Gold Souk

Dubai’s perpetually glittering Gold Souk has been one of this Emirate’s major attractions for many years—you’ll find dozens and dozens of shops selling gold, silver, platinum, and diamonds, plus plenty of touts hawking “geniune fake” Rolex watches, iPhones, textiles, laptops, and more. The government exercises strict controls over the quality of gold and other precious metals, so you can rest assured that what you’re buying is the real deal—though the same cannot be said for the wristful of watches you’re likely to be talked into purchasing down a back alley. The Gold Souk is a fantastic place to watch Dubai whiz by; pack your camera and plenty of memory cards for a wander through the back alleys, where you’ll encounter friendly folk eager to pose with you for a photo or two.

Although I didn’t actually buy anything at the gold souk in Dubai, just experiencing it was one of the highlights of my layover. My entire Dubai experience was one of the most surreal experiences of my life: touring with my Pakastani driver, listening to Britney Spears on the radio, and shopping in one of the wealthiest areas I’ve ever been to made for hands-down the best layover I’ve ever had.

Some of the hotels have gold ATMS, but if that’s too much for your wallet, head to the gold souk. You’ll find gold hammered into all shapes, sizes, and forms, and if you’re there around an Indian or Islamic holiday, you’ll see families shopping for glittering gifts. Or perhaps you’ll see someone being outfitted for a wedding, in which case the gold bracelets may be purchased in bulk Get yourself a necklace that spells your name in Arabic, an unusual and individual souk souvenir. http://www.goldsouks.com/dubai/

In Dubai, the only things that are cheaper than in your countries are gas and gold. Still many people are reluctant to make a purchase when in gold souk, probably because it is (kind of) intimidating to walk into those glittering showrooms with fairly aggressive welcome. Despite, it is really fun and affordable to shop there, and if you have few or even a couple of hundred bucks to spare for your commodity investment (I call it), you can get a pretty decent deal. My friend and I were very determined to make our own name plate necklaces there, and after checking the prices and design options at few different places, we picked the best store. Design was pretty customizable where we could add few special orders in addition to custom lettering. I placed an order with a standard lettering with frosted surface with sprinkles of 5 tiny diamonds. With an accompanying gold chain, this cost me about $300 - not bad I think.

From the south side of the Dubai Khor, where the creek meets the Arabian Sea, hop on a chugging abra (water taxi) for an evocative ride past the creaking dhow shipyard in Diera. There awaits the Gold Souq - a warren of shady walkways and glittering window displays. The intricate handiwork on the gold is free. Payment is strictly by the gram and market demand. Follow the heady aroma of frankincense, myrrh and buhoor to the nearby Spice Souq. Pick up a do it yourself henna kit or a hookah from among the jute sacks piled high with all the spices of the orient. Just bring all your tricks to the bargaining table because the merchants there do it for a living, not for fun.

Sometimes all that glitters is gold in Dubai’s souks, the place to dig deeper into the local culture while picking up some souvenirs as dazzling as Dubai itself. Check out the Gold Souk for 24-carat window shopping and displays crammed with gold, silver, and precious stones. Since Dubai is one of the safest cities in the world, you can feel comfortable wandering around the endless rows of glittering shops—by some estimates there are an astounding 10 tons of gold in the souk. Dubai is known for having extraordinarily good deals on gold, just be prepared to bargain hard.

photo credit: Theodore Scott One of the oldest souks (traditional markets) in Dubai, the Gold Souk is worth exploring for a few hours, even if you don’t want to buy gold or silver jewelry. Browse through the extravagant window displays and you’ll see everything from over the top but strikingly beautiful traditional Middle Eastern and Indian designs to intricate contemporary designs. The quality of workmanship is believed to be very high and the best part? You can bargain on the making charges. Visitors from the Indian subcontinent have gold from the souk a must-buy item on their shopping list and it’s easy to see why.