Dubai

Al Maktoum International Airport

Al Maktoum International Airport, also called Dubai World Central is located in in the Jebel Ali Free zone which is in the southwest of the city of Dubai. By size it is the second largest airport of the world, but not by number of passengers (yet). Currently it is under construction to make it able to handle over 160 million passengers per year. Then it will probably become the largest airport of the world in number of passengers. Several hotels and lots more retail space will also be added to the airport. In the areas near the airport large logistic centers, commercial centers, recreation areas, golf resorts and luxury villas and apartments and about 100.000 car parking spots will arise. This economic zone will become the future home for over 900.000 people. The airport will get the latest technologies and the layout and the processes will be streamlined as efficiently as possible to reduce walking distances and time. Passengers will for example be able to drop their baggage off as early as possible to increase the comfort of the travel. At this moment only a handful of airlines fly to and from this airport, but their number is steadily increasing.

From Al Maktoum International Airport there are several options to get to your destination:

By bus
Busses from RTA (Road and Transports Authority) connect the airport to the city center. When you arrive at Ibn Battuta station you can change routes to other parts of the city or take the metro.

By renting a car
Several leading car rental companies like Avis, Dollar, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt and Thrifty have a desk in the arrival terminal of Al Maktoum International Airport, or Dubai World Central. Car rental is, even more than at Dubai International Airport, a very convenient way of transportation through Dubai as you don’t need to rely on public transport, which is still in development in this area of Dubai. From the airport you have easy access to the main roads of Dubai like the Sheikh Zayed Road (E11), Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311) and Emirates Road (E611). Booking your car well in advance has the advantage that you can choose between a wider selection of cars, so that chances are higher that your desired car is still available. And when you make use of a car rental comparison site you don’t have to visit all the different car rental desks at the airport to see which one can provide you with the best deal.

By taxi
Traveling by taxi service is also a convenient and affordable way to get to your destination. The cream coloured taxis are metered with prices set by the Roads and Transport Authority of Dubai and its drivers speak English. The taxis with a pink trim have a female driver.

By metro
The metro station at the airport is not finished yet, but will be connected to the current metro lines.

By train
There are plans to build a railway which will link Al Maktoum International Airport to Dubai international Airport.

Burj Al Arab

This hotel is often considered to be the most luxurious hotel in the world and is promoted as the only 7-star hotel in the world. Officially it has 5-stars because that is highest possible rating. The building is 321m (1.053 ft.) high, is built on an artificial private island and looks like a sail of a dhow, which is a traditional Arabic sailing vessel.

The hotel also has a private beach for its guests. When entering the lobby you get immediately overwhelmed by the beautiful fountain and the abundance of gold leaf. And when going further to the 180m (590 ft.) high atrium it could even feel like a palace with its large in 22-karat gold gilded pillars. In front of the hotel there is a fleet of chauffeur-driven Rolls Royces available and for who can afford it there is even a helipad with a helicopter available.

In the hotel there are several outstanding restaurants. Dining in restaurant Al Mahara could feel like dining in the ocean with its large aquarium walls. Restaurant Al Muntaha and the Skyview Bar are 200m (656 ft.) above sea level and have a breathtaking view over the Persian Gulf and Dubai. Reservations in advance are advised.

The very extensive spa has baths, saunas, hot tubs, pools and treatments with the world’s best products. In the hotel is also a gym available. And for the business people there is a business center. Guests of the hotel also have free access to the Wild Wadi Water Park. And for the kids is a kids club available. All these facilities make this hotel suited for everybody from business people to couples and larger families.

Guests are treated like royals in this hotel and their suites have a private butler. Private check-in and check-out is possible. The suites are very spacious, with lots of attention for details and are ultra luxurious with many golden accents. Even the smallest suite is 169 m2 (1.820 sq ft.) large, but the largest is 780 m2 (8.400 sq ft.). Obviously do these soundproof rooms have air conditioning, WiFi and kingsize beds, but are also stocked with every conceivable amenity and have a 24-carat golden iPad available.

The rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic seaviews. The bathrooms have beautiful mosaic patterns, a huge shower, a jacuzzi bathtub and toiletries from renowned brands. This building has become an icon for Dubai. The construction costs of this hotel were so high that it’s been said that the hotel needs to be fully booked for 400 years to be profitable. So, if you are able to afford it you have a good deal to stay here at least once in your life.

