Holidays in the United Arab Emirates are comfortable beaches, good service, visits to local attractions. But reviews and photos are not always remembered by tourists and independent travelers. The way out is to choose souvenirs in Dubai, since markets and shopping centers offer tourists gold, perfumes, and national crafts.
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Features of shopping in Dubai
The choice of tourist souvenirs in the UAE is relatively large. You can buy national clothes, recycled household items. The most popular souvenir from Dubai are traditional fridge magnets. The theme is different – from local attractions to the classic desert landscape. But tourists need to be careful, most of the products are brought from China, and they are not original works of art.
What you need to know about shopping in Dubai:
- Trading is the norm. But don’t be too aggressive. Showing respect for the seller is a guarantee of a reduction in the price of souvenirs in Dubai. It can drop by 30-40%.
- Souvenir projection is sold in the markets, in shopping centers. There are special shops, trading shops. Most of them are in tourist areas, resorts. Meet at attractions.
- Periodically, sales are held in the UAE. At this time, product prices are reduced by 20-30%. This is a convenient time for shopping, purchasing branded items, gold jewelry.
The main task for tourists is to pick up an interesting souvenir from Dubai. It should not be useful and practical, but when you look at it, you will immediately remember a vacation in the United Arab Emirates. Therefore, before traveling to local markets or shopping centers, it is recommended to study the product, which will be really interesting.
What to bring from the UAE
Dubai is the center of recreation and entertainment in the country. All conditions for tourists and independent travelers are created here. To buy souvenirs, you can go to one of the local markets or visit the mall. It is important to pick up a list of goods in advance, find out their approximate cost. To do this, you can study the TOP souvenirs from the capital of the emirate Dubai.
Dalpu, Dalpu – antique coffee pots
Traditional oriental coffee making is impossible to imagine without dalpu – a classic coffee pot. This is a small vase with a handle and a tight lid. It is made of copper, on the surface there are drawings and an oriental ornament. Dalpu coffee pots are made in the UAE, but now there are many factory-made fakes.
How to pick up a dalpa in Dubai:
- Volume – up to 1 liter. A container of a smaller volume will be inconvenient, as well as a larger one.
- It is recommended to buy dalpa in the classic, old coffee houses of the city. This is a guarantee that the item is antique.
- The cost is from 600 dirhams. Anything cheaper is fake.
You can use a handmade coffee pot as a souvenir from Dubai or for its intended purpose. Coffee in it is prepared relatively slowly, but can keep the temperature for a long time. Often dalpa is used as a piece of furniture, decoration for the room.
Perfume sets
Arabic cosmetics and perfumes are one of the options for souvenirs from the UAE. This industry began work in the country relatively recently in the Middle East, but thanks to new technologies, the use of natural materials quickly became popular. Perfumes for women and men, there are universal sets and products.
By price, these souvenirs from Dubai can be divided into mass market, middle and luxury class. They differ in quality and quantity of ingredients. Most of the sets are unisex, suitable for women and men.
Overview of UAE Perfume Products:
- Affordable price. It includes products from Al Rehab and Al Haramain. Simple, not flashy packaging, a selection of perfumes and creams, many points of sale. There are classic oriental fragrances and products that are close to European in characteristics. The price is from 10 dirhams.
- Average price. It includes products from Nabeel, Rasasi, Armaf, Ajmal, Lattafa, Afnan. Products only from natural materials, the average cost is 80-150 dirhams. They offer concentrated aromatic oils for 80 dirhams per 12 ml.
- Luxury perfumery. Prices – from 560 dirhams. Brand examples are Yas Perfumes, Hind Al Oud, Ne’emah. Goods are sold in boutiques, you will not find them in markets or shopping centers. Always good quality, beautiful and convenient packaging.
It is recommended to take a sample before buying. It can also become a small souvenir from Dubai. The price of a small bottle of perfume is from 5 dirhams. According to tourists, some boutiques offer them for free.
Ud oil
The peculiarity of oud oil lies in the ingredient. It is made from the bark of the agate tree. In the process of growth, useful substances and natural flavors accumulate in it. An additional condition is that it must have a special type of fungus. The older the tree, the more expensive the oud oil. It is produced a little, so the price on the market is relatively high – from 6000 dirhams for 0.5 liters.
Often this oil is used as one of the ingredients for making a perfume set. Its special properties give cosmetics from the UAE a specific flavor. The difficulty lies in obtaining oil; after processing, up to 100 ml of liquid will be obtained from one century-old tree. But it will be a souvenir from Dubai that can only be used on special occasions.
