Where to shop in Abu Dhabi

Best malls in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi's malls are air-conditioned, open late and combine shops with cinemas, restaurants and attractions. Here is how the main ones differ.

If you ask which is the biggest mall in Abu Dhabi, the Yas Island website calls Yas Mall the largest in the emirate, at 2.5 million square feet of retail space. Dalma Mall is also very large; sources use different measurements.

For luxury shopping, The Galleria is the clear choice: it is the mall for fashion and jewelry houses, and it is on Al Maryah Island, close to the city center. For a family day with children, Yas Mall pairs well with the theme parks on Yas Island.

Opening hours

Hours differ from mall to mall and move during Ramadan and Eid. The ones we could check:

• The Galleria Al Maryah Island: Sunday to Thursday 10:00–22:00, Friday and Saturday 10:00–24:00.
• Yas Mall: 10:00 to midnight.

For Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi Mall, Dalma Mall and Al Wahda Mall, sources give different hours, so we don't print one; each mall publishes them on its website. During Ramadan most malls change their hours and stay open into the night. Check the schedule before you go.

Shopping on Saadiyat Island

There is no shopping mall on Saadiyat Island today. Your options here are small:

• Mamsha Al Saadiyat is a seafront promenade, built into the ground floor of low-rise apartment buildings, with cafés, restaurants and a few boutiques. It is a place for dinner and a walk, not for a shopping trip. See Mamsha Beach and the Mamsha Al Saadiyat apartments.
• Saadiyat Grove, Aldar's new district next to the Louvre, plans a retail center with more than 100 brands, including some that are new to the region, plus Time Out Market Abu Dhabi. Aldar's date is Q4 2026, with no day announced. Read more on the Saadiyat Grove page.

If you are searching for "Saadiyat mall", the nearest large mall now is The Galleria on Al Maryah Island, a short taxi ride across the water; use the island map to see the distance. Yas Mall is about 15 min by taxi.

Souks and markets

Abu Dhabi has fewer old souks than Dubai, but there are three kinds of markets worth knowing:

• Souk at the World Trade Center (Central Market). A modern souk over three levels, connected to the WTC mall by a footbridge, with jewelry, perfume, textiles and spices. It replaced the open-air souk that burned down in 2004. It is the easiest "souk" visit for visitors based in the city center.
• Mina Zayed. The port area has the fish market, which moved into a new building in July 2022 with 104 fresh-fish stalls, and a market for carpets and souvenirs near the dhow harbor. A fire broke out near the port in June 2026, so confirm that the stalls you want are open before you make the trip.
• Gold market. Abu Dhabi's gold market is in the Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre in Al Danah, a covered market with jewelry shops.

Tax-free shopping for tourists

Visitors can get a refund of the VAT on goods they take out of the UAE. The system is run by Planet on behalf of the Federal Tax Authority.

• Spend: at least AED 250 (≈ $68) on one tax invoice, at a shop in the scheme. You must be at least 18.
• Ask at the till for a tax-free tag or digital tag, and show your passport.
• Validate at the airport within 90 days of the purchase date, before you check in your luggage, with your passport, the goods and the original invoices. You must leave the UAE within 6 hours of validation.
• Refund: 87% of the VAT, minus a fee of AED 3.6 (≈ $0.98) per tag. Refunds go to a card, a digital wallet or cash, and you can claim within a year after validation.
• Not eligible: services, perishable goods, used goods without original packaging, motor vehicles and goods sent as cargo.

Keep the goods in your hand luggage if you can, so you can show them at the validation point. Our airport guide covers the rest of the departure.

What to bring home

A short list, not a ranking, of what the markets and malls sell:

• Dates and date sweets, sold in bulk and in gift boxes in markets and supermarkets.
• Arabic coffee and spices: cardamom, saffron and spice mixes from the souks.
• Perfume and oud, sold in the souks and in perfume houses in the malls.
• Carpets and handicrafts from the Mina Zayed area; compare prices and check the market is open first.

Ask for a receipt for anything you want to claim tax on, and check your own country's customs limits for food, carpets and perfume.

Ramadan and Eid hours

In Ramadan, mall hours shift and the malls stay open into the night. The dates and the hours change every year, so use the mall's website for the period you are traveling.