Among the many charms of Dubai is its fantastic shopping. Whether it's haggling over Persian carpets in the centuries-old souks or shopping for French perfumes in the air-conditioned hush of the most modern and contemporary malls, Dubai offers every shopper a great experience. Here's your guide to getting the best shopping experience in Dubai. If you're moving to Dubai to live or just passing your time on vacation, shopping will be one of the highlights of your visit. The variety of products is staggering and as an open port with low import duties, prices are very attractive. Here's the lowdown on the shopping scene in Dubai. First, let's look at where to go. For sheer comfort, you can't beat Dubai's many modern shopping plazas. Air-conditioned and furnished with escalators, some with their own ski slopes, these multi-storey emporia sell everything from designer fashions to the latest in technology. Among the most prestigious in Bur Dubai is the centrally-located Bur Juman Centre, an enormous shopping mall with180 prestigious stores selling high fashion for the uber-chiq. Leading malls in the Deira district include Al Mulla Plaza, the Intercontinental Plaza, Abu Hail Shopping Centre, The Galleria, and Al Ghurair Centre. Bur Dubai features the Wafi Mall and Holiday Centre. Modern malls offer the most convenient and comfortable way to shop. But to uncover the exotic past of this futuristic city, and to savor the sights and smells of the authentic Arab world, you need to head to one of Dubai's souks. These are the traditional markets of Dubai and you'll find them on both sides of the creek. Souks are usually named after a product they specialize in. Thus the Gold Souk is the place where you can browse for gold earrings, rings, necklaces, bracelets and pendants in a stunning variety of designs. A specialty of the local gold craftsmen is creating items in shades of pink, white, yellow or green by varying the alloys. The nearby Spice Souk is filled with baskets piled with cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, incense, dried fruit and nuts. Browsing here is an aromatic adventure which you can continue in the Perfume Souk. And there's even a Fish Souk to sell the morning's catch of fish from the Arabian Sea. Now let's look at some of the practicalities of shopping. Traditional shopping hours from Saturday to Thursday run from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. with a break between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Most modern outlets such as malls and supermarkets stay open all day. All outlets close for prayers on Friday between 11.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. and many shops stay open late on Fridays. Bargaining is a traditional part of shopping in Dubai. While most modern outlets have fixed prices, for family businesses and markets, negotiation is a key component of the buying process. One good tip is to check out prices at the fixed-priced outlets before heading to the souks. This will give you an idea of a fair price before you start haggling. If you're looking for authentic local souvenirs you have many choices. You can't go wrong with Arabic coffee pots to remind you of the aromatic local brew. Then there are silver and brass sword and daggers, prayer beads, pearls, frankincense, Arabian perfumes, rugs and Persian carpets. And don't forget pearls.

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Article Submitted By: George Sotiropoulos
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