What to buy in the UAE? Shopping in the Emirates: what can you buy cheaply in the UAE? What you can bring from the UAE: what to buy cheap and souvenirs What to bring from the emirates

What are the United Arab Emirates associated with? Luxurious hotels, fabulously expensive cars, dunes, camels and other attributes of the amazing eastern region attract with their mystery and originality. Whatever the purpose of your visit to Dubai, leisure, business or shopping, your return will be eagerly awaited by your relatives, friends and colleagues. After all, you won’t leave the richest country empty-handed.

What things and souvenirs can you bring from the UAE?

"East is a delicate matter". The popular saying suggests that Arab countries have their own customs and customs. It is advisable to familiarize yourself with them so as not to get into difficult situations. If you follow the rules and spend money with pleasure, you will become a welcome guest for the locals, who will offer you all the benefits of the East. Tourists' favorite gifts are: jewelry, weapons, hookahs, pillows, carpets and oriental fabrics of wondrous beauty, incense, coffee and sweets. This is a standard oriental set, right?

1 Gold and pearls.

How not to bring a piece of wealth and luxury from an oil country. The Deira Gold Market displays hundreds of thousands of all kinds of jewelry, figurines, coins, and bars. You will be surprised not only by the enormous selection, but also by the absence of counterfeits, as well as the cost from 16 € per gram. Precious pearl products sell for 11-25 €.

2 Carpets and pillows.

“Arabian Night, magical east...” Everyone remembers the words from the famous cartoon. It’s unlikely that anyone can tell you where to get the same flying rug as Aladdin’s. But a real Persian carpet in local stores can be bargained for half the price (they ask for an average of 40-80 € per square meter). If you need a simpler gift, opt for decorative pillows in the Arabic style for 2.5 €.

3 Fabrics.

The streets and markets of Bar Dubai are decorated with cuts of Arabic silk, cotton, wool and other fabrics of the highest quality. Add any colors, patterns and ornaments - you get a tailor's dream. Price per meter – from 2 dollars to 200.

4 Aromatherapy.

Oils and incense are an integral part of Eastern culture. Long-lasting, rich oil perfumes will give even the famous Chanels and Diors a run for their money. Treat yourself and your loved ones to unusual but affordable scents for $2-$15. Want something exclusive? The perfumer will create a unique masterpiece right in your presence.

5 Hookah and other smoking accessories.

Arabs are not just connoisseurs in this matter, but professionals with centuries of experience. You can buy a real hookah here for 20-30 dollars, but immediately inform the seller whether it will be used for its intended purpose. Many tourists bring clay pipes and aromatic tobacco from Dubai as souvenirs for a certain circle of people.

6 Weapons.

A dagger fastened to a fashionable Gucci belt certainly looks unusual, but it adds a chance to get caught in the slammer. But decorating the office of your best friend or beloved boss is not the best gift. A curved khanjar costs from 2,000 rubles, which is quite an affordable pleasure.

7 National clothes.

Well, what would we do without her! Kanduras are for men, abayas are for women. Home and street clothes, with or without embroidery, from a store or made to order - the choice is yours. But a little advice: it’s better to buy not in a souvenir store, but in a specialized store. It will be cheaper this way. Handmade will cost 80 € and more.

8 Cashmere shawl.

A universal answer to the question: “what to bring to your beloved women from a trip.” If finances allow, choose natural cashmere or with a touch of silk. A shawl mixed with cotton or wool will not hurt your pocket as much.

9 Coffee and everything connected with it.

In the Emirates they drink hot coffee with cardamom (qahwa), but you can also take a more familiar one. The cost ranges from 5-15 €. To prepare an invigorating drink, you need to get a copper “dalla” coffee pot. A brass analogue or a stylized thermos for €8 would also be suitable as a souvenir.

