A Complete Guide to the 5 Best Malls in Dubai

When it comes to shopping, Dubai does it just a little bit better than anywhere else on Earth - at least when it comes to quantity.

While the vast majority of Dubai expats wouldn't be be caught dead at Dubai Mall on a weekend, there are tons of other options.

From the wilds of "King Crock" at the Dubai Mall Aquarium to the world famous Ski Dubai in Mall of the Emirates and everything in between, we've got you covered in our complete guide to Malls in Dubai.

Let's start out with the less obvious options, for those who might not be interested in the absurdity most of the malls offer and may simply just need to go buy a few things like normal person without getting a gold plated cupcake or ice skating.

Ibn Battuta Mall

This might just be our favorite mall in Dubai, nearly just as big an impressive as the others but more for locals and expats with far less tourists. For us, Ibn Battuta Mall is our go to for groceries, quick errands and a cinema night.

The mall is sectioned into geographic regions with the decor going over the top, just as you would expect, but without the absurdity you might expect.

Complete with the largest grocery store you'll ever see as well as endless restaurants and a wonderful cinema (we are almost there weekly) it really has it all.

Dubai Outlet Mall

Budget anything isn't what comes to mind when you think of Dubai, but the Dubai Outlet Mall does provide some cheaper options for those really determined to find them.

Have we ever gone? Hell no. Not only do we not have a car, but you couldn't pay me enough money to do to an outlet mall in the middle of the desert if my life depended on it.

Those who have braved the heat and the elements to get out there don't even seem too excited about it so for now, it isn't on our list.

Deira City Center

The Deira City Center mall is actually one of the first malls malls in Dubai that I visited. I woke up in a hotel and found it was attached to the mall when I woke up, shouldn't have been surprised!

While there is nothing magical at the mall compared to Dubai standards, most will find it the largest mall they have ever seen. I was first shocked to see my favorite American chain restaurants (Potbelley's!) but quickly found that no matter where you look in Dubai you'll find the same.

It might not be the Dubai Mall or even on anyone's must see list, but when it comes to Dubai, it is easily one of the best malls in Dubai.

Mall of the Emirates

Now we start to move up to the big boys, and the obvious choices to pick if you are in Dubai only for a short time and want to see the best Dubai has to offer. We regularly find ourselves at MOE, as it is affectionately known by expats, as it simply has everything we need without the absolute madness (and looooong walks of Dubai Mall, but we'll get to that).

A brand new VOX cinema just opened up, giving viewers over 40 screens including a new 4k cinema, the biggest IMAX in the Middle East and even a 4D theater - as well as a Gold Class cinema, complete with waiters, gourmet food, reclining chairs and blankets.

As well as an amazing cinema, MOE is most famous for Ski Dubai, the largest indoor ski slope in the world. Not only can you go skiing indoors here but you can play with penguins, sledding, snowboarding, tubing AND even stop halfway up the slope at the sky chalet for a cup of hot chocolate. Watch our video on skiing in Dubai for more information as well as our tips and tricks for the best visit - easily one of the best malls in Dubai.

One of the best parts for visitors coming to check out the Mall of the Emirates is the great area it is located in. Al Barsha is a fantastic little neighborhood right in the heart of Dubai with hotels and restaurants just steps away from the mall. Its an unfortunate cliche that the average person cannot afford a trip to Dubai as Barsha has some amazing hidden gems when it comes to accommodation, such as the Park Inn Barsha, a brand new hotel apartment which offers the best of all worlds in a perfect location, genuinely friendly and helpful staff, a delicious restaurant and a rooftop pool - just steps away from the slopes and shops.

Dubai Mall

And now to the big daddy of them all, the Dubai Mall. The largest mall on the planet, Dubai Mall boasts an insane 1,200 stores as part of the 20 billion dollar downtown Dubai. Get this, in 2014 New York City attracted 42 million visitors - and Dubai Mall? 80 million.

Dubai Mall has a layout the size of over 50 football fields - and endless maze of shopping for every single type of shopper. From the high fashion region to endless electronic shops, to the hidden downstairs souk, the real dinosaur skeleton and the Dubai Aquarium - the largest tank in the world, which houses sharks, thousands of fish and even king crock, the largest on Earth - of course everything is the biggest here!

Dubai Mall is connected with Souk Al Bahar, a collection of restaurants and bars perched right on the water, which is home to, you guessed it, the largest fountain performance on Earth. We recommend checking out Mango Tree, a delicious thai restaurant with a perfect view of the show as well as the Burj Khalifa.

So there you have it, 5 ways to spend all your money on your next trip to Dubai! But at least you'll know what you're getting into as well as where to find one of the best hotels in Dubai.