During a trip, you should definitely visit a souk in Dubai. Here you get 10 tips that you should know what you should pay attention to there.
First, the most important question of all, how to reach a souk at all. In the metropolis of Dubai, there are numerous different means of transport that can be used. But the souks are in the older part of town, so the best way to get there is always by taxi. That means you can’t use the metro there because you would have to go too far. We always recommend tourists to take a taxi there and it doesn’t cost very much either. As a rule, the hotels in Dubai do not offer free shuttle buses there. There only the big shopping centers are approached, such as the Dubai Mall. So you have to organize this yourself and that’s not a problem. This is also very easy for first-time visitors and you can have them drive you there directly from the hotel.
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Souk al Bahar
Then of course you should also know which souks there are in Dubai. The most famous is certainly the Gold Souk Dubai and the Spice Souk Dubai. You should definitely stop by there as it is definitely worth a visit. As a tourist, you feel transported to another time and you can still experience traditional Dubai. An insider tip is certainly the Bur Dubai Souk, where there are not that many tourists. However, you have the advantage that you can buy cheap souvenirs there. The prices are much cheaper there. There are now numerous modern souks in Dubai that you can visit. These would be, for example, the Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Souk al Bahar, and the Souk Khan Murjan.
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Jewelry in the Gold Souk Dubai
If you visit a shopping mall in Dubai, you will find fixed prices everywhere. You won’t find these in a souk, nor will you find any price tags. That means there the price you have to pay has to be negotiated first. For many tourists, this is very unfamiliar, but it is quite simple. First of all, the dealer will always set a high price because he realizes that you are a tourist. Because of course, he wants to earn something from it. Now you have to name a price that is lower and so you can do that a couple of times. If you’re good at haggling, you can often save up to 50 percent. However, one should not overdo it and annoy the dealer.
As already mentioned, these must be negotiated. If you want to buy a souvenir from your Dubai vacation, you can always find a bargain there. Because the prices are significantly cheaper than, for example, the duty-free at Dubai International Airport. You often pay a lot more for the same item there. Furthermore, you still have the advantage that you can negotiate the price down.
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The Souk at the Dubai Mall
It always depends on what you want to buy in a souk in Dubai. This means that if you only want to buy a model of the Burj Khalifa then you always have to pay in dirham currency. This is usually a smaller amount. But if you want to buy a ring made of gold, for example, then you also have the option of paying in euros. For larger sums, the dealers are willing to accept other currencies. Payment by credit card is often also possible.
Usually, these are open all day from morning to evening. But the Gold Souk in Dubai is closed for a few hours at noon and then you can’t buy anything there. We always recommend going in the evening where there are the most visitors. There you can always enjoy a special flair and that’s how you imagine the Orient.
If you spend a few hours there, you will certainly get hungry and thirsty. It is possible to get something to eat there and local food is offered there. However, you will not find a fast-food restaurant. As a tourist, you have the opportunity to try out Arabic cuisine. However, you have to be careful there if you have a sensitive stomach. The dishes are spiced up a bit and not everyone can tolerate that.
Dubai Spice Souk
You will certainly be asked very quickly and everywhere if you want to buy something. After a while, this can get really annoying. The dealers then always try to lure the tourists into a backyard where counterfeit goods are then offered. This is called the fake market and there are products that are not of good quality. We always recommend buying products from official stores where there is a shop.
In any case, you can explore the Gold Souk Dubai and the Spice Souk Dubai on foot. It is possible and these two are close by. So you can connect them optimally. As already mentioned, these are all located in the older part of Dubai. But from there you can take an abra over the Dubai Creek and then you get to the Bur Dubai Souk. So this is a combination of walking and using public transport.
The entrance to the Gold Souk Dubai
So that you don’t attract attention there, you should always wear the right clothes. Women, in particular, should not show too much skin there as traders would find this attractive. We recommend covering your shoulders and knees and respecting Arabic culture. For men, shorts and a t-shirt are fine.
