Airbus increases its 20-year forecast for aircraft
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Sep 18, 2009
LONDON — European aerospace giant Airbus on Thursday increased its 20-year forecast for aircraft, citing the impact of emerging countries, low-cost air travel and demand for more fuel-efficient planes.
Airbus forecast around 25,000 passenger and cargo planes will be sold for a total of 3.1 trillion dollars (2.1 trillion euros) between 2009 and 2028.
Passenger traffic will rise 4.7 percent and cargo 5.2 percent annually through to 2028, led by growth in Asia-Pacific and emerging markets, it added.
It said long-haul carriers such as the A380 superjumbo and Boeing’s 747 will account for seven percent of the anticipated sales by number but represent 19 percent by value.
Smaller long-haul carriers such as the A350 and Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner carrying 250-400 people will account for 25 percent of the sales and 42 percent of the revenue.
Short-haul aircraft — the A320 and Boeing 737 which are favoured by low-cost carriers — will account for 68 percent of all aircraft sold and generate 39 percent of the revenues.
Airbus last year estimated that 24,300 planes would be sold over the 20-year period between 2007 and 2026.
Iceland’s Natural Wonders in Photos
Posted August 21, 2009 , add a commentIceland’s Natural Wonders in Photos
Iceland is roughly the size of Ohio, but for a small country, it packs a really big punch. Waterfalls thunder over cliffs, glaciers cover the land in ice, lava creates endless caves and black sand beaches, volcanoes threaten to erupt, geysers shoot water into the sky, earthquakes happen every day, and in the middle of the country, the earth is literally being torn apart.
It’s a land full to bursting with natural beauty and stunning landscapes, which, for most people, are the main reason for visiting Iceland. Here are some of Iceland’s most unique features.
Waterfalls
As glacier water and melting snow accumulate, they create waterfalls all over the country. It’s nearly impossible to drive for more than an hour without spotting several trickling in the distance. The big ones are impossible to miss.
Gulfoss, one of the country’s most beautiful, plunges over 100 feet and can be viewed from above or from the bottom of the canyon, after a steep unpaved descent. It spans quite a distance across, is much wider than it is tall and (while not as large) calls to mind the raw power of Niagara Falls.
Seljalandsfoss drops even farther, with a single plunge of 200 feet over a precipice. While not as wide and powerful-looking as Gulfoss, Seljalandsfoss is special because you can actually walk behind it, standing along the rock walls as the powerful water creates a liquid curtain before your eyes.
Dettifoss, which earns the official title of Europe’s largest waterfall, drops over 150 feet and spans over 300. It’s located in the north of country, near Myvatn.
Glaciers
Glaciers cover a staggering 11% of Iceland’s landscape. The largest, Vatnaj?kull, covers 8% all on its own. The ice averages 1300 feet thick and covers several volcanoes. It lies in the southeast corner of Iceland’s rugged interior, making it largely inaccessible during winter months.
Other smaller glaciers can be visited year round with, but it’s important to go with an experienced guide who will outfit you with the proper gear. They’ll help you strap on crampons and lead you on a hike over the glacier, explaining the unique ecosystems that exist around glaciers, and will keep you safe on the treacherous ice. Some companies will also set up dog-sledding adventures on the glaciers.
The Rift
The American and Eurasian continental plates meet in Iceland and where the plates collide and push off of each other, a rift has formed in the earth. The best place to see it is in Thingvellir National Park, where you can actually walk between the two plates at Almannagj? Canyon.
Impressive from the ground, the rift is even more stunning to see underwater. Several dive companies will outfit you with gear and take you under at Silfra Lake. Divers can actually descend into the crack, while snorkelers in buoyant dry suits can hover over it.
Because of the friction caused by the plates, the park experiences multiple earthquakes each day, one every 3-4 hours. Most are under a magnitude 3 and go unnoticed. The Iceland Meteorological Office tracks the quakes on its website, so you may be surprised to later find out that the very spot you were standing on had experienced an earthquake and you didn’t even feel it.
