Deira

Deira is located on the eastern side of Dubai Creek. Its borders are Mirdiff to the south, Dubai Creek to the west and the emirate of Sharjah to the east. The district is a colorful mixture of trade, commercial, residential and service areas and is considered the historical center of Dubai. It includes the following areas:

 

Dubai International Airport

Dubai International Airport is one of the most modern airports in the world. Just like the city, this airport has gone through an extensive renovation and expansion to become a state of the art facility which, as of July 2012, ranked as the 11th busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic with over 32,900,000 passengers travelling through the airport in the first half of 2012.

The Gold Souk

The Gold Souk is a traditional market (souk) in Deira. It is located on Baniyas Street, in the heart of eastern Dubai's trade district. The souk consists of over 300 retailers that are both well established stores as well as smaller stores that operate almost exclusively in the souk. By some estimates, approximately 10 tons of gold is present at any given time in the souk. It is bordered to the north by the Dubai Fish and Vegetable Market and the Deira Corniche.

Even if you are not planning to buy gold, the Gold Souk is well worth visiting especially in the evenings to view the glittering shops. Expect to pay less for gold than any other country in the world, but do not forget to bargain! Bargaining is a way of life in this region and prices can be reduced substantially with good negotiation skills.

The Spice Souk

The Spice Souk or the Old Souk is another traditional market. It is adjacent to the Gold Souk. It comprises several narrow lanes which are lined with open and closed-roof stores.

Stores in the Spice Souk sell a variety of fragrances and spices from frankincense and shisha to the many herbs used in Arabic and South Asian cuisines. Goods are traditionally displayed in huge sacks which are bursting at the seams. In addition, you can also purchase textiles, incense, rugs and other artifacts at the souk.

As with the Gold Souk, the best time to go is in the evenings when souks are bustling. If you prefer to avoid crowds, late morning is also a good time to visit but it is likely to be hot, especially during the warmer months.

Al Mamzar Beach Park

This is a very popular place to be for residents and tourists alike. The park has four beautiful beaches, two swimming pools, a foot and bike path, and a play area for the kids.

Fish Market

The Fish Market can be a very busy place, especially early in the morning where you will see traders unloading crates of fish, shopkeepers cleaning and gutting and the customers haggling. You will see, asn smell, barrels and giant tubs laden with king fish, red snapper, rock cod, barracuda, tune, lobster, crab, king prawn, sea bream, squid, pomfrets, shark, mackerel, sardine as well as local hammour.

The market has been revamped in recent years. Aside from a seafood restaurant, there is a also museum explaining the history of fishing in the region.