10 Sweet East.

It really is, and also spicy and aromatic. What is the first thing visitors take with them when it comes to sweets? Of course, dates. Fresh and candied, filled with almonds, date jam and even juice. Another exotic product of Arab countries is camel milk. They even make chocolate from it. Treat your colleagues to a real wonder – camel-shaped chocolates. When there is not a crumb left, honestly admit what kind of milk they were made from. They will never believe it. Oh, and don’t forget to bring a bag of amazing spices from local markets.

Cheap Arabic souvenirs

Waste souvenirs that are brought in dozens for all distant acquaintances are magnets. From Dubai - with images of unique buildings and the national symbol - the camel. His figurines, by the way, are made here from chocolate, wood, leather, glass and other things. Such a souvenir costs from 2 €. The second symbol is sand. Bottles and paintings with sand patterns usually cost 8-15 dollars, and they are of indescribable beauty. You can also find inexpensive sabkhas (rosaries), for example, made from olive pits. The original rosary will not be exactly a budget gift.

Where to buy souvenirs in Dubai?

The main tourist city of the United Arab Emirates is home to 30 huge shopping centers. Choose the one that is closer to your hotel - you won’t go wrong. This makes shopping more convenient. You can save money in the Discount Center, Gift Village, Dirham Plaza, but souvenir shops, on the contrary, charge quite high prices. You should definitely visit the Gold Market, if not for shopping, then as a museum. Main advice: bargain, the Arabs welcome it!

What should you not bring from the Emirates?

It is standardly prohibited to export weapons, drugs, cultural and historical values, palm fruits and seeds. For expensive items, special accompanying papers (checks or certificates) will be required. In general, customs in this country are very friendly.

Even if you went to Dubai specifically for shopping, do not forget about good rest and good mood. This will make shopping even more enjoyable.

There is no person who would not bring back anything from a tourist trip except impressions and photographs. If you go to travel to the United Arab Emirates, often remember the saying of Khoja Nasreddin at the Bukhara bazaar: “He who pays knows what he pays for.”

There is no point in stocking up on everything that is sold not in this particular country, but anywhere else. The times of “buy everything we don’t have at home, but we don’t have anything” are gone, and we can, while enjoying the trip, at the same time buy something that will give us memories of this particular trip.

What is the best thing for a tourist to buy, where to find what he wants and how much does it cost? We turn on the currency converter in our head or search on the Internet: 1 dirham (AED) = $0.27. And let’s remember the main thing: merchants in this country don’t like it when you silently, obediently pay, take the goods and leave. It's boring. Bargain! Here this is acceptable even for gold in company stores. The spirit of the oriental bazaar is inextinguishable here, even if in front of you is a pretentious store window - in fact, it is the same street counter.

Products

If you wish, you can eat fast food from McDonald's. Or dishes of native cuisine. And local is not suitable for everyone. But there is also something here that will appeal to European tourists.

Fresh fruits

Common fruits are cheaper, exotic fruits are more expensive. Price for 1 kg:

• Oranges - 5 AED.
• Melons, watermelons - 6.
• Mango green - 8.
• Pears, apples - 9.
• Pineapple (piece) - 10.
• Guava - 11.
• Plum, mango, pomegranate - 17.
• Indian mango - 21-22.
• Pitahaya (Red Dragon - 31-32).
• Papaya - 70.

Sweets

“Turkish delight of my soul!..” After you try oriental sweets in their homeland, you will look at our confectionery delights as if they were plastic. The choice here is very good; it is better to buy at the Spinneys and Sweet retail chains.

The price for packaged sweets ranges from 20 to 350 AED, sometimes more expensive, but only because the packaging is a work of art, feel free to bring such a gift.

To choose from:

• halva;
• sherbet;
• nougat;
• Turkish delight (presented in different varieties);
• baklava;
• dates.

The latter are the national fruit, and they do everything they can with them: they make candies, make jam, pour syrup and honey (as if they themselves weren’t sweet enough!). Literally at every step, in every supermarket, store and stall, you can find extremely popular Arabian Delights in blue packages (150 g for $7.5) - these are dates with almonds inside, covered in chocolate.

