Gifts from the Gulf: We bring you three top spots for an affordable souvenir shopping experience in Abu Dhabi

Whether you travel in India or abroad, whether you travel for work or leisure, whether you have an extensive itinerary or are on a jaunt, there’s one aspect of trips that never changes – your friends back home looking forward to souvenirs you bring for them. Especially when it comes to a trip to cities such as Abu Dhabi, a bagful of exquisite chocolates simply doesn’t cut the chase these days, because nothing imported is out of reach in India anymore. However, having come back from a recent trip to UAE’s capital with a bagful of gifts that our friends loved, this author is here with a complete list of places and products if you’re planning to visit the city anytime soon.

This one is not only for the task but also for the ‘Gram.’ A contemporary take on a traditional Arabic market, this colourful, Insta-worthy shopping centre features a mix of crafts, food and luxury goods. The architecture of the place is inspired by traditional Arabian souks – with high ceilings, two atriums and Arabian décor. While you get handcrafted bags to coaster sets designed like miniature Turkish carpets in this market, there are two things we could not find at better deals anywhere other than here. Up first is tea! The moment you enter The Souk, sacks of tea in various flavours grabs your eyeballs. Flavours range from the classics such as chamomile and jasmine to local favourites such as Iranian rose and white pepper. 100 g comes at 10 AED (INR 230 approx), which is probably the cheapest you can get. The second thing would be bijouterie, particularly for women. Rosary beads in muted colours, set on a silver base, dominate the trend in jewellery. You can find anklets, earrings, rings, statement and dainty necklaces and more. The shops situated slightly in the interior parts of the complex offer the best prices. Look for the ones where the prices range start INR 577 onwards and remember to bargain! The shopkeepers might agree on prices as low as INR 460 if you buy multiple pieces from the same shop.

Be it a rudimentary Reddit research or an in-depth discussion with your local cab driver on where to shop at the cheapest prices in Abu Dhabi – Madinat Zayed was the destination recommended unanimously. One of the oldest and most well-known shopping stops in the city, featuring numerous stores selling clothing, electronics, jewellery and more. Arabic coffee, baklava boxes, camel milk chocolates, dry fruits such as dates and pistachios and spices were what we found as the best deals here. What we were the most eager to try was this small camel milk soaps, which came for INR 460. If you’re one for trying out herbal remedies, some shops here have tea blends that heal issues such as insomnia and PCOS – or so they claim. If you are into attars and bukhurs, this is where you definitely find these at the best prices. Small bottles of attars and even dupes of branded perfumes, such as Burberry and Gucci, can be found.

If there’s one thing you would not find at the two destinations above, it’s Arabic sweets. Known for their rich flavours, delicate textures and generous use of ingredients like nuts, honey, sugar and fragrant spices – Arabic sweets are what you should get for your foodie friends. While you might find baklava boxes that last for several weeks, priced at around INR 809 onwards in several malls and even in the duty-free airport shops, you will find much tastier versions of them in local Arabic bakeries. First off, we’d like to suggest this little shop called BakeofUAE, which we serendipitously found on a desperate bakery-hunting streak. However, the best desserts we sampled at the bakery (to be honest, in our whole lives) were these kunafa rolls, which came with the richest and crunchiest, deep-fried semolina exterior, with the sweetest and the most flavourful pistachio cream filling. Hanon Feras Sweets & Restaurant is another bakery where we enjoyed sampling desserts. It was the only one we came across that sold small gift-boxes of barasik and petefol for 10 AED. Tip: be sure to ask them how long the desserts remain fresh before buying.

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