The Souks
All the information about the Dubai souks and markets in Dubai
Every visitor to Dubai should make at least one trip around Dubai's famous market places, known as Souks. Visiting one is akin to stepping back in time, to an era of street traders and bargaining, where you can find surprisingly good value on a staggering range of items, from spices from the Far East to the latest electronic goods.
The Souks have been part of Dubai's culture for generations, gradually growing and specialising over the years until they have each adopted different characters entirely. Indeed the only characteristic that all of the souks share is their style - darkened back streets and alleyways, where stallholders and shopkeepers display their wares, and invite you over to barter over prices.
Souks are a great place to pick up some souvenirs as well as great value day to day goods such as cosmetics and clothes. The famous Dubai Gold Souk is a striking area, where jewellery shops sell gold by weight and have stunning displays of ornaments and jewels in their windows. The souks are not just tourist attractions, of course, and are an important link to the past culture of the region, indeed many locals shop in them on a day-to-day basis.
Deira Covered Souk
Commonly known as the spice souk, the main reason for visiting this area is the sheer variety of spices on sale. You can choose from a number of small shops where spices and oils are sold from open sacks and negotiable prices. Behind the main area, you can explore a fascinating maze of alleyways where you can find a huge variety of other goods on sale.
Gold Souk
The famous gold souk is one of the largest retail gold markets in the world, with a dazzling choice of shops on offer. Gold is sold in every conceivable form, from intricate, ornate jewellery to solid ingots, and you buy it by weight. The display windows of the street front shops are nothing short of breathtaking, and many seem to display hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of gold as if it were sweets.
Al Sabkha Souk
Located right next to the spice souk, this is the best place in Dubai to go in order to get cheap electronic goods, and "tribute" versions of well-known watches and handbags. Although the prices are low in the souk, many goods are not covered by guarantee, and will not always work in the UK.
Al Karama
Not so much a souk as a district of the city, Karama is the place to go in order to barter over clothing, toys, and "antiques". The area has a preponderance of Indian tailors who will make you a bespoke suit overnight in almost any pattern you could want. If you ask nicely in some of the larger shops, they will show you their range of "under the counter" goods, which include counterfeit watches and handbags, but beware: customs officials can impound such goods on your return to the UK.
Dubai Old Souk & Al Faheidi Road
Located on the southern side of the creek, the old souk is well known for the variety of textiles such as silk that are on offer. Like Karama, the Dubai Old Souk has a number of tailors, and is a great place to pick up a unique pashmina or two.
Naifa Souk
The Naifa Souk was renovated primarily as a tourist attraction, in which sense it is a total success. The Souk sells pretty much anything that you could possibly want to buy, but on the whole, prices are slightly more expensive than at the other markets.
Meat Fish & Vegetable Souk
The meat area might need a fairly strong stomach, but the rest of this souk is a stunning place, where feverish trading goes on as the hotels, restaurants, and locals barter over prices in order to get the best deals on fresh food.