the classic substitution here — safflower and dyed corn silk are sold as saffron at a fraction of its real cost. Genuine saffron threads are trumpet-shaped, colour water slowly to gold, and are never cheap.

4. Mall of the Emirates

The mall with the indoor ski slope — luxury flagships, a large Harvey Nichols and the Ski Dubai complex.

Where: Luxury
Map: Open in Maps
Best time: Daily 10:00–24:00
Cost: Luxury

5. Global Village

The seasonal open-air world market — pavilions from around 90 countries selling craft, food and textiles, plus rides and shows.

Where: Market
Map: Open in Maps
Best time: Mid-October to late April, daily from 16:00
Cost: Budget–Mid
Tip: Bargaining is expected in the pavilions, unlike everywhere else in Dubai. Go on a weekday evening.