A surprising number of ports on the Arabian Peninsula have served as trading centers between east and west for centuries. Despite this history, few people expected that Dubai would give rise to several of the world's most lavish places for shopping once the United Arab Emirates emerged as a popular business and entertainment destination.

Mall of the Emirates

The Mall of the Emirates arrived first in 1999. It boasts over 500 stores featuring flagship luxury brands, plenty of restaurants, tons of electronics and familiar retail outlets from all over the world. From the start, entertainment was also part of the mix. In addition to a large theater with 20 screens showing international cinema films, a bowling alley, and a fantasy attraction, the desert kingdom shocked the world by building Ski Dubai.   The half mile long indoor ski and sledding facility provides a place to enjoy a hint of winter even during the six months of the year when temperatures top 100 degrees regularly. Recognizing that wealthy people from around the world covet designer brands and the rest of us like to window shop, the Mall of the Emirates includes adjacent hotels from leading chains such as Novotel, Kempinski, Hilton and Sheraton to handle thousands of daily visitors.

Within a decade, the Mall of the Emirates encountered stiff competition from the $20 billion Dubai Mall built in the center city, which is directly adjacent to the Burj Khalifa skyscraper, several nearby residential complexes, and an Armani Hotel. The Dubai Mall now attracts an estimated 80 million visitors annually to its more than 1300 retail outlets and 200 food and beverage locations. It also claims to be the fashion capital for the Middle East because of the many designer stores located along the Fashion Avenue corridor.

Dubai Mall

The Dubai Mall features a wide range of attractions of its own including an ice rink, an aquarium, a virtual reality park, movie theaters, electric go karts, a horror attraction known as the Hysteria Experience and a 80 foot high shimmering waterfall.  Although no roller coasters were spotted during our recent walk through the mall, a connected amusement park would not be a surprising addition. 

There are more than enough shopping alternatives to these two glistening malls. Along the banks of the Dubai Creek are numerous souks specializing in different types of goods such as a spice souk, fabric silk, perfume souk and the always popular gold souk at which quality 18 and 22 carat gold chains and jewelry pieces are the norm rather than the exception. These shops and stalls can be enjoyed by crossing the creek on local wooden dhows known as abras just as merchants and their customers have for over a century. Finally, imported goods from exotic locations around Africa, the Middle East and Asia can be found at the modern and creatively decorated Ibn Battuta Mall which uses themes from six countries visited by the  famed Arab traveler during his adventures in the middle ages.

Interesting Facts - Even the ubiquitous British East India Company had a trading post on Dubai Creek during the 19th century to keep an eye out for precious stones, spices, and other luxury items for purchase. 

When to Go - In terms of shopping, the air-conditioned malls provide comfortable relief all year long. However, people traveling to the Emirates during the stifling heat that occurs between May and October, or during the rare dust storms that occur in the spring, should prepare accordingly.

How to Get Here - Getting to Dubai from almost anywhere in the world is possible using Emirates Air which has one of the world's largest hubs at the Dubai International Airport and offers competitive economy fares with comfortable seating. Another alternative is to fly on Etihad Airways which lands 60 minutes away in Abu Dhabi. Once you are staying in the area, all these shopping experiences can be accessed by taxi or by using the downtown tram system.