Armani Hotel Dubai

If you come to Dubai for stunning views over the city skyline, excellent service in one of the most elegantly designed hotels and of course going on a shopping spree during your downtime, then the Armani Hotel Dubai is a perfect fit.

The Armani hotel is situated in the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa. And as you might have guessed each room comes with a fantastic view over the city skyline, making you feel as if you are on top of the world.

The Armani hotel has a private entrance and direct access to the Dubai Mall, which is one of the largest shopping malls in the world and conveniently located right next to the hotel. Near the hotel are also the Dubai Fountain, Souk al Bahar and Mohamed Bin Rashid boulevard with its glamorous boutiques and designer stores. So when you stay in this hotel you’re directly connected to the shopping heart of Dubai.

As the name of the hotel suggests everything in the hotels design has been envisioned and inspired by fashion designer Giorgio Armani, which is also why the hotel manages to combine service, luxury and style so well. The hotel has several outstanding and award winning restaurants, an extensive spa, a pool, a sauna, a gym, a business center and even its own nightclub, to ensure that the guests can truly make the most out of their leisure time.

The rooms are also soundproof, have air conditioning and WiFi, while the designs of the rooms radiate serenity for a good night’s rest. All the rooms have a great view, but the ones overlooking the Dubai fountain are especially striking. This hotel can’t be afforded by everyone, but if you have the opportunity to stay here then it’s guaranteed to be a memorable experience.

Atlantis The Palm

Atlantis The Palm is one of the most iconic hotels in Dubai, as it can be found on the very top of the island shaped like a palm tree, called Palm Jumeirah. The beach behind the hotel has beautiful views over the Persian Gulf and the beach in front of the hotel has a view on the Palm, so you can always be guaranteed to have a great panoramic view.

The location of the hotel is quite nice as plenty of activities can be found nearby. The hotel lies next to the Aquaventure water park, Dolphin Bay, The Lost Chambers Aquarium, Helicopter Tour Dubai and a beach. In fact, a part of the beach on the Palm is a private beach which belongs to the hotel, so only hotel guests have access to it.

Another privilege of this hotel is that its guests get free access to the Aquaventure water park, which is the number one waterpark in the Middle East. Guests also have free access to the enormous The Lost Chambers Aquarium, inspired by Atlantis. And in Dolphin Bay it is possible to swim with the dolphins.

The hotel has several great restaurants, extensive spa facilities, a gym with personal trainers, a tennis court, outdoor pools, a nightclub, private parking and a business center. For the children there is a kids club. The accommodations have air conditioning and a balcony with fantastic views. Most bathrooms have a walk-in shower and a bath.

The interior of the hotel has an Atlantis theme, which is inspired by the sea and some Arabic touches. WiFi is available in the hotel. The whole resort feels like a fairytale and makes it also very suited both for families and couples looking for new experiences.

Jumeirah Dar Al Masyaf – Madinat Jumeirah

If come to Dubai for the sun, water recreation and the beautiful local culture then the Jumeirah Dar Al Masyaf resort is an excellent pick. The whole resort is inspired by the the old Arabian courtyard summer houses and gives off a great summer vibe.

The resort has a private beach, swimming pools, a spa, tennis-, squash- and gym facilities. For the children there is a kids club. The resort has lots of restaurants and a stunning scenery with its own waterways. And there is transport available by boat or buggy, which is a fun experience by itself.

This boutique hotel is located next to Souk Madinat Jumeirah, which you will find a restaurant and shopping area with the most scenic arabic architecture in Dubai and romantic water streams. Nearby you will also find the famous Burj Al Arab landmark and the Wild Wadi Water Park. Guests of this hotel have free entrance to the Wild Wadi Water Park and access to a private beach.

The rooms come with all the luxuries you have come to expect from 5-star hotels, such as air conditioning, wifi and in some cases even a great seaside view.

JA Ocean View Hotel

This hotel has a fantastic location between some of the biggest tourist attractions of Dubai. It lies at right behind the white sands of the JBR Beach, so you are guaranteed to have easy access to the beach. On the popular shopping boulevard JBR ‘The Walk’. And within walking distance of the Marina Walk, which is the perfect place for an evening stroll along the water, with lots of restaurants and great photo moments with the skyscrapers of Dubai in the background.

