Shopping under the stars

There's something thrilling about shopping at night under the stars. While living in Bangkok I use to be quite a regular at the Suan Lum Night Bazaar, making a beeline for antiques and
local handicraft. There was also the Night Bazaar right in the centre of Chiangmai's downtown with stalls selling food, watches and other electronic items.

So when I moved to Dubai I was happy to find that I could, once in a year, satiate my pleasure of shopping way past midnight. The Night Souq in Dubai is part of the Dubai Shopping Festival and is based on the idea of leisure shopping through the evening and late into the night. It is set in Al Seef Street along the picturesque Dubai Creek and the whole area is beautifully lit up to resemble a fairground.

There is an unhurried charm about the place, and you can take a leisurely walk while you hunt for the best bargains. Most of the retail outlets at the souq are open till the early hours to allow shoppers the luxury of browsing through the wide array of goods that are on display. These include watches, perfumes and luxury items as well as clothes and accessories.

The souq also has food stalls and restaurants, so if you are planning to have dinner by the Creek, there are plenty of options to choose from. From local shawarmas to Indian kati rolls (parathas stuffed with succulent pieces of chicken tikka, potatoes or cottage cheese), from Chinese wantons to authentic Arabic platters, the choice here is almost overwhelming.

For children there are puppet shows and magic shows and various cultural programmes from different countries of the world.

Anyone new to the region can easily spend an evening at the night souq to get a good jump-start on knowledge about the whole region. With Lebanese live music, Tannoura dancing from Egypt and henna painting, the place offers activities for the whole family.
Initiated during the 2003 edition of DSF, the Night Souq's main objective was to give people a shopping experience in a more natural setting.

The souq has become very popular since it combines the Creek ambience with the sale of renown brands at competitive prices. Last year, the Night Souq was held between January 24 and February 24. There was an approximate footfall of 35,000 to 40,000 visitors daily, and on weekends the numbers soared to 65,000. "

The Night Souq was designed to provide DSF visitors an option for relaxed shopping. With stores being open till 2am on weekdays and 3am on weekends, shoppers have plenty of time to go through the hundreds of goods displayed," says Yousif Mubarak, DSF Events, Operations and Logistics Director.

For participating retailers, the Night Souq also presents an opportunity to market their wares to an international audience for a whole month.

This year I've already made a mental note of the things I'm going to try out at the night souq — shopping is high on my priority, but besides that I'm looking forward to the entertainment shows and the raffle draws that will also be on offer. So see you all in a while, by the Creek and under the stars.