Some souks specialize in mainly one product -- such as gold, spices or carpets -- while others carry a bit of everything, including exotic items you can't find at home. There are several high-end souks, too, and they're often as interesting for their architecture as their merchandise.
Gold souk
If you're looking for a bargain on "bling," put Dubai's gold souk at the top of your list. The prices here are among the lowest you'll find anywhere in the world -- some claim as little as a quarter of what you might pay at home. If you bargain, you should be able to knock off at least 20% of the stated price.
The souk, which has a collection of more than 120 shops, is the biggest market for the precious metal in the U.A.E. In addition to intricate gold jewelry, you can also find precious stones and pearls.
The best time to go is in the late afternoon or early evening as most stores are open until 10 p.m. The weather is cooler at night and the souk is at its busiest and most atmospheric.
Most hotels provide a free shuttle bus or you can take a cab. Get off on the Bur Dubai side of the creek and then venture on board an abra (water taxi).
You can buy necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings and pendants in modern or traditional designs. Gold is priced according to weight and daily gold prices are either displayed in the shop or in the local paper. If you can't find what you want, consider getting your own piece exclusively designed.
Spice souk
An easy walk from the gold souk -- and near the dhow moorings for easy trading and unloading -- is the spice souk. Burlap bags containing fragrant spices cram the narrow streets and alleys, where women in kandouras -- long sleeved full-length dresses -- and men wearing dishdashas -- ankle-length loose fitting white cotton garments -- come to shop.
Most stalls sell cardamom, saffron, paprika, nutmeg, dried limes, thyme, vanilla pods, dried cinnamon, henna and frankincense. The prices are good and so is the selection. Spices come from India, Pakistan, Iran, Syria, Sri Lanka and Madagascar. The biggest sellers, according to one merchant, are frankincense and saffron.
Vendors, many of them from Iran, are very friendly and will happily identify any spices you don't recognize.
Khan Murjan
If there's such a thing as a five-star souk this is it. The Khan Murjan -- a recreation of the famous 14th century Baghdad souk -- is in the Wafi Mall next to the pyramid-shaped Raffles Dubai hotel. The centrepiece of the souk is an amazing stained glass ceiling -- one of the biggest in the world -- which had to be carefully assembled by hand over the course of several months.
At the heart of the souk is a gorgeous, marble courtyard, where you can enjoy an authentic Middle Eastern meal while being serenaded by musicians.
Take a stroll through the Moroccan, Syrian, Egyptian and Turkish quarters and see artistic traditions from across the Islamic world brought together in one place.
More than 150 shops sell an array of local and international arts and crafts, including intricately woven Persian rugs, painstakingly carved Moroccan furniture, and Damascene mother-of-pearl mosaics. Don't miss the Khan Al Saboun shop run by Badr Hassoun & Sons, a Lebanon-based company that has been making soap since 1480.
Carpet souk
If only top quality carpets will do, you may want to focus on shops in the upscale Souk Madinat Jumeirah or the Khan Murjan. But to see lots of carpet stalls all in one place offering a range of prices, head for the carpet souk on Al Meena Rd., near the main port area in Abu Dhabi.
Sometimes called the Afghan souk, this market carries both handmade and machine-made Oriental carpets, as well as Yemeni mattresses, and traditional Arabic cushions, which you can have made to order for a reasonable price. With dozens of stalls lined up side-by-side it's great for comparison shopping. Bargains can be found if you haggle.
WRITER@INTERLOG.COM
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IF YOU GO TO ABU DHABI
MORE INFORMATION
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, operates three non-stop flights-per-week from Toronto to the capital Abu Dhabi.
Flights on the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, depart Toronto Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Return fares in economy in February/March average around $1,686 plus taxes (about $350-$400) For more call 416-221-4744 or check etihadairways.com.
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