Benefits of shopping in the emirate of Sharjah, UAE: markets, shopping centers

The advantage of tours in the United Arab Emirates is the opportunity to combine a beach holiday and shopping. To do this, tourists and independent travelers often choose trips to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, where there are many shopping centers and markets. However, with proper planning, shopping in Sharjah will not be worse, it is important to find out before that the location of large shopping centers and markets.

Features of shopping in the UAE

The main part of the UAE budget is the work of the tourism industry. Therefore, the country has created conditions for guests of the emirates and trade organizations. Transit warehouses operate in the large ports of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, duties and taxes for trade have been reduced. Most of the Mall and complexes are controlled by government agencies. Therefore, the prices for most goods from Europe and Asia are lower here than in other parts of the world.

What tourists need to know about shopping in Sharjah and other emirates of the UAE:

• The national currency of the country is the dirham. The calculation is made only in it, the exchange rate to the US dollar is 0.27 dollars per 1 dirham.
• You can exchange money in bank branches, in official exchange offices. The difference in the exchange rate does not exceed 1%.
• Payment by cash and bank cards. The latter can not be accepted in small shops, in the market. Before shopping in Sharjah, you need to prepare cash for these places.
• With the exception of Sharjah, there are liquor stores. But they must have a state license.
• For violation of the rules of trade, organizations face fines, the closure of the store is possible. Don’t be afraid to claim your rights at the time of purchase.
• Purchase returns. This rule does not apply to purchases in the market. If a check is issued after the purchase, it usually indicates how long it takes to return the goods to the UAE.

The best time for shopping in Sharjah is after the New Year holidays. At this time, big sales begin, when prices can drop by 40-50%. The peculiarity of sales is that the cost of goods is regulated by the state. If the seller artificially inflates the price, this is a direct violation of the rules of trade.

Malls in the Emirate

The best places to shop in Sharjah are malls. They are not as big as in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, but they also have branded clothes and shoes. Gold jewelry, souvenirs, spices are in great demand. Most of the buildings are located in the central area of the emirate’s capital. This makes it easier to plan shopping in Sharjah, you can go around several outlets in 1 day.

For comparison, you can plan a trip to the nearest emirate of Dubai. In Ajman, which is located on the eastern border of the emirate, the choice of shopping malls is small. Many tourists prefer to go to Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

Sahara Center

This shopping complex is located in the central area of the emirate’s capital. It consists of several buildings united by a central building. The shape of the latter is a dome made in the form of a tent. This is a convenient place for shopping in Sharjah, as there are more than 200 shops, boutiques on the territory. Goods are different – souvenirs, clothes, shoes, cosmetics. Here you can buy gold jewelry, watches and other accessories. The largest stores are Marks & Spencer and Debenhams. In addition to shopping, a large entertainment center has been created here. This makes it possible to buy the necessary goods, spend time with children.

Description Sahara Centre:

• Opening hours – 9:00 to 21:00. Friday is a shortened working day.
• Between the shops there are comfortable benches for rest.
• To buy children’s toys, visit the Toys ‘R’ Us store.
• Address: Al Nahda St. Near Ramada Sharjah.
• They accept cash, credit cards.
• Underground parking is designed for 1800 cars.

Most tourists who expect to make profitable shopping in Sharjah gather in the afternoon. For calm shopping, it is recommended to visit shops and boutiques before 12:00. At this time, a local amusement park is already operating, in which 20 attractions have been made, there is a cinema, large water slides.

Sharjah City Center Sharjah

This Sharjah mall is located on Al Wahda Road. It sells modern branded clothing, shoes. You can buy traditional Arabic souvenirs. A feature of shopping is that there are many restaurants and cafes in the Sharjah shopping center. Here you can plan to spend the whole day. In Sharjah City Center on the second floor there is a large entertainment complex and a hypermarket. Near the building there is a large parking lot, there is a bus stop. It can be reached on foot from the center in 10-15 minutes. The advantage of the location is close to the first line of hotels.

Description of City Center Sharjah:

• There are products from New Look, H&M and Borders, the prices are often lower than European ones.
• Address – Al Wahda Road, Industrial Area 1.
• You can buy mobile phones, computers, laptops. Local people buy furniture.
• This shopping mall in Sharjah has over 20 restaurants and cafes. You can grab a quick bite at Starbucks, Cold Stone Creamery.
• For children there is an entertainment complex Magic Planet.

For shopping in this mall in Sharjah, you need to plan 2-3 hours. The main shops are located on the first floor, on the second there is a hypermarket and an entertainment center. Souvenirs – traditional Arab crafts, fabrics, gold jewelry.

