Awww Souky Souky Now!

Imagine yourself inside a bazaar of old Arabia. Upon entrance, gently burning amber bark perfumes the air, and a handsome young man in an elegant, white kandoora offers you a tiny cup of Arabic style tea. Just underneath the lovely smell of warm amber you get a whiff of the most delicious-smelling grilled lamb your nose has ever had the pleasure of being graced with. Walk on to enjoy beautiful and romantic Arabic style architecture with each turn you take. Silk, kashmere, and pashmina of every color on the wheel line the stalls and shops of smiling merchants. One of them beseeches your entrance to his little corner of a shop. He’s very excited for you and your friends to come inside and see his offerings. For his silks after all, are the finest in the land. Now, to maximize the comfort and pleasure of your shopping experience and to add a little new world with the old, you can beat the Abu Dhabi heat because this souk is an inside market with full on AC.  You’re in the Souk at Qaryat al Beri, Abu Dhabi, and it really is this charming.

The Souk at Qaryat al Beri is a shopper’s delight, and it has just the right amount of old and new. You can find cultural antique pieces from all different parts of the Arabian Gulf, perfumes from all over the world, top of the line jewelry makers, and the latest modern fashions in clothing and shoes. This souk has it all. When your feet go tired from the shopping cardio and your arms ache from the weight of your purchases, you can take refuge in one of the many restaurants or coffee shops that the souk has on offer. You can grab a Starbucks, or you can try a smaller coffee shop like Pappa Roti, a local favorite. My favorite restaurant by far at the Souk is The Meat Co., a steakhouse that features South African cuisine. The décor is exotic, the service is high-touch, and the food is just yummy. Try the boerewors, a South African culinary icon. You won’t be disappointed.

This fantastic little gem of a souk sits on top of a piece of waterfront just between two main bridges of Abu Dhabi. Venetian style canals weave through the souk’s channels that connect it to the decadent Shangri-La Hotel. You can take a complimentary scenic boat ride through these passages starting at the glamorous Shangri-La and leading all the way up to the souk, which stands atop the water. On the boat ride, your tour guide will tell you all about the history of the souk and what shops you can find good bargains at. While he chats on, you will notice the most adorable birds, turtles, and fish that live in the freshwater inlet beneath you.

Just at the back of the Souk behind the hotel is the stunning Souk Marina where you can sit outside at a waterfront table and refreshments are brought out to you. Out on the marina, available-to-rent yachts are docked and waiting for your cruising pleasure. Now’s the time to employ the zoom feature on your camera because in the distance just over the marina you can see the booming domes and peaking minarets of the grandiose Shiekh Zayed Grand mosque, whose magnificence is another entity within itself.