There are dates in souvenir packaging, priced at 90-300 AED per kg. But usually our tourists buy them in bulk and take them home - no more than 7 kg are allowed for export. It is better to take it for export when the harvest is being harvested.

Coffee

Coffee here is of all known and unknown varieties, a paradise for coffee lovers. Prices are also very different. Decent coffee beans by weight in the Carrefour store, 1 kg - 50 AED. Carrefour - from French “crossroads”, it’s a chain, you’ll be able to find at least one in any case.

Spices and dried fruits

What is an oriental dish without seasonings? Yes, this simply does not exist! If you love to cook and experiment with flavors, don't miss the moment to get everything you might need, right away, and the best. There are spices in every store and shop, but it’s not interesting. Visit the specialized spice market Spice Souk - Dubai, Deira, Old City. In addition to the famous peppers and saffron with cinnamon, there are specific things here - black lemon, orchid root, Somali incense. The main thing is to find out from the seller what kind of weed it is and why!

There are also dried fruits - experienced tourists praise them very much, especially those with nuts inside. And the nuts themselves are here too. Prices:

• Peanuts - 20 AED.
• Figs - 45.
• Apricot - 47.
• Cashew - 79.
• Peeled walnuts - 100.
• Pistachios - 133..

They also take a lot of pistachios for export.

Robes

The abundance of rags in the Emirates is amazing, but it’s worth paying attention to what will really remind you of the spirit of the country at home.

Carpets

Few people have not heard of oriental carpets - for centuries they have been considered a sign of special luxury and sophistication. Do you want to feel like Professor Preobrazhensky? Do you like oriental ornaments? Do you dream of a durable, beautiful and unique “bedding”?

Such an important acquisition is worth a serious approach - it is better to organize a hunt for a carpet during the Dubai Shopping Festival, which takes place annually and goes on all the time. Why at this time? There is an opportunity to get to a place where a huge flock of carpets will gather - 170 thousand! This is Carpet Oasis, an exhibition and sale of carpets. It takes place in the EXPO building near Dubai International Airport. There will be carpets and rugs of all ages (there are also antique ones), types, colors, sizes and shapes from Iran (former Persia, the most valuable specimens), Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, China, India, Tunisia, Morocco and the UAE.

It is not necessary to buy a large carpet - take a medium-sized or small one if you are sure that it will fit into your interior or the one where it will “live” (in case you are buying a carpet as a gift).

Here they will immediately explain to you how to distinguish handmade from machine-made, so do not be afraid of fakes, you yourself will be able to easily determine what kind of product is in front of you.

Prices - from 100 AED to... infinity.

Fabrics and clothing

Fabrics are also the undeniable wealth of the country. Natural and high quality:

• cashmere;
• cotton;
• silk;
• camel and sheep wool.

Fabrics are sold in the Deira City shopping center near boutiques with national clothing, in the Dubai Mall, and in shops in Nasser Square. There are also interesting sewing accessories there.

As for clothing items, it is useful to purchase a wool or cashmere shawl. They give away clothes for the home inexpensively - our ladies adore “flattery” jackets, which look great and are comfortable in them in any heat; they buy them for themselves and for their friends.

Just keep in mind that foreigners are not allowed to wear Arabic national clothing in the UAE.

If you splurge on bedding sets, you won't be happy with them.

Decorations

There are so many gold items here, as if they were falling from the sky. Both these and other jewels can be viewed at two gold markets - Dubai's Gold Souk and Blue Souk in Sharjah (which has the affectionate nickname “Locomotives” - our people really saw the undeniable resemblance of the blue and white market building to a toy train). There are also many jewelry stores in Dubai. But the markets are breathtaking: you feel like Ali Baba in the cave of the forty thieves. Silver and stones, often without frames, multi-colored pearls, gold bars and coins, and jewelry made of precious metals are also sold here.

