I love visiting new countries and spending my money on experiences over trinkets. However, whenever I travel, I always bring back a magnet that I can place on my refrigerator. I used to bring back snow globes, but since the TSA enacted their liquid rule I’ve had to put my snow globes on hold since I almost exclusively travel with a carry-on, and they’re only allowed in checked luggage, so magnets are now my go-to.
I also bring back unique gifts from each country that I visit as gifts for family, as you may remember about my Australian gifts that I bought back that my family still to this day refuse to use. So what about my last visit to Dubai? Surprisingly, I didn’t spend as much money on “items” as I did on activities, but on my final day, I decided to do a bit of shopping as I wanted to bring back a few things. Here are the top 6 things you should most definitely get before returning from Dubai.
1. Camel Milk Soap
Madison and I went on a Desert Safari where we rode camels, and Madison was even brave enough to pet her camel, and if you know Madison, then you’d know that this was a big feat as she’s usually afraid of everything. So when I was shopping around and noticed that they had camel milk soaps, I decided to pick it up and was told that it was perfect for your skin. I’m not sure if I was told that because they wanted me to purchase a bar, but I was going to anyway. Where else would I get anything camel-related but in the desert?
2. Camel Milk Chocolate
Speaking of camels, there was also camel milk chocolate, utterly different from the regular milk chocolate that I’m used to. While there were a few different ones, I decided to get one that was actually molded into the shape of a camel to bring the point across of what I was going to be indulging in later.
3. Dates
The United Arab Emirates is known for its succulent dates, and you can get them in many different ways. Such as with almonds, chocolate-covered, or even just as good old-fashioned dates. No matter how you get them, they make a great gift for date lovers.
4. Candy from Candylicious
If you’re visiting Dubai with kids, then you’ve got to check out Candylicious, the world’s biggest candy store, and it’s conveniently located in the world’s largest mall, the Dubai Mall. You can’t go home without grabbing a bag of some of your favorite candy, or even some new ones that you’ve never heard of before. You can also get to see them making the candy that is sold right there in front of you.
5. Dubai Spice
You’ve got to pay a visit to the Dubai Spice Souk. There you’ll find spices that you’ve never even heard of. Madison and I were pleasantly surprised and spent quite some time there going through and sniffing and learning all about the spices that can be found there. I picked up some Arabian Fruit Tea that I intend to use upon my return. I was told that all I needed was a tiny teaspoon and water, no sugar or milk, so can’t wait to give it a try.
6. Silk or Cashmere
You’ve also got to check out the Dubai Textile Exchange where you can find all sorts of fabric materials that you can use for making your own clothing. You can also get products already made such as robes or even cashmere and silk scarves at a very reasonable price. Haggling is the name of the game at these markets, but in the end, you’ll end up with a quality piece at a price you won’t find here in the USA.
There are lots of other gifts that you can certainly pick up, including baklava (think layers of dough with nuts and honey) or even a Bedouin Arabian Dallah (used to serve Arabian coffee). Grab a few trinkets and commemorate your visit to Dubai. And if this will be your first time visiting Dubai, you may want to check out our post on what you should know before visiting Dubai.