On the rooftop of the hotel you will find an outdoor pool and a shaded children’s pool, so you don’t even have to leave the hotel to get a tan. Not only is the hotel called Ocean View for it’s stunning panoramic views, the hotel also has beautiful bright rooms that emphasise the ocean theme throughout the hotel.

In the hotel is also a health club with gym, sauna, steam room and a jacuzzi, so you have all the services your heart desires at your fingertips. For larger families there are even suites available with interconnecting rooms. And all rooms and suites have an ocean view, a balcony, a bath, air conditioning and WiFi.

The hotel also has quite a few restaurants to choose from, depending on which cuisine you feel like eating. If you feel like eating exotic food you can enjoy the arabic cuisine. There is also a buffer that offers a different cuisine every day of the week. And even a British sports bar with barbeque. And if you still want something different, you can simply go to the Marina Walk for countless nearby restaurants.

The hotel is also well connected to the public transportation of Dubai. The nearest metro station, Jumeirah Lake Towers, lies within walking distance of the hotel. From this metro station you can easily reach pretty much all hotspots of Dubai. If you prefer going by car then the hotel also has parking spots and a shuttle bus available, which goes to several shopping malls and souks.

Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel & Suites

At the foot of the famous Palm Jumeirah and the waterfront of Dubai you will find this gorgeous Marriot hotel, with fantastic views over the skyline of Dubai. As the name suggests this hotel is very well situated in Dubai Marina, so popular destinations such as the beach, shopping boulevards, including The Walk, many waterside activities and a ridiculous amount of restaurants can be found nearby. So if you come to Dubai to relax then this hotel perfectly suits your needs.

As the hotel itself is a 256 m (840 ft) tall skyscraper you can enjoy the rooftop bar and watch some great sunsets over Dubai. The hotel has a couple restaurants, but one of the restaurants especially stands out as it is situated on the 52th floor of the hotel so it comes with nice some views over Dubai Marina. In fact, when it comes to food everything in this hotel is well arranged. In the morning you can choose between a buffet, continental or American breakfast. As you can expect in Dubai all necessary services can be found in the hotel, as they have a gym, a spa, a pool, wifi and even a shuttle service to nearby malls and beaches.

You can’t really go wrong with the Marriott hotel in Dubai. They certainly deliver above and beyond what you can expect from luxury hotels.

Vida Downtown Dubai

Vida Downtown Dubai is a chic boutique hotel perfect for people who come to Dubai to do some massive shopping. The hotel lies in the very center of Dubai right in front of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, and the biggest shopping mall of the world, the Dubai Mall. And top of that you will find the Dubai Fountain, Kidzania and the biggest Aquarium in the world, which is Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, within walking distance of your hotel.

The area around the hotel is stunning and extremely photogenic, so you can always be sure to have unique photo moments around every corner. And with all these world record breaking attractions near this hotel is perfect for a family trip, as you can always discover new things to do for all ages.

The hotel itself is very chic and modern feel to it with a heavenly white theme throughout the hotel. The staff is always friendly and never let us down. The rooms have air conditioning and WiFi and the interior is luxurious with designer furniture. It has pool to cool down in with several comfortable cabanas, for the people who prefer to stay in the shade. And a gym with state-of-the-art equipment and several restaurants, so you can get some of your favorite Japanese or Mediterranean food.

If you are looking for a four star hotel in the very heart of Dubai then this is an excellent option. The Vida Downtown Dubai hotel offers affordable luxury at a great location, which makes it one of our favorite picks.

Ivory Grand Hotel Apartments

Ivory Grand Hotel Apartments is a 3-star hotel that offers affordable luxury, with spacious rooms and a perfect location. The hotel as a pool with a jacuzzi on the rooftop, which comes in handy in the always sunny Dubai.

Right behind the hotel you will find the Mall of the Emirates, which is a shopping mall of gigantic proportions. It is also here that you can find amazing attractions such as Ski Dubai, which is the biggest indoor ski park in the entire world. So there is always something to do nearby.

At the hotel itself you could go swimming at the rooftop pool, but there are plenty of other family friendly facilities available as well. The hotel has a games room which has a pool table, table football and several video games. You will also find a fitness room in the hotel so you can stay in shape. There is a spa where you can relax. And in the restaurant you can enjoy food from different cultures.