Our tourists say about gold prices: “at the price of silver.” It is of good quality, the percentage of gold in the alloy depends on the carat:

• 24-karat gold is bright yellow and shiny, the so-called “Indian”;
• 21-22 carat;
• 18 carat is lighter than others, it is called “European”.

Cosmetics

Among the local products that deserve attention are natural henna (very different from what we sell in paper bags), natural oils (essential, massage, cosmetic) - they are in abundance here, kajal - a contour eyeliner pencil, Miswak toothpaste that is good for teeth (miswak is a “tooth tree”, a plant whose roots contain substances that perfectly strengthen and clean teeth).

Arabian perfumes are something very special. First, you need to make sure whether you like their scents - we are used to lighter, more volatile perfumes, but these ones are made without alcohol. The oil base makes the scent very long-lasting, but European noses may find it too harsh or heavy. And yet there are amateurs. If you like it, be careful not to get it on your clothes. Oil!

You can buy them at the bazaar for 4-6 dirhams. Of course, when buying in a city store, prices will be higher. For the current exchange rate of the United Arab Emirates, see our article "".

And, of course, coffee. This drink is popular in all Arab countries; it is loved and appreciated here. A huge variety of coffee varieties are sold in the UAE, and you can immediately buy Turkish coffee pots, from the simplest to the most luxurious ones with embossing and gold elements. The “correct” coffee pot and coffee pot should be made of copper.

Turks for coffee have one feature. It is believed that the smaller the Turk in size, the better; it is best that it is designed for just one serving. Therefore, you should not choose it by size.

In the UAE you can buy anything, and cheaply. This is due to the absence of VAT (sales tax) and low VAT (value added tax) and customs duties.

To make it easier for you to understand, we will describe in detail the pricing of goods, taking into account taxes and fees for Russia and the UAE. Let's take electronics as an example. Many Russians purchase Apple products in the UAE, the source of which is most often Hong Kong.

Let's assume that the export price for the Apple iPad tablet computer is 700 USD, and this price is the same for suppliers in the UAE and Russia.

The first thing that costs the emirates less is delivery; the distance to the emirates by sea is two times shorter, and, naturally, cheaper than to the most popular Russian port among electronics suppliers - St. Petersburg. In fact, in the price of this iPad, the delivery price will be insignificant, even for a supplier from Russia it will not exceed 1 USD.

After the goods arrive at the port of destination, they must undergo customs control. The first payment in this procedure is called “customs duty”. It is different for each product and in Russia it can range from 0 to 30%. Each importer is obliged to pay the state this amount of money, and, naturally, it becomes an integral component of the cost of the goods. For personal electronics, this is 5% of the cost of the product.

The second payment made by the importer is VAT (value added tax). Many Russians do not understand what this is and believe that this tax applies only to organizations and does not apply to ordinary citizens.

It’s just the opposite, the state collects taxes not only on all the income you receive (do you pay taxes regularly?), but also on all your expenses. For example, you came to the store and bought a loaf of sausage for 400 rubles. In this price, 61 rubles is VAT. Of course, it is not you who personally transfer this money to the budget, but you pay this money, you are the source of money for this tax. VAT is a consumption tax.

When going to the United Arab Emirates, many not only think through every day of their vacation, but also rack their brains over the question of what to bring home. After all, this rich country is known for a huge number of shopping centers, markets, and a variety of products, both local producers and global brands.

We bring to your attention a list of interesting ideas. Let's talk not only about unusual and popular souvenirs, but also about expensive solid gifts, local delicacies, long-lasting perfume, carpets, gold and other worthwhile things.

There are not many local souvenirs in the UAE, but the Emirates is located at the crossroads of trade routes. Therefore, the shelves of resort cities are bursting with an abundance of various oriental goods. Let's get acquainted with the most popular ones.