Northern Lights
Solar activity creates dancing curtains and waves of brightly colored lights in Iceland’s night sky. Called the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, they can be elusive. While many tour companies will arrange excursions to go see them, a sighting is never guaranteed.
The Iceland Meteorological Office tracks activity on their website and rates your chances of seeing them, so if you have a night of good probability, head away from the city and get ready for one of the most breathtaking shows of your life. On the best nights, you may be able to see the lights from Reykjavik, but they are much more impressive when viewed shining over Iceland’s barren landscape than with the distraction of civilization.
Black Sand Beaches
Two hours south of Reykjavik, the black sand beaches of Vik, which stretch several desolate miles from the Ring Road to the Atlantic Ocean, look like the literal end of the world. They’re formed of volcanic rock and ash, swept by the wind into small hills and valleys, and fringed by sculpted black basalt columns in the sea.
The town of Vik is the wettest place in Iceland, and chances are that if it’s not actually raining, the beach will be covered in fog when you visit. But that only adds to its air of mystery and rugged beauty. You don’t come here to enjoy a relaxing beach day in the sun, but rather to experience the raw power of nature and its impact on the landscape.
Caves
When a volcano erupts, some of the lava spills down its surface while some is pushed out through cracks under the ground. These underground lava rivers have formed an extensive network of caves (over 2000 and counting) in Iceland, which tour guides are happy to help you explore.
Come prepared though, caving in Iceland is serious business and you’ll end up crouching, climbing and scrambling over icy rocks and through narrow tunnels as you check out the unusual rock formations and icy stalagmites caused by glacier water dripping in from above. Some of the more strenuous excursions will also include long stretches of crawling on your belly through tiny openings where just a few decades ago, hot molten lava rushed through, obliterating anything unlucky enough to be caught in its path.
Volcanoes
Iceland contains 30-40 active (meaning they have erupted in the last 100 years) volcanoes and hundreds more that are dormant. The last destructive eruption was in 1973, when Eldfell on the island of Heimaey erupted and wiped out nearly one third of the town of Vestmannaeyjar.
Hekla, in southern Iceland, is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, with recent eruptions 1991 and 2000. You’ll find several tour operators in Iceland who can transport you to both active and dormant volcanoes and show you the effects that volcanic eruptions have on the local ecosystem.
You’ll see underground lava rivers still flowing, hardened lava and volcanic ash, and former lava field that have now been covered over with spongy moss to form an otherworldly bright green landscape of craggy peaks and crevices.
Horses
Riding horses in Iceland is an unforgettable experience. The landscape you ride over is stunning, but what really makes it so special are the horses themselves. Short, stocky and sturdy, they can carry around three times their weight. While many people mistake them for ponies, these are actual horses who just happen to be smaller, and who have a special fourth gait called the t?lt – a fast pace similar to the trot but so smooth you’ll barely feel like you’re moving.
If you don’t want to make arrangements to go riding, just pull over near any field in the countryside and chances are, you’ll soon by making some new friends. Icelandic horses are known for their gentle curiosity and friendliness and with their shaggy winter coats and docile nature, they almost resemble a four-legged teddy bear.
It seems everywhere you turn in Iceland there’s another sight that catches your breath and makes you wonder “how can that be real?” From the explosive spurts of water coming from Stokkur (the geyser near Geysir, the namesake geyser which no longer erupts) to the steaming neon blue waters of the Blue Lagoon (which is man-made though the water is natural), Iceland is place full of wonder and some of the most unforgettable landscapes on Earth.
