Riverland Dubai is a shopping mall in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is the gateway to Dubai Parks & Resorts. A themed, fun, dining and retail destination which you can access without purchasing a ticket.
There are four different zones that give a fascinating glimpse into some of the greatest eras of the past – The French Village, Boardwalk, India Gate, and The Peninsula. These four vibrant districts form the dining, retail and entertainment destination and are free for all to visit, making it a must do in Dubai.
The Peninsula
This is the heart of Riverland Dubai. Surrounded by the river, you will be able to enjoy various festivals and concerts at the large outdoor venue. The 19th century architectural theme adds to the character of this piazza that connects the various districts of Riverland™ Dubai via impressive bridges. Head down to any of the licensed restaurants or bars here to round off your day.
India Gate
Enjoy a royal Asian welcome with musicians and acrobats at India Gate, where our impressive artistic sculpture will mesmerize you as you embark on a journey through India. Don’t know where to eat in Dubai? Tantalize your taste buds with a great mix of casual dining venues as well as street-style quick service eateries in the large urban piazza.
India Gate
Boardwalk
For parents looking for things to do in Dubai with kids, why not relive the thrill of early America in the 1950´s and walk through an urban street bustling with excitement and entertainment – from jugglers to live entertainment. Enjoy the lofty structures, palm trees, and glamorous neon signage all around you.
The French Village
The French Village
Stop by the medieval French town and soak in the historic architecture of Europe in the late 1600’s at The French Village. Towers and the water wheel will draw you in, while street performances, outdoor dining, and meandering alleyways takes you to a different world.
Riverland Dubai: Dining Options
There are several coffee shops and Mediterranean inspired restaurants providing a variety of food to suit your taste and budget. Some of them are:
The popular restaurants in Riverland’s Peninsula
ECCO Pizza and Pasta: It is famous for authentic Italian pasta cooked with natural ingredients and genuine recipes. The Irish Village: The second outlet of the famed Irish pub in Dubai, Irish Village is the only licensed restaurant in Riverland. Big Chef’s Café & Brasserie: It is a casual dining spot with international cuisine and friendly staff.
India Gate has a variety of restaurants featuring Middle Eastern and Asian delicacies.
Costa Coffee: An International handcrafted coffee house that also serves delicious salads, wraps, sandwiches and sweet treats. Al Mashowa: A traditional Emirati seafood restaurant with recipes that come from the past. Barbecue Delights: A casual dining restaurant that offers Pakistani, Afghani and North Indian cuisines. Bol Gappa: An Indian fusion restaurant that offers lip-smacking street food in a Bollywood-themed ambience. Haru Robatayaki: An authentic Japanese restaurant that specialises in the art of sushi, Teppanyaki, Robata and Sashimi. Wok Chi: A Chinese street food joint where you can customise your wok-tossed noodles. Shrimpy: A popular fast-food restaurant serving deep-friend golden shrimps cooked to perfection.
The Boardwalk also features some delicious dining options.
TGI Fridays: World famous American food and beverage outlet to savour burgers and drinks in a lively ambience. The Coffee Club: An international coffee house where you can have a delicious brunch and a perfect blend of coffee. Super Chix: Looking for a traditional fast food joint? Here they serve super chicken, hand-cut fries and delicious frozen custards. Tortilla: America’s favourite snacks, tacos and burritos are served here with a range of fresh fillings and toppings. Ella’s Creamery: Inspired by America’s 1950s & 1960’s ice cream parlours, Ella’s Creamery will recreate your joyful childhood memories with frozen treats. Fans of Archie comics will get a distinct Pop Tates vibe from this charming creamery. Fuzziwig’s Candy Factory: A perfect place to feast on chocolate treats, caramel apples, sundaes, coffee and lots and lots of candy! Galito’s: Offers the most delicious chicken from an African kitchen that is loved across the globe. Famous Dave’s: Barbecue lovers cannot resist the live-wood stoked BBQ with a custom blend of spices. 800 Degrees: Baked in an almond wood oven, 800 Degrees serves authentic Neapolitan Pizzeria cooked with ripest and freshest ingredients. Pascal Tepper: A French bakery with oven-fresh bread and high quality of hot and cold treats. Giraffe: A perfect fast-food option with an array of dishes including steaks, grills, burgers and healthy smoothies, salads and mocktails. The Bagel Bar: A coffee house to enjoy an excellent cup of coffee, bagels and sandwiches in a relaxed atmosphere. McDonald’s: World’s leading fast-food retailer, where you can grab a quick bite of yummy burgers, fries and other fast food. Olive Garden: Inspired by culinary traditions of Tuscany, this restaurant serves a blend of American-Italian cuisine with traditional Italian hospitality. Starbucks: World’s leading coffee house to celebrate the rich tradition of coffee in an exceptional environment.
Souk is actually an Arabic word, which stands for the market or a place where any kind of goods are brought or exchanged. In the past Arabic shipping vessels that come from the Far East, China, Ceylon and India drop off their cargo brought from the places on to the docks. These cargoes would actually be bargained over in the souks which are usually located near the docks.
Now these souks have modernized and caved way to a multistory shopping malls which come with air-conditioning. You can get the latest gadgets and designer apparels but there are still ‘souks’ that have conserved their traditions in which you can find in Dubai. Although a lot of people may say that the souks in Dubai have lost their touch and even lost out to their Middle Eastern counterparts it is still a must visit to complete your holiday here in Dubai.