The hotel itself has a warm arabic atmosphere with a very homely feel to it, making you feel right at home. We’ve found the staff to be quite helpful and friendly. The rooms were clean and well maintained. They all have wifi and are well maintained. The breakfast is tasy. So the whole experience here has been quite satisfying. It’s a great 3-star hotel for any visitor to Dubai.

Centro Barsha – by Rotana

If you come to Dubai for shopping than the Centro Barsha hotel is a comfortable and memorable hotel at a great location, as it lies pretty much in the same street as the Mall of the Emirates and Ski Dubai.

As this is a popular destination for anyone who visits Dubai it is also well connected with the public transport, as you can find the Sharaf DG metro station within 300 meters. Which turns the hotel into a great base of operations in Dubai, as through the metro you can reach most of Dubai with ease. The hotel has also free parking. On top of that it also offers a shuttle service to the beach near Burj Al Arab and the Mall of the Emirates.

The entire hotel has a very modern and light feel to it and everything is clearly well kept. The staff is friendly and approachable. All rooms are all equipped with free wifi, air conditioning, television and a bathroom. There is a swimming pool at the roof of the hotel, where you can enjoy the sun without having to leave the hotel. And there is a fitness room.

The hotel also has a restaurant which offers a nice variety of international dishes. When we stayed at the hotel they had some pretty great foods such as honey chicken, smoked salmon and tasty desserts. The hotel also has a chic looking bar where snacks and beverages are served. Looking at the extensive menu at the bar they have certainly taken the extra step to cater to the international audience, which deserves a compliment. Whether you prefer some from chicken wings or pizzas, a cocktail or some wine, it’s all on the menu.

A nice detail is that the hotel has a little convenience store in it, which is open 24 hours a day. So if you are looking for a chicken burger, a cup of coffee or a new toothbrush in the middle of the night, you can find it all in that little shop. But of course you can also simply enjoy the 24 hour room service.

Al Khoory Executive Hotel, Al Wasl

The Al Khoory Executive Hotel, Al Wasl, is a very modern and vibrantly designed hotel. The hotel is perfect for a sun vacation as it’s within walking distance of Jumeirah Beach. And the people who come to Dubai for shopping will also be glad to know the Al Ghazal mall and Al Hanaa center can be found nearby.

The restaurant of the hotel is open for pretty much the entire day, from breakfast until midnight. And you can get some sweet food and a refreshing cup of tea in the lounge area. The rooms obviously have free wifi, air conditioning and a flat screen television. The executive rooms of the hotel even come with a terrace. The fitness center and sauna of the hotel can be found on the top floor.

Even as the hotel also lies in the center of Dubai it should be noted that Dubai can get quite warm. So it’s certainly a good idea to take a taxi or rent a car to get around if you want to travel a bit further. Then you will be at the The Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa within minutes. The hotel has free parking space after all.

XVA Art Hotel

A personal favorite 2-star hotel is the XVA Art Hotel. With traditional Persian architecture and design the The XVA Art Hotel looks like it comes straight out of the Arabian Nights. These truly charming Dubaian appearance is enhanced by the art exhibitions you will find in the hallways of the hotel. In fact, every room in the XVA Art Hotel has a unique hand tailored design giving the rooms a light and homely feel.

The surroundings of the hotel are just as stunning, as the hotel can be found in Old Dubai, or more specifically the Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood, which is considered one of the most notable world heritage sites of Dubai with its iconic wind towers. It lies next to Khor Dubai, which is a picturesque canal which you can cross using the traditional Dubaian water taxi called an abra. If you do this then you will end up at several historical markets in Dubai such as the Spice Souk and Gold Souk.

As mentioned each room in the hotel has a unique theme, but all are properly serviced with a television, air conditioning, wifi and a bathroom. The rooms are centered around the hotels three courtyards where you can relax in the shade. On the central courtyard you can enjoy light drinks and dishes from the XVA Café, such as mint lemonade. The hotel also has its own gift shop in case you are looking to bring some nice souvenirs home to your family.

