If you’re thinking you’d love to shop, shop, shop in Dubai you’re going to want to read this. 

Packed with handy hints and all the insider info on where to shop so that the kids are as happy as you are! WIN WIN!

Shop the world at the GLOBAL VILLAGE 

Global Village is family fun on a worldwide scale. You could say (but don’t let the kids hear you say it) that this is a massive geography lesson where visitors can buy arts and crafts and items that are indigenous to more than 75 countries all housed in 32 pavilions.

Buy wooden giraffes from South Africa, silk dresses from India and honey from Yemen. En route around the stalls, you’ll be entertained by street and stage performers before the kids drag you on the roller coaster, big wheel and bumper cars at Fantasy Island.

The Global Village in Dubai is a must for anyone who enjoys exploring different cultures!

Make your own perfume at the DUBAI PERFUME SOUK

Head to the Dubai Perfume Souk in Deira for an olfactory overload. You and the kids will discover stall after stall of incenses (in crystal, powder, rock and wood forms) as well as exotic Arabian perfume oils and essential oils made with frankincense, myrrh, and bergamot.

Choose a shop and get mixing to create you very own scent then take it away in an intricate, beautiful bottle.

Venture into the land of sweets at CANDYLICIOUS

You’ll be forgiven for thinking that you’ve stepped into Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory when you discover one of the largest candy stores in the world at The Dubai Mall.

Candylicious comprises 10,000sq ft of sweet delights. You’ll walk around under a canopy of lollipops and among a forest of sweetie trees while being tempted by over 5,000 types of confectionary and chocolate – SWEET!

Lose yourself in a book at BOOK WORLD BY KINOKUNIYA

With half a million books for sale, there’s no subject left unturned at Book World by Kinokuniya – the biggest bookstore you could possibly image. Every genre for every age gets a look in here meaning families can spend hours with their heads in books. And when you’ve made your choice, why not head to the store’s café which has great view over The Dubai Fountain and surrounding Downtown area.

Feast your senses and your tastebuds at the RIPE MARKETS.

Head to either Zabeel Park on a Friday morning or Al Barsha Pond Park on a Saturday evening and you’ll join the rest of the Dubai community at the Ripe Markets.

Browse the stalls set up by the local artisans of the emirates; dig into food freshly served from the mobile food trucks; admire the fresh produce brought straight from the local farmers’ fields; chill out on beanbags on the lawn and let the kids run wild enjoying the entertainment just for them.

Make believe in a kid-sized world at KIDZANIA

KidZania offers the type of shopping that’s just for kids. In a child-sized city, complete with paved streets, shops and cars, children can try their hand at over 80 jobs, earn ‘kidzos’ (the city’s currency) – and then spend it!. One minute they can be a dentist, the next a pilot, a model sashaying down a catwalk or a check-out assistant.

Shops on the sand at THE BEACH 

The Beach mall is both a beach and a mall – so it ticks the boxes for the kids who want to frolic on the sands and the grown-ups who want to browse in the many eclectic and homegrown stores and boutiques that skirt the coastline.

Come climb, skate or just chill at ADVENTURE HEADQUARTERS

As the name suggests, the Adventure Zone is all about adventure. Located at the Galleria Mall in Jumeirah, your little adventurers can tackle the nine-metre-high climbing pinnacle and the six-metre-high climbing wall before taking on the skate park, boulder wall and cable climb. Mums and dads can join in, or just chill out in the café.

INSIDER TIP:

You can save yourself hundreds of dirhams with The Entertainer book or app. It’s full of ‘buy-one-get-one-free’ vouchers for restaurants, attractions, spas and hotels!

ENJOY! ENJOY! ENJOY!

Dubai is a destination brimming with excitement for every member of the family! Find out everything there is to know about Dubai from the Dubai Tourism Website – packed with hints, tips, links to tickets, accomodation and more.