Shopping center Mega Mall

The prices of this mall in Sharjah are geared towards the average shopper. It is located in a large building with an area of 800 square meters. On 4 floors there are clothing, footwear, sporting goods stores. Here are the trademarks Paris Gallery, Bhs, Zara, Mango. Children can buy modern toys, for adults – gadgets, electronics. Here you can plan a comfortable shopping, in addition to boutiques, there are restaurants and bars on the territory.

Description of the shopping center Mega Mall:

• Address: Istiqlal Street, Al Bu Daniq. Landmark – nearby is the immigration office.
• For a family holiday after shopping in Sharjah, you can visit the Antics Land entertainment center.
• There are comfortable benches on each floor.
• Store location map, they are in Arabic and English.
• The local cinema shows modern films. They are in Arabic but with English subtitles.

Visitor reviews are mostly positive. All sellers have certificates allowing activities in the UAE. The shopping center in Sharjah is open from 9:00 to 22:00. You can walk from the center, the cost of a taxi from the tourist areas of the city is up to 20 dirhams.

Al Fardan Center Shopping Complex

It is one of the few malls in Sharjah where shopping is convenient for tourists. It is located on the coast, next to the Khalid Lagoon. Well-known trademarks are located in the Al Farjan shopping complex, here you can also buy souvenirs, gold jewelry and accessories. It consists of 5 buildings connected to a common infrastructure. Travel time from Sharjah International Airport – 20 minutes, from Dubai – 25 minutes. There is a large grocery supermarket, cafes and restaurants.

Description of Al Fardan Centre:

• Address: Buheira Corniche Road.
• There are more than 500 shops and boutiques.
• There is a small hotel on the territory of the shopping center. It is not recommended to book rooms in advance.
• Near the complex there is a large fountain, there is an amusement park.
• For the comfort of visitors, recreation areas have been created.
• For young tourists there is a children’s room.

A visit to the children’s playground is free, but you need to pay for the amusement park. Adults can plan lunch or dinner in one of the restaurants, take a walk in the city park. Before shopping in the emirate of Sharjah, it is recommended to make an indicative list of goods.

Shopping complex Safeer Mall

This mall is not in Sharjah, but on the highway on the way to Dubai. It is focused on budget shopping, it is often visited by locals. In addition to shoes, clothes, you can buy consumer electronics and phones here. There is a grocery supermarket on the territory, there are several shops with souvenirs. It is not recommended to plan a global shopping here, as the assortment is relatively small. That there you can stop by on the way to Dubai, buy the necessary things. For great shopping in Sharjah choose other shopping centers.

Description of the complex Safir Mall (Safeer Mall):

• Address – King Faisal St, 61191.
• There are several clothing boutiques on the territory of the shopping center, but there are few leading European brands.
• It is located next to Khor Khalid bay, close to a large highway.
• There is a bus stop nearby, the price of a taxi from the center of the capital of the emirate is from 30 dirhams.
• There is an entertainment complex Space City.

When shopping at this mall in Sharjah, it is recommended to bring cash. Not all stores accept bank cards, the building does not have a branch of banks and currency exchange offices. It takes 1-1.5 hours to visit all the shops.

Sharjah Markets

Real shopping in Sharjah is impossible without visiting the local shopping markets. In terms of size and range, they are inferior to their counterparts in Dubai, but the prices here are lower. They are located in the capital of the emirate, you can walk from the center, the price of a taxi is from 15 dirhams. Unlike shopping centers, in Sharjah, markets are a place for trading. Here you can achieve significant discounts, but it is not recommended to persist much. The quality of goods is almost always good, but according to tourists there are exceptions. Therefore, each purchase must be checked.

Popular markets of the city:

• Gold. Located next to the bus station, at the bay of Khor Khalid. Here you can buy yellow gold jewelry, most of them are factory-made. But you can find original jewelry at a relatively low price. Tourists buy gold chains, rings, bracelets, original jewelry. Each product is accompanied by a passport. There is a large clothing market nearby. In the evening, a big laser show starts in the local park.
• Fish market. Located on the local embankment, a separate building was built for it. It is recognizable by its appearance – two large domes rise above the roof. Most of the catch is offered in bulk; a separate sector is reserved for retail trade. In addition to shopping in Sharjah, you can take beautiful photos at the fish market.
• “Blue” market or “Engines”. Located in the center of the capital, it got its unspoken name because of the unique architecture of the two connected buildings. Outwardly, they resemble steam locomotives. Here they offer gold jewelry, souvenirs, clothes. There are several large fabric stores, a large selection of cosmetics. There are leather goods, women’s goods, you can buy children’s toys.

When planning shopping in Sharjah, shopping centers are visited first. Markets, according to tourists, are a convenient place for beautiful photos. When shopping, be respectful of the seller. Often this is the reason for receiving a discount.