Jewelry is popular at the Gold Souk Market. It can vary from silver, diamond, platinum, gold, and even rubies. There are even gold-plated mobile phones and shoes sold here!  Popular shops and brands found in the market are Veda, Zenina, Eleganza, Pride, and many more. 

Don’t forget to check out the largest ring in the world in the Kanz Jewels shop!  It is the Najmat Taiba (translated to English as Star of Taiba), and it is the heaviest gold ring in the world, weighing over 63kg. It has 5.1kg of precious stones with a total whooping value of 3 million US dollars.

This Guinness World Record ring is pretty crazy, can you imagine trying to bargain for that???

Looking for Knockoffs?

If you’re looking for the knockoff stuff, you’re going to have to be approached by someone and taken into a hidden room. I’ve never had a problem while in Dubai, but beware, while going into these shops are quite safe (go with a friend for more security) you are in Dubai, but make sure to read up on the laws before going. Go at your own risk

There are a lot of hotel options around the Gold Souk Market. There’s the Galaxy Plaza Hotel, which is the nearest and cheapest hotel option. There’s also the Al Buraq Hotel with straightforward rooms, has a rooftop pool and restaurant. Then there’s the OYO 312 24 Gold Hotel that is 240 meters away from the Gold Souk Market.

If you’re on a tight budget and would prefer to stay in a hostel near the Gold Souk Market, there are many options. There’s the Hostel Youth at the Silver Corner Building, the Gong Yu Hostel at Baniyas Road, Easyflat Hostel, and a few others.

There are also condominium units and rooms for rent that can be booked through Airbnb. There are many options with reasonably great deals near and far from the Gold Souk Market.

My favorite area of Dubai is probably near the Burj Khalifa, a lot to see! Make sure to catch the light show in the evenings!

Popular Areas of Dubai

The popular neighborhoods in Dubai that visitors will like is the Dubai Design District (D3), Al Quoz, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC), Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT), and the Dubai Creek.

The Deira or Dubai Creek is one of the oldest residences or neighborhoods in Dubai. It is a massive area that depicts the culture and history of Dubai. Before the skyscrapers and tall glass buildings, the community had rustic houses, stores, and restaurants.

Besides the Gold Souk Market, you can also find the Spice Souk and the Dubai Museum in the area. It definitely a neighborhood vibrant in Dubai’s history and culture.

Dubai is a great melting pot of mainly (seriously, I read it was something like 90%) foreigners from over (mostly) Asia so there are many different dishes to be had throughout the city!

Local Foods to Try in Dubai

The food in Dubai is mostly composed of rice, meat, and fish. Since Dubai is a Muslim nation, pork dishes are prohibited. The major restaurants instead serve meats of camel, beef, lamb, and chicken. Expect the foods in Dubai to be spicy because the locals love heavy spices.

Some famous street foods in Dubai include:

• Shawarma: Chicken/Beef/Lamb with onions, fresh vegetables, sauces, wrapped in a soft flatbread
• Shish Tawouk Sandwich: A spicy and savory sandwich of chicken strips, herbs, spices, vegetables, and pickles stuffed in a flatbread
• Oman Chips Roll: Plain roll with cheese spread and smashed Oman Chips
• Among the other street foods, a must-try are the Harees, Samboosa, Manakish, Luqaimat, Karak, Fareed, Falafel, Madrooba, and Knafeh.

If you get hungry while shopping in the Gold Souk Market, there are many restaurants nearby that you could try. 

The Gold Souk Market in Dubai started in the early 1900s, where there were just a few local jewelers only. During this era, it was a trade-friendly and tax-free environment. It is strategically located near the waterway; that is why the harbor near the Arabian Gulf supported the importing and exporting merchants who came to buy and sell.

The market became a hit during the 1940s when Indian and Iranian entrepreneurs were allowed to set up a shop thanks to the new trade policies introduced. When the oil and pearl industry boomed, the Dubai Gold Souk Market became the iconic place it is today.

Now, the Gold Souk Market has 400 retailers, mostly consisting of jewelry traders and popular international brands. The eyes of locals and tourists light up when they see all the sparkling jewelry made from gold, silver, diamonds, and platinum. It’s a place that just feels like money!

Dubai is one of the wealthiest federations of the United Arab Emirates, which is the world’s third-richest country. Dubai screams wealth, luxury shopping, booming nightlife, modern architecture, and gold. It’s undeniably a wealthy country, as proven by Lamborghini Aventador and Ferrari FF police cars!

The country is so rich they have ATMs that dispense GOLD!

Dubai is one of the world’s most developed and vibrant cities with a cosmopolitan mix of huge metal and glass towers in the desert. You can expect a Middle-Eastern country to produce and sell oil, and Dubai is no exemption. But surprisingly, the oil industry accounts for only 1% of the country’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product).

What made Dubai so rich is the pearl industry, since the 1770s. In the present, the economy of Dubai focused on tourism, hotels, real estate, IT, finance, aviation, and of course, gold trade.

Trade really was a turning point for Dubai long ago. Research has found that Dubai had trading connections during ancient civilizations between Iran, Mesopotamia, and Indus Valley. Most of the artifacts included in that trade were hand-crafted metal objects and gold jewelry. 

In the present, 40% of the entire world’s gold trade goes through Dubai. Of all the seven emirates of UAE, Dubai remains the center for tourism, gold exchange, and trade.