Souk Stop

In any part of the United Arab Emirates—with its abundance of swanky malls, it’s easy to give yourself over to retail therapy. The RAK Mall is a perfect case in point. But if you want to find souvenirs that are much more reflective of local craftsmanship and spirit, a visit to a shopping street or souk is essential. That you can get quite a range of covetable goods on Kuwaiti Street or in a souk—from gold jewelry, to sequined dress, to olives—is a given. But look with an attentive eye and you could come back with the out-of-the-ordinary—a basket woven with camel leather, a silver chain with intricate geometric design, all kinds of attar.