How to Shop Smartly During Your Holidays to Abu Dhabi

by Daisy Wilkinson Travel Guides

When you're in Abu Dhabi, the capital of United Arab Emirates (UAE), you can surely have some amazing shopping experiences. There are some large, elegant malls as well as the small outlets that resemble the traditional markets or souks that give you plenty of opportunities to buy a wide range of items. You can get the latest brands in the city's ultra-modern shopping malls and some traditional items like handicrafts, carpets, spices, and perfumes in small outlets. Whether you're a shopaholic who spends thousands on a designer watch or a bargain hunter who likes to buy things cheaper, this Emirati city never disappoints anyone.

During your holidays to Abu Dhabi, you can get some excellent deals on gold, carpets, and textiles in the city's traditional markets. Most of the shops at these places open at 10 in the morning and close at around 10 pm. Malls usually remain open throughout the day, while some of the independent outlets may close for lunch break at 1 pm and reopen at 4 pm. The hours generally change during the holy month of Ramadan with several outlets closing in the afternoon and reopening at 7 pm. After they reopen, some of these shops may remain open until midnight.

Tourists who wish to enjoy cheap holidays to Abu Dhabi often end up shopping in the souks of the UAE capital. In the Arabic language, the word 'souk' means 'marketplace'. In the past, the goods coming from India and countries of the Far East in the traditional ships or 'dhows' were brought to these markets for sale. Over a period of time, the variety of goods sold became more diverse. Today, you can find electronic goods, souvenirs, and household items being sold in the souks. It’s quite an experience to explore these markets as they’re always bustling with activity and the shopkeepers still conduct their business just the way it was in the good old times.

You'll come across a variety of souks during your cheap holidays to Abu Dhabi. Located near the city's main port area at Mina Zayed is the Fish Souk. Every morning, a fresh catch of fish is brought to this market by the local fishermen. If you wish to buy some fresh fish, this would be the best place to visit. Besides buying the fish, you can also get some interesting insights into the traditional way of doing business in this part of the city.

From the fish souk, you can get across the road to the Al Mina Fruit and Vegetable Souk, where you'll find the vegetables arranged outside the shops in an attractive manner. These vegetables can be purchased in kilos or you can get them in boxes. Even if you don't wish to buy anything and are just strolling around, there can be some great opportunities to click excellent snaps. The Carpet Souk would be an ideal place to buy handmade as well as machine-made carpets. Some of the sellers in this souk also offer Arabic-style cushions for sale at attractive prices.

You can also have some exciting experiences with cheap Maldives holidays.