Photo credits:
Waterfall by cfwee on Flickr, Glaciers by Martin Hapl on Flickr, Rift by Sarcasmette on Flickr, Aurora by ?lfhei?ur ….. on Flickr, Black Sand Beach by Rod the Rabid Rodent on Flickr, Caves by Katie Hammel, Volcanoes by Joe Hatfield on Flickr, Horses by jasperwiet on Flickr
Five Great Cities for Children
Posted , add a commentAs a general rule, children and cities don’t tend to mix. A family holiday can be far less stressful when it’s restricted to a resort or quiet countryside area. But there are some cities in the world that are jam-packed with child-friendly attractions and activities. And these are arguably the best five…
Happy Kids - Happy Holidays!
Sydney, Australia
Sydney has an outdoor culture that children, by and large, adore. The beaches are an obvious starting point – those on the harbour itself are safer swimming spots for the younger ones, while the surf beaches along the coast are brilliant for the more adventurous tykes. It’s even possible to do learn-to-surf courses at Bondi Beach. But the outdoor ethos stretches beyond the beaches. Centennial Park is another fantastic place to hang out, whether it’s for playing park football or cricket, having a picnic or barbecue or going to the open air cinema in the summer. There’s also the chance to hire rollerblades or go horse-riding around the park.
And once you throw in boat rides on the harbour and the street entertainers at Circular Quay and Darling Harbour, Sydney is obviously something of a family tourism heaven.
Feeding the Kangaroos at Taronga Zoo, Sydney
But then comes the trump card – Australian wildlife. Sydney is crammed with excellent animal experiences where kids (and big kids) can get close to koalas, kangaroos and other Australian fauna. The best two are arguably Taronga Zoo and the Featherdale Wildlife Park. The former is arguably the best located zoo in the world, with superb harbour views. It also has some excellent keeper-guided behind-the-scenes tours. Featherdale is a little more rough and ready, but is brilliant for getting photos with koalas and being able to hand-feed kangaroos.
Singapore
Another city with awesome animal attractions is Singapore. Singapore Zoo pioneered the “open” concept, where animals are in full view rather than cages, and kept away from visitors by well concealed moats that are below eye level. Next to it is the Night Safari, a rather novel zoo concept. Essentially it offers the opportunity to stroll (or be driven) around a jungle at night, while the nocturnal creatures are at their most active. They’re all subtly lit up and animals from various different areas of the world are represented.
Singapore is also surprisingly green – there are some massive parks and nature reserves for children to explore. Apparently, Rio De Janeiro is the only other city in the world to have rainforest within the city boundaries. For indoor activities, the Science Centre is an excellent bet. It’s full of entrancing technology, has plenty of buttons for inquisitive little ones to press and goes for a very hands-on approach.
Copenhagen, Denmark
The Danish capital has long been billed as a fairytale city – mainly due to its links with Hans Christian Andersen – and it’s unsurprising that kids seem to love it so much. For lovers of Andersen’s stories, there’s the famous Little Mermaid statue, Hans-themed walking trails and a dedicated museum. But there’s more to Copenhagen than ugly ducklings and the Emperor’s New Clothes. For a start it’s home to the two oldest theme parks in the world.
Amusement park in Bakken, Copenhagen
They’re not Disneyfied affairs, and still have buckets of charm. The oldest is just to the north of the city and is part of an enormous park – Dyrebakken. Dyrebakken was formerly a royal hunting ground, but it has now been turned into one of the world’s greatest parks – families swarm to it when the sun comes out.
Part of the great swathe of green is Bakken, which has plenty of quaintly old-fashioned rides amongst lots of restaurants and caf?s. The second oldest amusement park is right in Copenhagen city centre. Tivoli is pretty much opposite the main train station and is an action-packed funland mixed in with beautiful gardens. The rides are generally a bit more up-to-date (and scarier) than those at Bakken, and it’s quite easy to while away the day in Tivoli’s grounds.
Los Angeles
Unsurprisingly, the movie capital of the world has plenty to keep the little ones entertained. An obligatory first stop has to be Hollywood, where the youngsters can hunt down the stars of their heroes on the Walk of Fame and watch the fancy dress circus outside Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. The Hollywood Museum and celebrity homes tours are generally winners as well.
