Page 63 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Dubai & Abu Dhabi

Deira ❮❮ 61

Gold Souk
8 A STROLL THROUGH THE SOUKS
You are unlikely to have ever
seen so much gleaming gold as in Gold Souk
Dubai’s historic Gold Souk. The souk Perfume Ashwaq Cafeteria
Souk
is still dominated by Indian and Iranian
craftsmen and traders, as it has DEIR A
been for close on a century. It has Spice Souk
been restored with a traditional Bur Dubai
Arabic arcade and an arching wooden Abra Station Dubai
roof. You’ll find jewellery in both Dhow
Arabic and western styles (see p26). Wharfage
BU R Creek
DUB AI
Deira Covered Souk
9 QDs
This is where you get a real
taste of the melting pot of cultures AFTERNOON
that is Dubai. The souk is frequented
by both Emiratis and expats, and Aim to start this walk around
sells everything from bright Indian 4:30pm, when the souk shops
clothing to colourful kitchenware. re-open after prayers and
temperatures are cooler. Start
There are even household appliances with an abra crossing (see pp16-
and pirated CDs. It is a fascinating 17) from the Bur Dubai Abra
area to wander around (see p26). Station. You can disembark at
Deira Old Souk Abra Station. Take
the underpass beneath Baniyas
Road to emerge at the Spice Souk
entrance. Enjoy a browse among
the fragrant alleyways here.
Leave the Spice Souk at Al-Abra
St, turn right along Al-Ras St,
which leads into Sikkat Al-Khail
St. Ahead you will see the latticed
entrance to the Gold Souk, with
its colonnaded interior. There are
more than 300 jewellery shops to
explore (most accept credit cards).
Wander into the narrow alleyways
off the main thoroughfare and
enjoy a traditional cup of tea at
one of the small cafés.
Exit at the Gold Souk and continue
along Sikkat Al-Khail St to the
Colourful textiles, Deira Covered Souk tiny Perfume Souk. The shop
windows here are a treasure
Dhow Wharfage
0 trove of bottles filled with heady
Arabian scents, incense and oud.
MAP L1 • Baniyas Rd
A walk along the wharfside beside EVENING
Baniyas Road allows you to get up
close to the painted wooden dhows, Continue along Sikkat Al-Khail St
the traditional Arabian sailing vessels and enjoy an evening snack at
moored here. These ships still trade Ashwaq Cafeteria (04 226 1164), a
down-to-earth café with outdoor
around the Gulf. Their cargo these tables, serving shwarmas. Next,
days is tyres, refrigerators, air return to the creek to admire the
conditioners, electronics – just about Dhow Wharfage. For a relaxed
any modern item. Moored five or six ending to the day, drop in at Dubai
abreast, these dhows have sailed to Creek and Yacht Club’s QDs (see
trade with Dubai from places such as p62) and chill out with a cocktail.
Pakistan and Sudan since the 1830s.
See map on p58

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