Jewelry
A special place among tourists is occupied by jewelry and products made of gold and silver. Historically in Dubai, these are the most popular souvenirs. The reason is cost and choice. Gold and jewelry are sold in every shopping center in the city. However, to buy a truly memorable gift, you can go to the gold market – Gold Souk. It is located on the Dubai waterfront, in the Deira area.
Recommendations for buying jewelry in the UAE:
- Select only licensed stores. There are only original decorations here.
- The cost of products is tied to the gold rate. Therefore, the price may vary depending on the season.
- Gold and silver jewelry must be hallmarked.
- Some products can be certified.
In the gold market and in shopping malls, there are jewelry pieces from local craftsmen and factory models from other countries. The first ones are more expensive, but among the souvenirs from Dubai they are valued better. The reason is the appearance, the combination of different precious metals and stones in one piece of jewelry.
Agarwood and bahur
An alternative to oud oil is to buy agarwood. These are small pieces of agar wood filled with natural aromatic oils. They emit a pleasant smell when smoldering, an oriental analogue of incense sticks. They are sold in the markets and shopping centers of the capital. The alternative is bahur. It is obtained from a young agar tree. The difference between agarwood and bakhoor lies in the saturation of oils.
How to choose an aromatic souvenir:
- The darker the wood, the richer it is with natural components.
- The difference in price is determined by the specific gravity. The same volume can have different masses.
- The cost of agarwood is from 400 dirhams per 100 grams. Bahur is cheaper – from 150 dirhams.
- Before buying, it is recommended to smell, there should be a specific smell reminiscent of oriental spices.
This souvenir from Dubai will be a good gift for relatives, friends. The benefit is the benefit. It can be used for aromatization of rooms, in a bath or sauna. Important: the tree should smolder, not burn. Otherwise, there will be the opposite effect, the smell of smoke will kill the aroma.
Spices
Another popular souvenir from Dubai is a set of traditional oriental spices. For them, it is recommended to go to the spice market, which is located on the waterfront, next to the Gold Souk. Here they sell spices and spices grown in the UAE and other countries. You can buy souvenir sets, or each type of product separately.
What spices can be bought in the UAE, their properties:
- Saffron, cardamom, turmeric. These are not only spices for food, but also for the prevention of many diseases.
- Dried herbs and flowers. They can be added to tea, make decoctions.
- Nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves. Popular spices that can be useful in any kitchen.
- Vanilla. A real natural product, but the price for 50 can reach 800 dirhams.
A separate category is gift sets. They include several types of spices in a beautiful package. They are convenient for decorating rooms, with their help they make the design of a kitchen or dining area. Such souvenirs from Dubai can often be found in the homes of tourists and independent travelers.
Oriental textile
This is a special kind of souvenir. If you do not know where to buy souvenirs from Dubai of this type, you can search for a long time. To do this, you need to go to the textile market. It is located next to the waterfront, in Deira. However, prices are high here, you can take fabric or ready-made clothes from local fashion designers.
Most often they buy pashmina and silk. The problem is that there are many synthetic fakes on the market. Therefore, before purchasing, you need to check the fabric. Often, ordinary cashmere is used instead of pashmina. The average price of a shawl is from 1800 dirhams.
Where to buy souvenirs
To buy souvenirs in Dubai, you can visit shopping malls or local markets. In the first case, traditional goods are presented in stores, and there are unique products in the markets. However, the cost of the latter may be higher than the standard.
Shopping malls in Dubai where you can buy souvenirs:
- Dubai Mall. Located in the Downtown area, next to the Burj Khalifa skyscraper and the “singing fountains”. The largest shopping center in the city, many shops and boutiques.
- Ibn Battuta Mall. It is located in the resort part of the capital of the emirate. The landmark is Garden Cross Road. You can get there by metro or taxi.
- Mall of the Emirates. The building was built in the Al-Barsha area. There are several interesting souvenir shops here.
- Dubai Marina Mall. Convenient for tourists who went on an excursion to Dubai Marina. You can buy textiles, traditional Arabic souvenirs. But a lot of Chinese consumer goods.
In addition to shopping centers, souvenirs in Dubai are sold in the markets. They are located in the resort areas of the city. Their visit can be done during the tour. So you can see local attractions, plan shopping.
The main markets in Dubai, their location:
- Gold Market, Golden souk. Located in Deira, open from 9:00 to 19:00. It is recommended to visit shops located further from the center. There is less choice, but lower prices.
- Spices souk. Also located in Deira, near the gold market. Tourists come here in the morning, when there are still few visitors.
- Textile, Naif souk. Here you can buy fabrics and clothes. According to the reviews of tourists, beautiful photos are obtained here.
Souvenir shops at hotels and inns are not recommended to visit. There are no original decorations here, most of the goods are made in China or Malaysia.