Then there are the movie studios. Films are still made at the likes of Warner Brothers and Universal Studios, but most of the visitors aren’t part of movie crews any more. The big studio complexes have morphed over the years to become theme parks in all but name – and even for theme park cynics, they are genuinely superb. Universal Studios, for example, has plenty of film-themed rides and shows, but the highlight is the backlot tour. This takes guests around where the movie magic is made and is educational as well as entertaining. It’s interspersed with some big action movie set pieces, such as a village flooding or a helicopter crashing.
LA also has beaches and plenty of odd attractions such as the La Brea tar pits, where fossils of mammoths and more have been trapped for thousands of years.
London
There’s so much to do in London that it’s virtually impossible to be bored. Many of the standard kiddy favourites are present and correct – London Zoo is one of the best in the world, boat trips down the River Thames are regular and affordable, and there are some fabulous open spaces such as Hyde Park and Regent Park.
London Natural History Museum
If you have to pick one area, then South Kensington is a sure fire winner. It’s home to two of the world’s most child-friendly museums. The Science Museum has lots of interactive exhibits about how our world works, and many displays with a wow factor. Even better is the Natural History Museum, which is like a zoo but with stuffed animals. The massive whale and dinosaur skeletons are always popular, while the hands-on creepy crawly exhibits should delight the sort of young boy that revels in pulling the legs off spiders.
These kids will also enjoy the gruesome tales on offer at the Tower of London and London Dungeon. There are some rather interesting tours too – such as one of Harry Potter filming locations by black taxi, or a land-and-water trip in an amphibious ‘duck’ vehicle.
Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Sydney tours & things to do in Sydney for tips and itineraries in Australia, and check Singapore tours & sightseeing in Singapore for local trips. Going to Europe? Our Copenhagen activities and our London tours & attractions will help you out choosing the best tours. Or be the star of the day with one of Viator’s Los Angeles trips & activities.
My Venice Walking Tour
Posted , add a commentWhat’s the secret to Venice? Comfortable shoes.
But please, this does not mean you should throw style out the window. Venice is a stylish city. Paved in marble. Actually, more correctly I think it’s Istrian stone from across the Adriatic Sea in Croatia. Whatever it is, it’s hard. Very tiring on the legs and feet. After a few days of negotiating the labyrinthine streets, you’ll just want a Bellini, a seat and a foot rub.
Before you collapse, might I recommend taking a guided walk through Venice? The city is such an enigma wrapped in a mystery that to have someone who knows the way around can open it up like no guidebook or, heaven help us all, map. I have never in my life seen so many people gazing in complete incomprehension at maps – even turning them upside down doesn’t help. Venice resists easy navigation – it’s part of her charm.
Catch a different side of Venice on a walking tour
Walking the streets and canals of Venice
I took the Hidden Venice walking tour, which promised to take us off the beaten track without getting lost. It delivered. We twisted and turned our way through the oldest districts of Venice, behind the Rialto market. Fast-moving locals cutting through these backstreets to avoid tourists looked at us with despair: would we now come and fill up even these secret throughways? They can rest assured in the knowledge we’ll never find our way back in here – or out again – without our trusty guide.
And she was fantastic. So knowledgeable and passionate about the city; she covered such a range of history and modern life, gossip, restaurants, art and essentials that everyone was enthralled.
We started on the top of the Rialto Bridge. Crowds milled around but we found each other easily. The view from there is great. So much water traffic churning up and down the Grand Canal. I know it’s only the main road of a busy modern city, but when the vehicles have propellers not wheels it’s suddenly so much more interesting to watch.
Where the streets are paved in gold…
Something I didn’t know was that the palazzos lining the Grand Canal were once highly decorated with painted frescoes on the outside. Right next to the Rialto Bridge, a huge building that was once the offices and warehouses for the Germanic traders was painted by Titian no less! And the famous palazzo Ca’ D’Oro (dating from 1421), which means House of Gold, was actually gold!
