Whether you’re looking for pashminas, authentic Indian spices, gold or chocolate, or you just want a great deal from a luxury brand, there are plenty of places to shop on your trip to Dubai.

Just like in America, there are malls that are home to retail and department stores, as well as high-end outlets. The Dubai Mall has over 1,200 shops where you can buy goods, such as Galeries Lafayette and Bloomingdale’s, and find deals on such luxury brands as Cartier, Chanel, Harry Winston, Tiffany & Co., Christian Louboutin and Van Cleef & Arpels.

At the Mall of the Emirates, shoppers stroll through more than 630 retail outlets and 80 luxury stores and purchase from such big names as Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Burberry, Cartier, Chanel, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani, Jimmy Choo, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Rolex, just to name a few.

Shopping in Dubai is also about visiting smaller marketplaces, called a Souk, that are dedicated to particular items, such as the Gold Souk, Spice Souk, Perfume Souk and Textile Souk.

Dubai hosts two large shopping extravaganzas each year. Dubai Summer Surprises has been held annually for 19 years and includes character shows exclusive shopping deals, thrilling competitions and shop-and-win promotions. The largest shopping extravaganza is the month-long Dubai Shopping Festival, which is being held from December 26, 2016 to January 28, 2017 at the malls and souks. This really is a shop-’til-you-drop event with exhibitions, concerts, and celebrity appearances, fireworks, flash mobs and more. At this event, you can score great deals on everything from clothing to housewares and electronics.

Prime Dubai is a monthly community event for aspiring designers and fashion lovers to sell and buy high-end, pre-loved and vintage wear. It’s held on the second Saturday of each month in Beach Park Plaza Center, and is a second-hand fashion destination for exclusive and high-end fashion items, abayas, jewelry, fashion accessories and vintage fashion.

The most interesting thing to note about shopping in Dubai is that haggling is expected, especially at the souks, so practice your bargaining skills. For example, at the Gold Souk you will be given an initial price on the item and then it’s up to you to haggle from there. It is expected that you will dispute the first price on any piece of jewelry. In return, offer a lower price and wait to see what the response is.

The best time to shop is in the morning and the evening because it’s cooler, but that also means there are bigger crowds.

Jody’s Travel Inc