Shopping Malls: indoor and outdoor

At the feet of the world’s tallest tower is the world’s largest mall by total area. Not only does the Dubai Mall offer 1300+ shops, but it also includes an indoor theme park, a huge indoor waterfall, an ice rink, and the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo.

The Dubai Mall houses popular stores like Topshop or Zara, department stores such as Bloomingdale’s and Galeries Lafayette, and the Fashion Avenue, featuring high-end designers like Chanel or Elie Saab to name a few.

As a tax free area Dubai is a great place to shop for electronic goods. The Dubai Mall is a home to Huawei and Apple stores as well as for multi-brand stores Jacky’s Electronics and Jumbo Electronics.

Another Dubai megamall: 600+ retail outlets, 100+ restaurants and cafes, 80+ luxury stores and 250+ flagship stores.

The Mall of the Emirates is a home to 3 hotels, Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre, and a giant indoor family entertainment centre, Magic Planet. But the most famous thing about the Mall of the Emirates is the Ski Dubai: a ski resort with artificial snow. A place to cool down after shopping in stores ranging from Marks&Spencer to Harvey Nichols, from Apple store to jewellery boutiques.

A relatively (by Dubai standards) small mall. Perfect if you need just a little shopping. About 150 shops (including H&M, COS, Adidas and Patrizia Pepe), food court, kids’ zone and Waitrose supermarket with a market style area offering a wide selection of fruits and vegetables.

The Ibn Battuta Mall contains 270+ shops, 50+ restaurants, a cinema complex (including IMAX) and a kids’ zone. Ibn Battuta stands out due to its fairytale-like interior: 6 courts inspired by 6 countries visited by the great Moroccan Berber explorer, Ibn Battuta: Andalusia, China, Egypt, India, Persia, Tunisia. It is the world’s largest themed mall. The metro takes you right to the Ibn Battuta Mall.

The Beach is an outdoor complex of shops and restaurants at JBR exactly next to the public beach. Here one can shop for brands ranging from Adidas Originals to Victoria’s Secret or enjoy a meal at a terrace overlooking the sea. Other attractions are playgrounds for kids, outdoor gym equipment and running track and an enormous outdoor cinema screen facing the beach.

Less glamourous and overwhelming than grand malls like the Dubai Mall Deira City Centre is a good choice if you are shopping for affordable brands. At weekends the place often gets crowded.

Madinat Jumeirah resort is a modern glamorous version of a traditional Arab village, and Madinat Jumeirah Souk is a glamorous copy of a traditional souk. Here there are dozens of shops selling designer furniture, Italian fur coats, Persian carpets, artworks, jewellery, and souvenirs. There are also numerous restaurants, mostly licensed to serve alcohol.

Perfect for those who want a souk experience but find the style of authentic markets too pushy and trashy.