Overall this hotel offers a very complete experience for a 2-star hotel and is certainly one of the best budget hotels in Dubai. And when you stay at the hotel you will also have the convenience of having the Al Fahidi Metro Station nearby, from where you can easily explore the city of Dubai from.

ibis Al Rigga

Ibis is a well known brand of hotels that offers reliable quality for an affordable price. And we’re thankful that the Ibis hotel in Dubai offers the quality of services we have come to expect from them.

This IBIS hotel lies in Deira right next to several restaurants and the Al Ghurair Centre, which is a shopping mall with nearly 400 stores. It lies also within walking distance of several historical street markets, such as the Gold Souk and Textile Souk. And nearby the iconic Dubai Creek, from where you can explore Dubai by boat. In the same street as the hotel you will also find the metro station Al Rigga, from where you can easily explore the rest of Dubai.

Dubai is a popular transit hub for business travelers, so people who are just passing through Dubai will be happy to know that the hotel lies is close proximity to the airport as well, which you can quickly reach by either taking a taxi, rental car or the subway. The hotel reception is also opened 24/7.

If you have to describe the hotel in a few words then it’s bright, large and colorful. The hotel is clean and professionally run so you won’t be missing out on anything. All rooms have a television, wifi, air conditioning and a bathroom. The hotel itself has a spacious and light restaurant and a bar, where you can enjoy a great breakfast buffet every morning. The hotel is also surrounded by restaurants so there is always good food to be found nearby.

Holiday Inn Express Dubai Safa Park

The Holiday Inn Express hotel lies quite nearby most major attractions of Dubai, such as the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Mall, Souk al Bahar, Jumeirah Beach, Safa Park and many other highlights of Dubai. The hotel can be found in the very center of the city, right next to the famous Sheikh Zayed Road. All popular attractions can easily be reached by taking a short taxi ride for a few minutes. There is also a metro station called Business Bay nearby which can take you to pretty much anywhere in the city. With the metro you’re also a single stop away from the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall, which is the biggest shopping center on the planet.

As you can expect from an international brand hotel the design of the hotel is modern and clean. The rooms are equipped for all comforts, as it has air conditioning, wifi, a television and a bathroom. Some rooms even have a nice view of the Burj Khalifa, but that depends on which side of the hotel you’re staying at. The hotel has a convenience store that’s open all day, a restaurant, where all guests can enjoy free breakfast or enjoy some lunch and dinner, and a bar, where guests can come to socialize.

The shuttle-bus service offers a daily trip to Jumeirah Beach and Dubai Mall as well. But if you prefer to go around using your own or a rental car you’ll be glad to know the hotel also has parking spaces are available.

People who are looking for a familiar hotel in the center of Dubai will find a welcome arrival at the Holiday Inn. We found the hotel itself to be a little bit on the safe side, but it makes a perfect base of operations to explore Dubai from.

Florida Hotel

If you need a basic accommodation, for a low price at a fantastic location, then the Florida Hotel is the perfect choice. The Florida hotel has a slightly African theme in its design, so there are for example some paintings of safari animals, but it’s very welcoming.

The hotel lies in a shopping area of Dubai and you will find the streets surrounding the hotel are filled with countless small shops. There are also many shopping markets and malls in the vicinity, such as the Gold Souk, Spice Souk, Naif Souk and the Murshid Bazaar, making this hotel excellent for people who come to Dubai to enjoy the local shops.

The hotel also lies near the Dubai Creek, where you can take a traditional water taxi called an Abra to explore Dubai from the water. The tourist hotspots in other parts of Dubai are also quite easy to reach as several bus and metro stops can be found within walking distance of the hotel.

The hotel has offers a continental breakfast and a restaurant where you can enjoy a buffer for lunch and dinner, although you can also order food off the menu. The menu emphasises both international and African dishes. The rooms have their own bathroom, television, wifi and air conditioning so it’s quite feature complete. It’s one of the best 1-star hotels you will find in Dubai and certainly worth checking out.

The Dubai Mall

The Dubai Mall is one of the most marvelous places in the world. It’s also one of the biggest mall in the world, with the shopping area being over half a million square meters. It’s conveniently located next to the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, and the Dubai Fountain. Almost all big brands are represented at the Dubai Mall, from Versace to Hugo Boss. Being one of the largest malls in the world it’s hard to imagine things you can’t get here. There are shops for footwear, lingerie, watches, electronic devices, jewelry, furniture and pretty much everything else.

