When you think about shopping in Dubai you probably think of the huge malls with many luxury brands. Rightly so, because Dubai offers numerous malls where you can shop for hours. However, Dubai also offers a completely different shopping experience at the souks. At these traditional markets near Dubai Creek you will experience authentic shopping with lots of small shops in narrow streets. In Deira and Bur Dubai you will find several souks like the Old Souk, the Spice Souk and the Gold Souk. As the name implies the Gold Souk offers many shops selling gold but also other jewelry.
Visiting the Gold Souk is a unique shopping experience, even if you don’t want to buy something. And it’s great to combine your visit with the other souks or take an abra to the other side of the river. Along the river you will see the traditional Dhow shops which can take you on a tour,. The Gold Souk is the most famous and visited souk of Dubai. When you visit the Gold Souk you will see many small shops (with airconditioning) displaying their jewelry. The gold price per gram is displayed in the stores, but you also pay a fee for the workmanship and processing of the gold.
Even though the prices of the gold are displayed in the stores, you still need to negotiate the price. The price of the gold is fixed and can’t be negotiated, you can negotiate the price of the services of the seller. It should be possible to get discounts up to 30 percent. The salesman will make high efforts and try to get the best price for his gold. Usually he will start with a very high price so don’t be afraid to offer a very low price. Negotiating at the souks is a like playing a game: the sellers can get emotional to get the best price but you need to do your best to get the price you want to pay. When you with credit card in most places, but when you pay with cash you can get bigger discounts..
The sales at the Gold Souk are regulated and buying gold a the Gold Souk is safe. The stores are under strict control of the government and deliver quality. However you will also find many street vendors at the Gold Souk, but it’s better to avoid them. Their sales is not regulated and there’s a risk that you buy fake products.
There are some other places in Dubai where you can find Gold Souks such as the one located in Dubai Mall. But that one doesn’t offer the authentic atmosphere so the best experience is to visit the Gold Souk in Deira.
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