Malls in Abu Dhabi

Mall Shopping at Many levels in Abu Dhabi

To get a feel for where people spend their time, it is worth checking out the very different levels of malls and the very different goods sold in some of these places. We propose a low, medium and high end approach to mall shopping.

Low End – Al Falah Plaza. It feels like a hypermarket of sorts – or a super large dollar shop, where everyone is out for a bargain. It’s great for people watching to see a multitude of nationalities converse.

Mid Price – Madinat Zayed Shopping and Gold Centre. This is what you would probably envisage a Middle Eastern Mall to be like if we hadn’t been pitched the super monoliths from Dubai. It’s a great little venue with everything from tailors to jewellers to Arabic and Western brands all together in a pandemonium of happiness.  Another small but elegant mall is the Fotouh al Khair also known as the Marks and Spencer building.  Not as big as your standard mall, but enough to keep ladies and children occupied for a couple of hours.  It has many of the well known high street brands as well as Abu Dhabi’s only Marks and Spencer.

High End – Marina Mall. This has cemented itself as the place to shop and chill out in Abu Dhabi. With a multitude of shops it is probably the largest and best mall in Abu Dhabi – and probably what a westerner would perceive a mall to be. Alternatives include the Abu Dhabi Mall – the first major mall centrepiece of the Emirate, Khaldiya Mall, one of the newest malls in Abu Dhabi and Al Wahda Mall, a small maze of a mall

Points of note

• Shopping is almost a national pastime in the UAE. Thursday and Friday  evenings can be quite busy.
• Air conditioning is usually at reverse proportion to the heat outside. At the height of summer, expect it to be freezing inside!
• Music will stop during prayer times, although most stores remain open
• Despite there being a smoking ban in most malls, people do still smoke openly.

When – Daily, 10am til 10pm, 1pm til 11pm Fridays

How long – Al Falah, 1 hour, Madinat Zayed – 3 hours, Marina Mall – 3 hours

Location  – “Al Falah Plaza”, (make sure you ask for the Plaza, not just the Al Falah Street), “Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre” (There is another entrance from the Gold centre), “Marina Mall” (Enjoy the view of the Emirates Palace). “Fotouh al Khair” or “Marks and Spencer building” is familiar for the taxi. “Al Wahda Mall” – Defense Street and airport road. All locations are central to Abu Dhabi and shouldn’t be longer than a 10 minute taxi ride.

Cost – The depths of your pockets!