Cosmetics and perfume

What are the best cosmetics and perfumes to buy? The most interesting offer for European tourists will be Arab perfumes. They are created on the basis of plant oil extracts, which allow the perfume to last for a long time. The only feature of the product is that it is applied exclusively to the skin.

Prices for these products range from ten to fifteen dollars per small bottle.

Oriental fragrances are sold in specialized departments (Al Ghurair City, Carrefour, etc.) and in perfume markets. Perfume from famous brands here costs at least $85 per hundred milliliters.

In the UAE you can find a huge amount of decorative cosmetics and body care products. Specialized departments offer good powder, cosmetic pencils, and lipsticks (prices per unit of products range from several dollars and more).

Be sure to pay attention to the following Arabic products:

• natural henna (for coloring hair and preparing body scrub);
• oils (alma oil for hair care, grape seed oil for skin, etc.);
• kajal (Arabic-style eyeliner pencil).

Edible gifts

The most striking difference of any country is represented in the cuisine. Of course, you won’t be able to bring unusual Arabic dishes home. But there is a list of favorite sweet souvenirs that can be purchased.

The Emirates are famous for their nuts and dried fruits.

Furs and decorations

The most capricious tourists have the opportunity to choose original jewelry in the UAE for reasonable money..

A popular place to make expensive purchases is the gold markets. They sell:

• gems;
• pearls of different colors;
• gold bars and coins;
• jewelry made of precious metals;
• inlaid boxes.

Designer jewelry is available in all major shopping centers.

Shops in Dubai sell relatively inexpensive natural fur coats.

Smart ideas on what to bring from the Emirates as a gift

Now let’s pay attention to original gifts that will delight travelers themselves and their loved ones, colleagues and friends.

Fabrics and textile products

You will not find such textile products anywhere else. Natural silks, cotton, camel hair, cashmere.
The fittings are also very beautiful.

There are a lot of fabrics in Deira City and Dubai Mall. Home dresses made in oriental style will be a good gift.

Men's things

You can bring a lot of worthwhile things to your beloved man from the UAE:

• khanjar (national Arab dagger with a handle covered with silver);
• smoking pipe (wooden in the style of the times of Sinbad the Sailor or clay “miduah”);
• luxury hookah;
• flavored tobacco;
• furniture made of walnut or rosewood and wicker;
• fashionable “Pashmin” (shawl made of high-quality cashmere or cotton).

All these gifts are not difficult to find. Pipes are presented in a wide range at the Fish Market, hookahs in almost all shopping centers and supermarkets, furniture in specialized sections and at Souk Madinat Jumeirah.

Carpets

The selection of carpets in the UAE is stunning.

Each carpet is unique. If transporting a large product is problematic, then you can choose a small rug made in the weaving traditions of the East.

The United Arab Emirates holds the brand of a country where you can buy anything, and they claim that it’s not easy to buy, but it’s very, very profitable to buy. The tourist is now seasoned and experienced, and does not always agree with such a statement. But, on the other hand, if you have already arrived in the Emirates, then you will not leave here empty-handed! And let’s say you came just on vacation, to swim in the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, bask on the fine sand, visit artificial islands, or visit a ski resort built in the middle of the desert, or admire the incomparable malls... You never know the attractions there are in the Emirates!

However, this does not change the fact that you should bring gifts and souvenirs from your trip for family members left at home, for work colleagues, and for friends and acquaintances.

Souvenirs are different. This means that they vary in cost. Now we will consider the possibility of bringing expensive gifts for relatives. Let’s take a closer look at what this could be:

- locally produced perfumes, which are created on an oil basis and applied in the form of a drop on the naked body. It should not be applied to clothing, as the oil leaves stains on the fabric in the form of streaks. These perfumes are more long-lasting than conventional perfumes and last a long time. They are sold in small bottles costing 8-10 euros per bottle. Regular perfume products are also available in local stores, but they are very expensive, about 75 euros per 100 ml;

— you can choose a hookah as a gift, which costs from 10 to 30 euros, if among your close friends or relatives there are lovers of this activity;

— you can give a carpet made of camel hair;

- if you or your friends are interested in edged weapons, then you can buy local daggers - “hanjars”, just first clarify the procedure, and the very possibility of exporting such things from the country;

— you can buy products made of gold and pearls, there is a large selection here.