But it’s all faded, crumbled off, been painted over. Until only a hundred years ago, these buildings were not really valued so no attempt was made to retain their original magnificence until the 20th century. Palazzo Salviati further down the canal towards San Marco has a glass-tiled frescoed fa?ade and gives an impression of what a trip down the Grand Canal must have been like when all the buildings had that level of decoration.
Mind you, Ca’ D’Oro is not so bad to look at even without its gold – it’s the prime example of what Ruskin termed Oriental Gothic for its mixing of Western and Arabic architectural styles.
From fish markets to back streets
We walked through the market, saw the wall plaque giving minimum fish sizes, learnt to read the one-armed 24-hour clock, saw the first banks in Europe and the marble hunchback holding the podium from which new laws were read to the population. We also found out that Venice is built on thousands of tree trunks embedded into the mud and saved from rotting by the salty water; that Venice became rich from having a monopoly on import and therefore on the trade taxes, and that the Pope once excommunicated the Venetians for trading with the ‘Infidels’ of the east.
Walking the back alleys of Venice
But then, as now, the Venetians are nothing if not pragmatic and they don’t care who comes to their city as long as their purse is full.
And then we plunged into the back streets. Narrow, dark, winding streets dating from the 12th century. This is where the market traders keep their goods outside of trading hours. I saw laundries servicing the many restaurants of Venice, doctors’ surgeries, a dentist’s office. It was like getting a peak backstage; so Venice is not all carnival masks and spruiking gondoliers! Thank goodness!
Crossing the Ponte de la Tette, we learnt its English translation and its reputation: the bridge of breasts. This was the edge of the red light district, where the many prostitutes came to advertise their goods. In the 13th century, prostitution was so rife in this port city, that the Doge (leader) and his government decided to push it all into one area. They chose the houses of the Rampane family – I do not want to speculate why. Being the house of the Rampanes’ it was Ca’ Rampane, and to this day the Venetian word for prostitute is Carampane. Not a great family name to have inherited…
As we wove our way past the best restaurant in Venice, Da Fiore (Calle del Scaleter 2002 2202A and yes, it is hidden in a narrow back street and the fine waiters did not look too fondly at the gawking tour group) and the house of printer Aldo Manucia who invented the pocketsize book at the end of the 1400s and revolutionised reading forever, we all exclaimed how far we had walked and how lost we were. The guide laughed and explained we were about five minutes direct walk away from the Rialto where we had started – that’s if we could find our way there.
Venice nearly without its canals
I think the most frightening thing she told us was that in the 19th century, those in charge started filling in the canals of Venice. Fifty were filled to enable people to walk rather than relying on gondolas, which were considered old-fashioned (not to mention expensive). Every street called a Rio Terre was once a canal and it’s easy to recognise them once you know – they are slightly wider and curved, and the house facades fronting onto them are much nicer. Venetian houses always had their backs to the streets, turning their best face to the canals. Which is lucky when you consider the house at the end of the narrowest street, which is only shoulder-width - if not for the canal door on the other side, that house would have to be filled with the skinniest furniture ever made.
There was even a plan to fill in the Grand Canal to make way for cars! Luckily this did not happen. Though in 2007 bicycles were legalised in Venice. Although good luck trying to ride through those streets and over the 400 bridges. I
noticed on this visit many more ramps being built across the bridges: I thought they were for prams and wheelie-suitcases but perhaps they are actually for bicycles ridden by the newly-wheeled locals. Not that I saw one bicycle; perhaps in the off-season when the crowds are less dense.
Along the way, our guide greeted at least half a dozen people and pointed out that Venice is not a place to have an affair: everyone knows where everybody else is and with whom all the time! At the end of a week, even I began to recognise people I passed in the streets.
