Finding a genuine souvenir from Dubai is no easy task. Most objects that caught our attention were either made elsewhere in the world or ones we already owned from previous travels to the Middle East. We purchased a selection of Al Nassma Camel Milk chocolates but they wouldn’t have a permanent place in our travel souvenir cabinet.
I searched for something authentic or cute-kitsch that would not take up much room in our inflated luggage. And I found it.
You might think that a painted wooden camel is the epitome of a souvenir from Dubai. It can be. But look closer. The carpet from Al Jaber Gallery in the Arabian Souk of Mall of the Emirates is an Arabian Computer Mouse Pad. Complete with tassels and rubber backing, it’s a gift that is guaranteed to bring a smile to a travel geek.
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cute! I don’t actually remember bringing anything back from my visit there…I must have brought some figs…but that was a few years ago & they are definitely no longer around!
Coincidentally, I have a friend visiting in Paris this week from Dubai and another one (unrelated) from Abu Dhabi. It’s the week of my UAE friends’ visits and your UAE posting. Anyway, my friend from Abu Dhabi often brings pashminas and gifts from there.
We must be all in tune this week! The pashminas I saw were pretty but they were all made elsewhere, like India or the Philippines. I think next time I’ll try looking somewhere in the traditional souks. I have heard of a Mosque clock radio which calls out a prayer but we didn’t see one!
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Well, you should have used one of our guidebooks and you would have found plenty of authentic travel souvenirs from Dubai! My friends call me the Queen of Shopping and Dubai is my Kingdom! 🙂 Online, you’ll find a list of authentic souvenirs on our Dubai guide on National Geographic Traveler’s website, but the most authentic ‘Made in Dubai’ souvenirs include contemporary art (affordable too), photography, locally made baskets that come in all sorts of fabulous shapes, camel blankets and products made from camel blankets like cushions and ottomans, and date products (though you can’t take them back to Oz, sadly). There’s loads of kitch stuff too of course, from coffee mugs with a silhouette of Sheikh Zayed on them to key rings with Dubai’s most famous architectural monuments in miniature. I do have a soft spot for these mouse pad carpets though… 🙂
I wish I had! Although we were in Dubai at the start of our trip and couldn’t carry much with us, I’ll have to keep these suggestions in mind next time we go. We both loved Dubai and want to make it a regular stopover on the way to Europe from now on. The Sheikh Zayed coffee mugs were unbelievable… 🙂
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I have been to Dubai a few times. Unfortunately never outside of the airport 🙁 Though my fiance and I are planning on having our honeymoon there. Thanks for the post!
Blake, it’s a city worth a longer visit. We had 4 days in Dubai and even that wasn’t enough to see most of the sights. Enjoy! 🙂
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