In the area of the Dubai mall called The Village, which is well crafted to look like an indoor shopping street, the more cool casual brands are represented like Diesel, Nike, Leví’s, Versace jeans. Local fashion brands can mostly be found in an area called The Souk. The Dubai Mall also has an area called Gold Souk, not to be confused with the Gold Souk in Deira, in which mostly gold and jewellery shops can be found.

The Dubai Mall has a couple daycares where children can play while the parents shop, but of course there are also activities especially for the kids such as at the educational KidZania. You can also visit the indoor theme park SEGA Republic with the family which has many attractions and games dedicated to SEGA franchises like Sonic. If all that’s too exciting you can also just sit down at the cinema to view the latest blockbusters. If that isn’t enough you can also learn to ice skate with the whole family at the large Dubai Ice Rink.

The mall also hosts the biggest aquarium in the world, the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo. You can walk through a tunnel through the aquarium so you can view the fish, rays and sharks from up close and even diving arrangements are available. The Dubai Mall also hosts an original and intact 155 million years old skeleton of the largest species of dinosaur in the world, the Diplodocus longus, which is the dinosaur with the long neck.

If you are looking for a bite to eat then you can go dining at one of the several food courts in the Dubai Mall. The food courts pride themselves that food from all corners of the world, from Mexico to Japan, are represented in it’s many restaurants and cafe’s.

To sum it all up: if are looking to go shopping or just for some entertainment you can’t really go wrong at the Dubai Mall.

Wafi Mall

The Wafi Mall is quite a sight to behold. This shopping mall is build with an Egyptian styled architecture, with pyramid shaped rooftops and statues at the front. The mall has a wide range of luxury clothing shops, department stores, perfume shops, jewelers, beauty salons, wellness centers an indoor playground and mini-golf course for kids, and much more. The Wafi Mall has it’s very own subterranean market, the Khan Murjan souk, with the ceiling being of the biggest mosaic constructions in the world. Next to the mall is the Pyramids, where quality restaurants, an indoor pool, a spa and more are located. Every evening there is one fantastic light show at the Wafi Mall that you really shouldn’t miss. If you have the opportunity to go shopping and dining here it’s really worth the visit.

Mall of the Emirates

The Mall of the Emirates is another shopping mall in Dubai with mega proportions and one of the biggest shopping malls of the world. It’s a tourist favorite for shopping as the Mall of the Emirates is home to hundreds of flagship stores and other shopping outlets, from Rolex to Prada. Lots of perfume stores. And electronic stores from an Apple store to a Samsung store. You won’t be missing anything here. Each floor of the mall also has it’s own food or dining occasions where you can sit down and have a bite to eat.

The Mall of the Emirates houses a VOX Cinema with Laser IMAX 3D and 4DX, which means you’ll also feel the action with seat motion, wind, fog, rain and smell. But the biggest attraction of the Mall of the Emirates is Ski Dubai, the biggest indoor snow park in the world. Ski Dubai offers five different slopes with various degrees of difficulty. So even beginners are welcome to learn how to ski here. And it houses it’s own pack of penguins that you can watch and even meet.

Mercato mall

The Mercato mall is a Italian renaissance styled shopping mall in Dubai. The mall has a modest size and a comfortable vibe to it, partially thanks to it’s large glass ceiling. With more than 140 shops most kinds of shops are still represented in the mall, so you can buy fashion, toys, gifts, jewelry and so on here. But the Virgin Megastore, which is a very large music and media store, and the very large Spinneys supermarket are it’s more prominent features. An ideal shopping mall if you have a hotel nearby, if you come from the beach and need a place to rest with a cool drink or have a bite to eat. Or if you’re just curious about it’s quaint architecture.

Ibn Battuta Mall

The Ibn Battuta mall isn’t the most well known shopping mall of Dubai. This is mostly due to it’s location as it’s not close to city center, but closer to the Palm Islands and in the general direction of Abu Dhabi. But it’s quite large and has quite an interesting twist to it. Ibn Battuta was one of the greatest travelers in history who went from Morocco all the way to China, so Dubai named this mall after him and themed the mall after his journies. The mall is split up in six courts. It has court themed after China, a court themed after India, Persia, Egypt, Tunisia and one themed after Andalusia. You can recognize the design of each region in all your surroundings. Now you can travel the world with him and collect your own souvenirs in your journey. The stores tend to be more well rounded than in the other malls and it offers plenty of restaurants. So it’s worth a visit if you are close to the Palm Islands.