Featured Image : Photo by Joi Ito – https://www.flickr.com/photos/joi/2086020608/, CC BY 2.0, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36016613
The Burj Al Arab or also known as the Tower of the Arabs is a must visit. This luxury hotel is the second tallest building in Dubai that is used as a hotel after the Rose Tower. This stunning building actually stands on an artificial land out from Jumeirah beach. This structure which dominates the Dubai skyline was actually designed to symbolize Dubai’s urban progression and the design is said to resemble to that of a billowing sail.
The Burj Al Arab has 202 bedroom suites on 28 double storey floors. The smallest suite is about 169 square meters and the largest can go up to 780 square meters. This hotel is said to be one of the most expensive hotels in the world and the cost of staying in a suite is from $1,000 per night where as the Royal Suite which is the most expensive and go up to $28,000 a night.
Believe or not there are private reception desks on every floor and butlers that provide assistance to you anytime, anywhere by just a ring. Each Suite will provide you with the best television entertainment if you decide to just stay in one of the days during your visit to Dubai. It has the largest selection of Satellite Television Channels available in the Middle East and every Suite Features Its Own Laptop Notebook Computer, Fax Machine and Printer.
Featured Image : Photo by Shahroozporia – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19134494
The Ibn Battuta Mall is an ideal shopping destination that is located just off the Sheikh Zayed Road. This place is actually named after Ibn Battuta, a 14th century explorer who spent 29 years travelling through the Middle East and Asia.
An interesting fact about this mall would be that it is divided into six courts based on the areas he visited during his travels. The courts include China, India, Tunisia, Andalusia, Persia and Egypt. This makes the mall interesting to just look around, as each court is decorated to resemble a different areas of the world. The ceilings, sculptures, boats and displays are all related to the different areas.
The shopping here is excellent; it has a good mix of well known brand names and individual retailers. There is a 21 screen cinema at the China court and it includes UAE’s very first IMAX theatre. It would be a great idea to catch an IMAX film while you are here in this awesome shopping mall. This mall is a must visit with it’s superb design and notion behind its architecture.
Dubai is truly a destination regarded highly by many holidaymakers. This magnificent city is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula. Known as a cosmopolitan city because of its multicultural society and conversed traditions even through modernization you will get to see remarkable sights and architectural brilliance here in Dubai.
There are a lot of places you could visit here, and these are places that you should visit while you are in Dubai, in order to truly complete your holiday here.
The Ibn Battuta Mall
The Ibn Battuta Mall is a large shopping mall on the Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, UAE, close to Interchange 6 for Jebel Ali Village.
The Burj Al Arab
The Burj Al Arab (Arabic: برج العرب, Tower of the Arabs) is a luxury hotel located in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Dubai Museum
Dubai Museum (Arabic: متحف دبي) is the main museum in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is located in the Al Fahidi Fort (Arabic: حصن الفهيدي), built in 1787 and is the oldest existing building in Dubai.
Dubai is a city well known for its gold thanks to its Gold Souks or some might call it Gold Markets. These Gold souks are actually traditional markets formed way back in the days when shipping vessels came from the Far East, China, Ceylon and India drop off their cargoes brought from the places on to the docks. These cargoes would actually be bargained over in the “souks” which are usually located near the docks.
The trade in the gold souk was said to have risen during the 1940s thanks to Dubai’s free trade policies which actually encouraged entrepreneurs from India and Iran to set up stores here. A lot of people say that the ‘gold souk’ are a must see.
The Gold souk actually located in the bustling commercial business district in Deira. The Dubai Gold Souk is situated in the locality of Deira. And it has been said that an estimated amount of at least 10 tons of gold is present at any given time in the souk itself.The souk is encircled to the north by the Dubai Fish and Vegetable Market and the Deira Corniche. The Gold Souk can be spotted with all the sparkling gold at the front of the shop and usually you can spot hawkers nearby these souks trying to sell their counterfeit handbags and clothing at knock off prices.
The Gold Souk actually consists of over an unbelievable 300 retailers that deal with all sorts of exclusive and fashionable jewellery. There are even well established stores such as Damas, ARY Jewellery and Joy Allukas Jewellery. And of course there are smaller stores that carry out their business in the gold souk.
The markets or shops in the souks offer a variety of jewellery that range from earrings, rings, necklaces, bracelets and pendants. There are many different shades of gold that will be available to you. I mean come on seriously, at least 10 tons of gold at any given time means you are going to be spoiled for choice with all gold here. And plus you can choose to have a more traditional item if you are more into the customary jewellery or you could go for the modern items if you feel like keeping up with the modern times of the fashion world. And if this still does not satisfy you, you can actually have your own item or piece designed for you by the skilled craftsmen that you will find in this souk.
An interesting fact is that India is Dubai’s largest buyer of gold, accounting for approximately 23% of the emirate’s total gold trade in the year 2005, similarly India accounted for approximately 68% of all diamond-related trade in Dubai.
A useful shopping tip for you would be to look out for the clasp of the necklace or bracelet that you are buying to see if it is strong enough to support the chain itself. You could do this by running your hand over the chain and looking for any rough edges. If you are patient enough to check your piece or item carefully before purchasing you are guaranteed to have one that will last you a lifetime and of course that guarantee is only a 100% if you take good care of it too.
Dubai is renowned as the “shopping capital of the Middle East”. Being an open port with low import duties and no taxation, Dubai offers unbeatable value. Dubai offers a good place to buy the latest high-tech gadgetry, such as digital cameras, iPods, and the like. Most major brand name products are readily available, and are often less expensive in Dubai than in their country of origin. . . Shop in Dubai.