Our walking tour ended at the Frari Church. I had been there before but not with a guide. This church is filled with magnificent treasures and laden with history. Most importantly, the Titian painting of the Ascension above the altar; it signifies the beginning of modern art as Titian broke all the rules of his day, and also caused huge religious debate due to the depiction of Mary ascending to Heaven directly. In 1518 this was completely outrageous. The guide showed us the most important things before she had to head off, leaving us to explore the rest of the church on our own.
Venice walking tips
One tip: if you are interested in looking at churches and the abundance of art in the churches of Venice buy a Chorus pass at the first one you visit it. This gets you into the churches you have to pay to visit and is valid for one year. It’s 9 euro and each church is 3 euro so you recoup the value pretty fast.
Another tip. Our guide gave me a piece of invaluable advice: walk fast. The shorter time your feet have in contact with the stone streets, the less tiring it is. So that’s why you see all the busy Venetians rushing from place to place. And all the meandering tourists looking completely exhausted and in pain.
I tried it – it seemed to help. There were only two problems: the meandering tourists got in my way, and I had no idea where I was going. It’s not easy walking fast, avoiding people, reading a map, turning corners, crossing bridges, all in streets ten feet wide. I won’t be forgotten easily by the many I passed. The bruises might fade but the memories of the crazy, speedwalking Australian may last a little longer.
Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Venice tours & things to do in Venice, from Venice walking tours to gondola rides & canal tours.
10 Reasons to Shop Dubai: The Ultimate Dubai Shopping Guide
Posted , add a commentEditor’s Note: Terry Carter and his wife and writing partner, Lara Dunston, have written half a dozen travel guides to Dubai and the UAE and have made it their home base since 1998. This time ’round Lara writes about Dubai’s top shopping experiences. You can also check out their recent post about “Top Things to Do in Dubai.”
Dubai Shopping Tip: Bracelets are a good buy at Dubai’s Gold Souq
When we arrived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), just over 10 years ago, the Indian guy from my company who collected us from the airport chatted the whole way to the hotel, giving us a detailed introduction to the country, culture, and society, while extolling the virtues of living in Dubai compared to Abu Dhabi, where we’d just moved.
“… and Dubai has a shopping festival!” he proclaimed rather proudly. In those days, Abu Dhabi didn’t even have a mall so we had to drive to Dubai to do any real shopping, like buy an espresso machine for the apartment. But a shopping festival was something else! Admittedly, we thought this a little weird… what kind of country has a festival dedicated to shopping?
Although Abu Dhabi now boasts a few big swanky shopping centres, Dubai, with its scores of malls and atmospheric bazaars is still the region’s King of Shopping. And according to Terry, I’m the Queen of Shopping. So, here’s my Ultimate Dubai Shopping Guide, or, 10 Reasons Why You Should Shop Dubai.
#1 - Dubai Shopping Festival
The Dubai Shopping Festival, or DSS as we call it locally, has become much more than a festival of shopping. Sure, it’s the huge discounts, crazy promotions, citywide sales, and raffles with Porsches as the prize, that get us excited. But there’s also entertainment for the kids, street fairs with food stalls, nightly fireworks, and at the Heritage and Diving Village, traditional performances and cultural activities. Held in January and February, the UAE winter, the weather is lovely. It’s still warm enough to swim and tan by day, but in the evenings you need to pop a pashmina around your shoulders. The big disadvantage is that this it’s high season (and conference season) so hotels are expensive and you need to book well ahead. Like, now.
#2 - Dubai Summer Surprises
Dubai Shopping Festival became so popular that they started a summer equivalent called Summer Surprises. Even more family-oriented, as the kids are on school holidays, there’s a festival mascot called Modhesh which looks like a yellow bicycle pump. A summer version of DSS, held annually from the end of June to the end of August, there are sales all over the city, but the major advantage of the summer festival – if you can drag yourself away from the Olympics – is that hotel rooms sell at rock-bottom prices. Keep in mind, though, it’s a sweltering 45C (113F) degrees outside, your glasses fog up each time you step out of the hotel or taxi, and the whole time you’re there you’ll feel like you’re in a giant sauna or God has placed a big blow heater above Dubai. It’s an experience.