Marina Mall

The Dubai Marina Mall has a great location at the Dubai Marina and at walking distance of the boulevard the Marina Walk. The Mall has a comfortable size with over 130 stores, so they have a reasonable assortment of fashion stores here. Familiar names like H&M, Diesel, Grant are represented. The Marina Mall also has a supermarket, a cinema and a food court where you can sit down at places like Subway, India palace, Starbucks and Five Guys. So when you are at the Dubai Marina to look at the tall buildings and beautiful boats you could drop by here for a lunch break.

City Centre Deira

City Centre Deira is a modern and quite large shopping mall. It’s located between the Dubai creek and the Dubai International Airport and can be reached quite easily with the metro that stops in front of it.

The mall is big enough to spend your shopping day in it as it has over 350 shops with varied styles of brands like Victoria’s Secret, Karen Millen, Bershka, Galvanni, G-Star Raw, Pierre Cardin, Tommy Hillfiger and Wrangler and department stores like from Max Fashion and Zara.

The mall has over 50 restaurants, including a nice food court where you can go to dinner and lots of outlets where you can get confectioneries, drinks, ice cream and chocolate. The mall also has a large Carrefour hypermarket, a 3D Cinema and a bowling alley. It also has a Toys R Us for the kids. As expected from Dubai the mall houses an exceptional amount of stores dedicated to watches and jewelry, from Breitling to Swatch.

Gold Souk

One of the most well known souks of Dubai is the Gold Souk. Hundreds of luxurious jewelry stores can be found in the Gold Souk. As the stores themselves are well regulated you can be assured to get quality jewelry, but you might want to haggle a bit to get the best prices as well. On occasions the world’s heaviest golden ring, the Najmat Taiba (Star of Taiba), of 64 kilogram is on display here. For a taste of the chic it’s worth to visit this one of a kind place in Dubai.

Spice Souk

Next to the Dubai Creek you can find the aromatic Deira Spice Souk where tourists, locals and chefs acquire herbs from across the world to elevate their foods to a higher level. Food spices, like cinnamon and cloves, nuts, fruits, dates, incense, spices for your waterpipe, arabic tea, and many other typically Middle Eastern products can be found here. If you’re interested in making colourful new food and want to discover the ingredients of local culinary treasures you will want to take a look here.

Perfume Souk

The Perfume Souk consists of a collection of stores that sell perfumes and incenses. Arabian oil based perfumes that can be mixed and matched to your preferences are popular in Dubai. But regular popular perfumes can also be found here. It’s a fun trip if you have been curious about Arabian aromas.

Textile Souk / Old Souk

At the Textile Souk in Bur Dubai you can find many unique prints, patterns and fabrics, like silk and cotton, for your clothes here. As a tourist this can be fun to behold, but you can also just go clothing shopping if you are looking for a nice dress, a traditional suit or arabic shoes. It has also has tailors able to get a custom fit dress with the fabric of your choice ready within your vacation.

Souk Madinat Jumeirah

In one of the most beautiful parts of town you can find the alluring Souk Madinat. At this bazaar they created an ancient Arabian vibe with visually impressive modern Arabian architecture combined with the luxury of modern stores and services. You can find many gift shops for the people at home and clothing boutiques for your own needs here. Shopping is more relaxed here with more western oriented merchants. But you can also go to enjoy the view with a nice cup of coffee in the many cafes and restaurants.

Souk al Bahar

Souk al Bahar is an indoor shopping center in the center of Dubai next to the Burj Khalifa, which is the tallest building in the world. The shops themselves are mostly smaller boutiques and shops with local delicacies. Souk al Bahar stands out however as it’s build in an arabic setting with stunning high ceilings and surrounded by water making it a great place to settle down, as you have an exquisite view from one of its dozens of restaurants and bars looking over the surrounding water, Dubai Fountain and the Burj Khalifa.

Naif Souk

The Naif Souq has a long history as it went from being a camel market to a shopping center. The souk has lost some of it’s traditional elements as the old souk has burned down in an accident in 2008, after which it became what it is today. You can mostly find traditional arabic clothing, handbags, jewelry and souvenirs here.