Shopping in Dubai
Life in the Emirates is different, so there is much more associated with malls and they are a larger hub of activity where people are drawn together, simply because it is too hot to go outside, so the aircon is a great relief. Most malls operate on a 10 to 10 basis (midnight on the weekend), apart from on Fridays, when most open at 2pm. Mall of the Emirates and Ibn Batuta Malls maintain their opening hours on Friday. We have listed out the malls that you should consider visiting, if you are spending a holiday here. Shopping in Dubai is a national pastime for locals, for expats and for tourists alike. A shopping bag from one of the Dubai malls is a memento of you shopping in Dubai. Go get it!
Malls in Dubai
Mall of the Emirates
Mall of the Emirates was the place to be, primarily due to Ski Dubai, which is the largest indoor ski slope in the world. The mall was also the largest mall in Dubai until the Dubai Mall opened. All the brands are there, and you could even opt to stay at the Kempinski, if you are want combine it all in one area. With hundreds of shops, if you want to go shopping crazy without the craziness of Dubai Mall, this is the only one mall to go to in Dubai - and you can even have a ski break. Don't knock it for being number 2, this is a pretty damn huge mall.
The Dubai Mall is the largest mall outside of North America - and so is the largest mall in Dubai and is also the largest mall in the UAE as well as the whole of the Middle East. It is indeed huge and to give you an understanding of scale - there are more than 1000 stores open, as well as an aquarium, an ice rink, and a sega city republic quasi theme park all inside. This is really what Dubai is all about. Shopping. And this is the epitome of shopping in Dubai. You could quite easily spend 3 days here without blinking. If you are staying in Dubai a week, try and spend a day here, and then stay away from malls forever. It's like overdosing on shopping.
Ibn Battuta Mall
IBM, the third largest mall in the Dubai, is themed on different regions: China, India, Persia, Egypt, Tunisia and Andalucia. It is large and spacious, and is different to other malls because of the themed areas. Due to its location, it may be a little far out for some, but a mall just outside of Dubai makes it more of an escape than some of the other malls. The themed areas make shopping in Dubai in this location something of a museum type experience.
The Burjuman Mall
Located in Bur Dubai, this large mall has been pitched high end, with all the labels on offer. With more than 300 stores, you'll be hard pressed to find any place matching Burjuman for luxury goods.
Deira City Centre Mall
City Centre is one of those malls that are always busy. It has a wide variety of stores, and caters to both the high and low end, and for this reason, it probably attracts a large number of people daily. If you're looking for something specific, you'll most likely find it here.
Wafi City Mall
Wafi City Mall is part of a larger complex that contains Raffles hotel. The mall is airy with shops over 4 floors with a high end feel to it. With spas, and licensed restaurants in the vicinity, its possible to combine numerous elements in one visit.
Other Malls
Other malls that exist for shopping in Dubai and worth considering, include Al Ghurair City, the recently refurbished, oldest mall in Dubai, the smaller, quaint, Italian themed Mercato Mall, the more reasonable Lamcy Plaza, the chic Emirates Towers Boulevard, The Village, Palm Strip, Al Mulla Plaza, Al Bustan Centre, Al Mamzar Shopping Centre, the Oasis Centre and The Sahara Centre on the way to Sharjah, as well as the Mega Mall in Sharjah.