#3 - Dubai’s Shopping Malls
Dubai’s Ibn Battuta Mall: Seven malls with a mall, each themed on a country the Arab traveller Ibn Battuta visited
I’m not a fan of malls generally but in Dubai, the mall makes sense. Remember, this is a place where it’s too hot to stroll the city streets for half the year. In Dubai, the shopping mall is a relief. And here, malls are about so much more than shopping.
They’re a place for socializing, for meeting up with friends for coffee, a movie or bowling, for hanging out with the family at a fun fair or eatery, for slipping on the skies to swoosh down the slopes in preparation for winter, or heading to the gym, spa or beauty salon to get into shape for the summer.
Dubai’s malls also boast theatres, art galleries, child minding centres, and even mosques. Think of them as the equivalent of an old town square, piazza or plaza in Europe.
#4 - Mall of the Emirates
If I had to choose one mall out of the city’s scores of shopping centres, it would be the opulent Mall of the Emirates. This sumptuous shopping centre is one of the city’s largest, but also one of its most beautiful, with polished marble floors, spacious avenues, and a stunning skylight. It boasts the best selection of shops, with several swellegant department stores, including swish Harvey Nichols, dozens of chic boutiques, exclusive designer stores, fantastic shoe and accessory stores, cosmetics supermarkets, a massive Virgin Megastore and Borders bookshop, cinemas and theatre, art galleries, a theatre, Ski Dubai (yes, that huge indoor ski slope you’ve read so much about), and superb restaurants, including Emporio Armani Caffe and Almaz by Momo (by Mourad Mazouz of Momo London fame), bars (Apres), and a hotel, the swanky Kempinski Mall of the Emirates.
#5 - Dubai’s Souqs
Souq Madinat Jumeirah’s wooden arcades
While Dubai boasts an abundance of sleek shopping malls, the bustling souqs (Middle Eastern-style bazaars) are actually what Dubai has historically been famous for. The Deira covered market was once the Arabian Gulf’s largest – remember, Dubai has been a trading port for several centuries.
The city’s souqs may not be the region’s most attractive – get images of Marrakesh or Istanbul out of your head – but they’re just as atmospheric and easily as fun.
The difference is Dubai’s souqs are real. Gritty and ramshackle, they’re not just for tourists, they’re where the real people shop for everyday things. In Deira and Bur Dubai’s souqs, Emirati girls shop for fake Yves Saint Laurent shaylahs (headscarfs), their mother’s haggle for stainless steel pot sets, their grandmothers buy oud (aromatic wood that’s lit like incense), while their brothers, husbands and dads bargain for the latest digital gadgets.
English expats take visiting guests to gawk at the glittering gold souq, Indian expats buy saris and textiles from home, while expat workers from Afghanistan and Bangladesh stock up on basic goods to take home, from woollen blankets to cheap kids clothes.
#6 - Because in Dubai Bargaining is a Fine Art
Part of the fun of shopping Dubai’s souqs is bargaining, or haggling. It’s not a requirement, as in Cairo, Istanbul or Marrakesh – if you don’t want to play simply ask the price, you’ll be told a price, and you can pay that price. And believe me, I’m an old hand at it, and it can be exhausting and it’s not always fun. But if you pay the first price you’re given, understand you’re probably paying double the value. It’s probably still a bargain compared to what you’d pay back home, but you can get it for a whole lot less, and have fun in the process if you bargain.
So, where do you start? Ask how much then when offered a price, suggest 50% less. The salesman will probably laugh or feign horror and offer a higher price. Stick to your guns. He’ll then drop the price and once he does, you should raise yours a little. And so it goes…
Use your instinct to respond to his reactions and adjust your price accordingly. As the process draws to an end, ask for the final and best price. If the offer seems reasonable, pay up. Don’t go back to your initial offer – or worse, leave! – this is extremely rude. The sales guy won’t welcome you back when you later realise his offer was a good deal and he’ll probably spread the word around the market so you get ripped off elsewhere. While bargaining in the souqs is acceptable, it’s not in a mall, unless it’s at a carpet shop. At small independently owned electronics, computer or camera shops, you can ask for discounts, but offer 50% less and you’ll be laughed out of the store.
