The Top Unique Things to Buy in Dubai

Dubai takes shopping to a whole new level not only because of all the stores that you can visit but also the unique things that you can buy while you’re in the city.

Wondering what you can buy that’s truly Dubai? Let this guide give you some ideas:

Aladdin Lamps

You may not find a genie inside, but Aladdin lamps are some of the most unique things that you can buy while in Dubai.

These beautifully designed oil lamps are not just great to display in your home but they also make for unique gifts for loved ones and friends. 

The name of the famous oil lamp was inspired by the famous folktale named “Arabian Nights” where a genie lived in an old oil lamp.

Mostly made of brass, you can choose from the classic lamps to the more intricately designed ones that will surely make for a great conversation piece in your home.

You can also choose between big and small Aladdin lamps, so you won’t have to worry about packing them in your luggage.

Camel Chocolate

If you have a sweet tooth, camel chocolate is definitely one of the most unique things that you can buy in Dubai. 

A famous delicacy in the city, camel chocolate is different from your typical milk chocolate.

Instead of just being sweet, camel milk is creamy and nutty with a hint of saltiness left in your mouth.

More than that, camel milk is packed with essential nutrients and vitamins, which is why it’s an important source of nutrition for people living in the desert.

Camel milk also contains lower lactose than cow’s milk, so you can enjoy camel milk chocolate even if you’re lactose intolerant.

Al Nassma is the first and only producer of camel chocolate in Dubai. 

The company sells five varieties of camel chocolate bars: whole milk, dates, 70% cocoa, spiced and macadamia.

Oud and Bakhoor

If there’s one distinct scent that dominates Emirati homes, it has to be oud and bakhoor and it’s also a unique thing that you can buy during your trip to Dubai.

The combination of the scent of woodchip and essential oil produces a wonderful aroma that will always remind you of your trip to Dubai.

Oud is essentially one of the world’s most expensive natural resources. This fragrant oil is worth more than gold mainly because of how difficult it is to produce oud.

In fact, 70 kilograms of resin wood will only give you 20 ml of pure oil. In the Middle East, oud is added to perfumes and fragrances for homes.

Bakhoor, on the other hand, is the signature scent that you smell when you’re in restaurants, coffee shops and hotels in Dubai.

These agarwood chips are often soaked in essential oils including oud, sandalwood, citrus and jasmine and put in a burner to release its fragrance.

Bakhoor has been used for thousands of years to not only make a home fragrant but also to keep insects out. 

Today, you can find oud and bakhoor sets that serve as perfect gifts for loved ones back home that you’d want to treat to the beautiful aromas of the Middle East. 

Most bakhoors that you’ll see are already shaped into small blocks making them easier to burn.

Arabian Spices

Yes, you can buy spices in your local supermarket back home. But once you try using authentic Middle Eastern spices, you’ll never go back to those bottled ones again.

Spices play an essential role in Middle Eastern cooking and they give authentic Arabian dishes that distinctive taste and aroma that you won’t find anywhere else. 

This is why most tourists who visit Dubai always bring home Arabian spices that they can use to recreate dishes they’ve tried during their trip. 

So, if you love cooking, you need to shop for these unique Arabian spices at the famous Dubai Spice Souk:

Kava Pots and Coffee Sets

Drinking coffee is an essential part of Arabian culture and Emiratis like to do it in style.

Kava is one of the strongest Arabic coffees that you’ll find in Dubai and that’s how locals love it—black and strong.

But you can’t just drink coffee in any pot because Emiratis love to enjoy their coffee in beautiful kava pots that are made with gold or silver and the cups that come with them.

You can even go all out by shopping for kava pots and coffee sets that are adorned with precious gemstones and carvings that they will surely make for beautiful home decor.

In Dubai, kava pots and coffee sets are considered heirloom pieces that families pass on for generations and they make for great gifts back home. 

Lucky Stones

Of course, you can’t leave Dubai without bringing home some luck with you. Locals believe that gemstones can bring luck, prosperity and other blessings when you wear them.

In Dubai, you can choose a gemstone based on what you want to manifest in your life or from your birth month and you can have it set in gold, silver or platinum pendants and rings.

You can even customize the design to fit your exact needs and especially if you’re giving it as a gift.

You can find a lot of stores that sell lucky stones in Dubai. But these are some of the best places in the city to buy lucky gemstones that you can customize as jewelry:

Are you ready to go shopping for these unique things during your trip to Dubai?