Over the next few weeks, I’ll reveal five things that everyone headed to Dubai MUST do, at least, based on my past experience. Obviously, I can’t say enough about the place. The horse racing is obvious…but what about everything else?
#5. Visit the Dubai Gold Souk. I’m not necessarily suggesting you buy anything, but the simple sight of it amazes you. Vendors are indoors and open-air and you are bound to get some hard-selling from the varied merchants. Haggling over the price is a souk pasttime and is essentially expected. Bracelet anyone?
So how do you haggle? For Americans, it’s an acquired skill. While many people are used to paying for the price tag and looking for a deal, in the markets of Dubai, gold or otherwise, you typically have free reign to negotiate the price. Don’t go so low as to insult the merchant, but give yourself some wiggle room and you could get a deal. One thing that has mesmerized me about the gold souk – I couldn’t find an armed security guard/police officer around.
More gold than I’ve ever seen in my life, and yet, quite a bit of trust of the public. Public safety in Dubai is fabulous and I’ve felt safer there than in any American and most European cities in which I’ve traveled. Along with the gold souk, you’ll also find quite a few bootleg dealers offering you top quality names. What is in question is whether or not you are getting the real product or a faux version. Caveat emptor.