Joanna James
Dubai and the city’s association with world-class shopping is one that hardly needs any introduction. For a metropolis that’s renowned for its extravagant cityscape and with swanky shopping malls making up a sizable portion, your options for a fun and memorable shopping experience are plenty.
In the heart of bustling Downtown Dubai, the world’s largest shopping mall with its mind-blowing 5.9 million-square-foot floor area is truly a shopper’s paradise. The 1,200+ stores that call the gigantic, 4-storey shopping megacentre home have everything one could imagine, from high-end flagship stores to international fashion labels and eclectic boutiques. As if the shopping alone isn’t sensational enough, visitors to the mall have an Olympic-sized skating rink and one of the world's largest aquariums and aquatic zoos, complete with a 270-degree walk-through tunnel. Dubai’s epitome of lavish retail, leisure, and entertainment is clearly not without reason.
“Maxed-out credit cards” are a very likely tendency of visiting just about any of Dubai’s ritzy shopping malls, but the ultra-luxurious Mall of the Emirates takes things an even higher notch. Brace yourself as you make your way into the swanky shopping destination, as the large retail floor space spanning 2.4 million square feet along with its 600+ high-end international brands are bound to set even the most self-restrained shoppers on carefree splurging. Besides the world-class shopping, the oodles of fun-filled games at the family theme park, Magic Planet, and the renowned indoor ski resort, Ski Dubai, make for a day of fun and exhilaration.
Set at the heart of Bur Dubai, the city's business and heritage quarter, the eponymous BurJuman Centre is one of Dubai’s long-standing shopping centres that has been welcoming visitors long before the new hip and cool contenders entered the scene. Staying true to the metropolis’ extravagant flair, the mall brings together a healthy mix of luxury fashion brands and popular labels, comparable to any other glass-sheathed shopping mall in Dubai. BurJuman is also not without its entertainment options, especially the newly-opened 14-screen Vox Cinemas.
A 40-minute drive away from Downtown Dubai, Dubai Outlet Mall is a favoured shopping destination among the ardent bargain hunters of the city. The fairly new shopping mall, which opened its doors in 2007, is popular for its year-round sales at factory outlets of luxury fashion brands and international labels, with discounts ranging from 30% to an unbelievable 90% at selected stores.
Among all the fun and exciting things to do in Deira Dubai, a visit to the incredible Ibn Battuta Mall is one that certainly won’t leave you disappointed. Staying true to the inspirations of the Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta, the eponymous shopping mall is also said to spark your passion for exploration with its meticulously themed setting. After a day of fun-filled shopping, retreat to one of the finest hotels or resorts in the city, including the likes of Avani Deira Dubai Hotel.
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