#7 - Dubai’s Best Buys
Dubai’s best boys are the things we associate with shopping the Middle East – carpets, textiles, perfume, spices, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Seriously. Dubai’s Spice Souq may be small and a lot more touristy now than it once was, but a stroll here is an aromatic assault on the senses – great buys include tiny boxes of saffron, frankincense (the sticky golden rocks of resin in the big sacks), incense burners, and do-it-yourself henna kits. Deira’s Covered Souqs are the place to shop for bellydancing outfits, traditional costumes, sheesha pipes, and at the Gold Souq, anything that glitters. Bur Dubai’s Textile Souq sells Indian saris, vibrant fabrics, spangly Aladdin slippers, Dubai t-shirts, and Arabian ‘antiques’. Karama Souq is not so much a souq but a rather shabby shopping centre, but it’s the best place for discounted souvenirs from the region: Arabian bronze and copper coffee pots, engraved trays and Aladdin lamps, Yemeni khanjars (daggers), Bedouin silver jewellery from Oman, colourful Moroccan lamps, sequinned and beaded cushion covers and bedspreads from India, and mother-of-pearl inlaid boxes and furniture from Syria.
#8 - Souq Madinat Jumeirah
This stunning, air-conditioned, contemporary incarnation of a souq is the place to head when you can’t face the chaos of the real souqs, the heat has got too much for you, you’re not in the mood for bargaining, or, when you decide to refuel, you want to have a cold beer or glass of wine with your lunch. At this beautiful “Old Arabian” styled shopping centre with wooden arcades, wind-towers, and lovely courtyards, you can shop in comfort for fine quality carpets, handicrafts, souvenirs and gifts, and the best stores for those are Lata’s, National Iranian Carpets, the Pride of Kashmir, and Al-Jaber Gallery. Prices are obviously higher than at the souqs, but the quality is better. You’ll also find fashion, jewellery, leather and accessories, and dozens of restaurants, caf?s and bars where you relax and ponder your purchases, make new shopping lists, or assess the damage to the credit card.
#9 - Dubai’s Homegrown Fashion
Dubai may have made its fortunes on the import-export trade, but there’s actually some wonderful stuff produced in Dubai by Emiratis, and one of the standouts of interest to shoppers is its homegrown fashion. The biggest local name is quirky young Dubai-born designer Raghda Bukhash, who creates fabulous fashion under her Pink Sushi label, by playfully appropriating traditional Emirati culture and symbols. The black and white Palestinian keffayah or red and white gutra (Arab men’s headdresses) are all the rage in Europe right now, but Raghda was the first to use them to produce cute skirts, handbags and clutch purses. You can buy her hip fashion from chic fashion boutique, Amzaan, owned by local princess Sheikha Maisa al-Qassimi. Other independently owned boutiques stocking local Dubai fashion as well as interesting international labels include Five Green, Ginger&Lace, and S*uce.
#10 - Dubai’s Shopping Hours
Shopping malls in Dubai open from around 10am to 10pm daily (although a few don’t open until 2pm on Friday, the Muslim day of worship, like Sundays in the West), which is bliss for shopaholics on a stopover! Stores outside of malls, especially those in the souqs, close around noon for an afternoon meal and rest, opening around 5pm, which makes sense in this kind of heat. Shopping in Dubai is most fun at night when the locals go out to shop, so even if you don’t like shopping you can enjoy some people watching instead. This means you’ll end up eating late and hitting the pillow late, but what are days for if not dozing in the sun by the hotel swimming pool?
Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s complete list of Dubai tours & things to do, from Dubai desert safaris to Dubai city sightseeing tours.