Sharjah Shopping Guide

A souk is a boutique, flea market, supermarket, department store, open-air reception, circus, sideshow, all at the same time, and very much a part of Arabian culture. The gold souk in Dubai is quite unlike anything you will see in the world. Row upon row of glitzy shops, glittering with gold ornaments – the souk is a must visit even if you aren’t shopping for gold. If you are in Dubai for the pleasure of shopping you are in mall-heaven! Dubai even organises and advertises shopping months and weeks! Excellent duty-free shopping (one of the cheapest in the region), cheap electronics and gizmos and Iranian caviar make up Dubai’s shopping scenario.

A few shops in Al-Ain, Abu Dhabi and Dubai deal with Bedouin jewellery that comes mostly from Oman. Shop for your carpets in Sharjah’s new souk. In Ras al-Khaimah all shops are required to close for about half an hour during prayer time.

Here are some general rules that might help make your shopping in the souk enjoyable. The golden rule is to buy what you like when you see it and to make sure you know what it is you are buying. Inquire to find out its origin and what it is made from. Be patient, look for the right shape, size and color - be it a carpet, piece of furniture, carving, brass, copper etc. Remember you may eventually ship it home, so think about size and shipping cost. And bargain you must - it is often difficult to tell the difference between yesterday's treasure and today's reproduction, especially when the seller insists that anything over fifty years old is 'antique'! Besides it is a custom and is hugely emjoyed by vendor and buyer alike! The system demands comparative shopping before discussing the price.