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Dubai
Gold Souk
Take a stroll through Dubai's Gold Souk and you'll understand why
Dubai has earned the title of the "City of Gold". More
than 300 jewelers line the alleyways of the Gold souk where hundreds
of people of different nationalities visit Dubai's Gold souk each
year to take advantage of the wide variety of jewelry here as well
as some of the lowest Gold prices in the world.
The
Jewelry
Selling everything from ingots to intricately worked jewelry, as
well as precious stones and pearls at bargain prices the Gold souk
has whatever jewelry you can think of. Shops and shops of jewelry
line the alleyways, most of them Iranian and Indian. The typical
gold here is brought from India and is 18 carats.
The Prices
The Gold prices here are some of the lowest in the world. The Gold
here is priced according to weight rather than design and whether
it's machine-made or made by a craftsman.
The
Gold rates are set daily by the UAE government and is sometimes
displayed in the main shops. The gold prices of individual pieces
though are not usually displayed at the window shops so you have
to go inside and ask about the piece you're interested in.
When
to go?
During the year the best time to go to the Gold souk would be during
the Dubai Shopping Festival where the Gold souk is promoted vigorously.
The timings of most of the Gold shops in the souk are 10am to 1pm
and then from 4 or 5pm to 10pm. So going between 6:30 - 7pm would
be an ideal time. Go during the daytime if you want to avoid large
crowds. Going at night you'll encounter large crowds especially
during Thursday and Friday nights. Most of the alleyways in the
souks are outdoor although there are indoor shops as well. Getting
there
If you're staying at a beach hotel, there are usually free shuttle
buses that will take you to the Gold souk. Taxicabs are very cheap
here in Dubai, and even if the drivers don't know how to speak English
very well, they understand "Gold souk" or "souk al
thahab" - the arabic word for gold is "thahab." However
the most enjoyable way of getting there, is by "abra"
or "water taxi." It's a small boat that carries around
20 people across the creek to where the Gold souk is. And it'll
only cost you 50 fils - the equivalent of 13 American cents or 7
British pennies. The trip by arba will take about 5-10 minutes and
is quite enjoyable. It's not advisable to go to the Gold souk by
car because of the stressful traffic and because find parking there
is extremely difficult.
Purchasing
The name of the game here is "bargaining." Don't accept
the first price and always look around and compare prices from different
shops. Ask for the "best price" and "price after
discount" and don't be shy, it's a custom here to bargain.
You can pay by credit card but it's better to bring cash, because
you're more likely to get a lower price. Even if you don't plan
on buying anything the Gold souk is still worth visiting to let
your eyes soak in the Gold glitter.