Inexpensive souvenirs from the UAE

They don’t bring pearls and gold to friends and work colleagues; they choose something from a different price category, but no less interesting, for example:

- incense. They are called “Bakhoor” and actually work as a symbol of the Emirates themselves. These are pieces of wood or balls that can be heated in special containers, and during heating a pleasant smell begins to emanate from them;
- camel figurines. They are sold everywhere, and the camel can be made of anything: leather, or wood, or plastic, or copper; the figures themselves can be covered with multi-colored plush. Depending on the material and quality of finishing, such a gift can cost from 2 to 22 euros;

- pipes and tobacco. If someone you know smokes a pipe, then you don’t have to go far to get a gift. The pipes sold here are clay, carved from wood, and decorated in various ways. You can also add a package of local tobacco to the pipe, making an excellent gift set;

— modern girls love to paint their bodies no worse than the savages from the Mumba-Yumba tribe. Therefore, such an advanced girl can be given a henna kit for body painting;

- compositions of loose sand of different colors. Sand is poured into glass vessels with voids inside, organized in a special way, and together form bizarre compositions. They are called “seven sands”, after the number of emirates, and each emirate is indicated by sand of a special color and shade;

- plates, or figurines, or refrigerator magnets, or other little things, but always with local symbols. It’s inexpensive, and magnets in general are a cheap product;

- and in general you can profit from a free gift using local shells in this capacity. Many tourists export this non-prohibited product in large quantities, so that there is enough for everyone.

Edible gifts from the UAE

The category of gifts that are edible in nature is quite acceptable. For gifts of this type, the main thing is that the gift does not become unusable before the moment of delivery: it does not deteriorate or lose its presentation. And, of course, so that it itself is interesting and, if possible, original. So, the following things will do:

— coffee and everything connected with it, such as: Turkish coffee pots, coffee pots, various related accessories for making and drinking coffee. All devices should be made of copper, and they should not be bought just anywhere, and in any case not in souvenir shops, but in specialized departments of malls. In the Emirates themselves they like to drink coffee with the addition of cardamom, but it doesn’t work well for our taste - it’s too bitter;
- spices. They are also the hallmark of the Emirates, and are sold in local markets not only individually, but as part of sets. Here you can find cinnamon, cardamom, Somali incense, medicinal herbs, dried fruits, and other seasonings. Of course, we are not used to such spicy food, but it will do well on the farm, and there will be something to surprise guests on occasion;

— local vegetables, fruits and herbs. There is a wide variety of fruits and vegetables on sale in supermarkets. You can enjoy them, but that’s all, and you don’t really take them on the road, especially as a gift. People take home fresh mint, which is sold by weight, 1 euro for 2 kg, and arugula. This is a herb that has the fame of an aphrodisiac; it is added to salads and meat dishes;

- oriental sweets. They are extremely popular among tourists, especially baklava. It is sold in supermarkets, in particular in Spinneys and the Sweet chain of stores. Nougat, Turkish delight, and sherbet also go well; here they are called “Iranian sweets.” A special item of sweets is dates. They are sold everywhere, and in all forms: in vanilla, with honey, in chocolate, in the form of jam. The average price for a 150g package of dates is about 7 euros.

Here is a partial selection of items and products common in the UAE that are suitable for gifts and souvenirs. But you will still have the opportunity to add to such a list, thanks to your own imagination and knowledge of the preferences and characteristics of your friends and acquaintances. Maybe the photos taken by your mobile phone will be enough for them.