Dubai Old Town: Dubai Souks and Sites to Get Lost in
- Maria DiCicco
- Oct 25, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Feb 10
In the modern city of Dubai, every traveler loves a good shopping mall or monorail, but what travelers really seek in this Modern Middle Eastern city is the old stuff. I'm talking, Arabian Nights, camels and carpets, incense filled market halls and hawkers yelling to barter with you.
After spending a week in the Middle East, I found some great spots to find this experience in Dubai's old town. From Dubai Souks to the old village buildings, I'll share with you here where to get a sense of Dubai's past - right here in the present.
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Dubai Souks
The best Dubai Souks to shop at
Here's where I spent my time:
Gold Souk
Spice Souk
Grand Souk
Textile Souk
Be aware some of the souks are more contemporary and modern, but still bear the name 'souk' like Souk Al Bahar and Souk Madinat Jumeirah. These are great to visit, don't get me wrong, but in this article we're all about the historic 'Prince of Persia' vibes.
How to get around the souks
Abra Boats
Some of the souks are walkable from one another, like the Gold Souk and Spice Souk, which is not far from the Deira Fish Market, if you are on that side of the water already.
You can finish those souks and walk to the Deira Old Souk Abra Station, where you can catch an Abra boat ride to the Bur Dubai Abra Station. The Grand Souk is located here, followed by the Textile Souk.
Expect for Abra boat rides to take about 10 minutes to cross the river. Pay in cash or small change on board. They are used to tourists and will help to make sure you understand the payment. It was very cheap.
What to buy in Dubai souks
In the Gold Souk, browse carefully and think of it like the Ponte Vecchio in Italy. It's a souk, yes, but full of high end gold jewelry. Haggling was minimally present, but you can try.
You'll find anything from simple chains to outrageous neck pieces like the ones below. All I can say is, WOW. What a pain in the neck, eh?
What I might recommend is that if you want to bring home some "gold" from Dubai, head to one of the grocery markets and pick up some face creams that include gold flakes.
They are relatively cheap and make for excellent souvenirs. The typical sale in Dubai is 24K gold stuff.
Spices are obviously the take home item in the spice souk, and go for bold flavors. You'll find dried dates and fruits, nuts, dried flowers, powdered spices, healing herbs and more.
In the Grand Souk, find souvenirs, hats, bags, shoes, scarves, blouses and burkas, lanterns and more. You can also buy henna paste to bring home, or get some done while you are there!
Also at the Grand Souk, be sure to go into a shop and try on the traditional outfits. Many shop owners will try to pull you in this way, but I recommend you go ahead and do it. You may just end up buying something, and it's a great time playing a bit of dress up.
I don't know, I think we look pretty good!
As a side note, I did purchase similar clothing in advance of the trip. You can easily find items like what I wore, which include tunics, abaya blouses and more on Amazon. I've listed a few ideas on my travel accessories page, too.
I have some extra packing tips for women in Dubai here as well!
Lastly, in the textile souk, expect larger items like rugs and carpets, fabrics and pillow cases. There's also plenty of souvenirs here too, like hand painted bowls and lanterns.
If you would like to experience Old Dubai on a tour, I highly recommend this one.
The tour includes visits to all the souks, an Abra boat ride, and the old town sites below.
Dubai Old Town Sites and Eats
I want to be clear that there is no real "old town" in Dubai. Instead there are pockets of old places to visit, including many of the above souks.
You'll find a good concentration of old city village buildings along the Dubai creek, where the buildings are made to look old but feel a little kitschy, like you've stepped into a Disney World attraction.
Nonetheless, find plenty of shopping here, restaurants, the famous Abra boats, and the Dubai Dhow cruises.
Dhow Cruise Dubai Dinner Boat
More upscale than the abra boat, there is also something called the dhow boat, a much larger but still very traditional vessel that you can enjoy as part of your old Dubai experience.
Learn about experiences onboard dhow cruises in Dubai, Khasab and Dibba offerings at my separate post here.
Arguably, one of the most popular tours you can take in Dubai is on board one of these dhow cruises along the Dubai Creek. Get a traditional boat ride, siteseeing cruise, buffet dinner and Arabic entertainment all included.
Tours like this best seller on Viator are a great fit, or you can consider buying into the all-inclusive Go City Dubai pass for the best deal on multiple attractions, including this one.
Old Dubai Sites
Al Fahidi Fort and Historical area is part of the afore mentioned Disney-esque old village, where you can find the Arabian Tea House restaurant and cafe for a nice lunch.
Other options included Bastakiah Nights or Bayt Al Wakeel on the water.
Undoubtedly, any visitor to Dubai's old town sites will require a stop at Jumeirah Mosque, which is further across town but worth a visit.
Here are some notes on how to visit Jumeirah Mosque:
Visit tours begin at 10am and 2pm
No pre-registration is required
Plan to arrive at 9:30am (and 1:30, respectively) for registration and enjoy Emirati snacks and hot beverages
Entry fee is 40 AED per person
The closest Metro stop is Al Jafiliya
From there you can take a short taxi ride to the mosque or transfer to C10 RTA bus
For more information visit their website here.
How to Visit
To see many of the Dubai attractions, consider booking with Big Bus Tours, the classic double-decker hop on hop off experience, or buying into one of the all-inclusive Go City Dubai passes.
For one price you get to see a lot more than I did darting around by taxi. It's worth a looky loo:
For the Ultimate Old Dubai Experience
Lastly, every traveler absolutely MUST do the desert safari tour. There are many operators who offer this, but it is a quintessential package for every Dubai visitor.
The safari typically includes:
Dune buggy rides
Camel rides
Sand surfing
Henna tattoos
Belly dancer show
Fire dancers show
Dinner buffet in the desert
Animal experience (hawks, etc)
Hookah options
...and more
One in a lifetime - that's how I would describe this experience, so just do yourself a favor and book it. You won't regret a moment of it, and hands down it is the best way to experience "old Dubai" - right out there in the desert.
Be aware that the desert gets cold at night, so bring proper footwear, a jacket, and always bring a scarf for various uses from blocking wind and dust to covering your head in a conservative location.
Book Your Desert Safari
This is the tour I booked with, and it was hands down one of the best values I have ever had on a tour. For about $75 per person, spend six hours darting around the desert on various vehicles (ATV, Jeep, sand board, camel...) and indulge in a fantastic feast under the stars in a desert camp.
If there is an option for VIP - do it. This doesn't cost much more, and it allows you to sit closer to the stage where there are fire dancers and belly dancers, but better yet - you don't wait in a buffet line for your food. All food is plated and delivered to you.
For the ultra savvy traveler, you can also consider booking this as part of your Go City Pass experience. With this pass you can effectively take a dhow dinner cruise, a desert safari, see the top of Burj Khalifa, and more...all managed on your Go City App for one pre-paid fee. I would have saved so much money if I had known about this!
I hope that you enjoy your travels to the old Dubai sites and the Dubai souks, and if you are interested in learning more about spending 3 days in Dubai (especially as a first timer) check out my sister post.
Happy travels!
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