The Dragon Mart is a huge shopping centre at Nakheel’s International City development . If offers thousands of stores selling a huge array of predominantly Chinese products (that includes just about everything these days). It reputedly houses the largest number of Chinese traders outside China.
The mall is extremely popular with expatriate workers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Philippines. However, its cheap prices and huge selection of goods are drawing increasing numbers of foreign visitors and tourists.
Dragon Mart underwent a massive expansion in 2016 with the addition of Dragon Mart 2. The extension includes a Carrefour hypermarket (originally Geant), a 12-screen cinema, food court, and hotel. Together, Dragon Mart 1 and Dragon Mart 2 boast more than 5,000 shops.
Dragon Mart is divided into zones; each offering different types of stores. Zones include Sports, Lighting, Toys, Fashion, Household Items, Building Materials, Electronics, Hardware and Machinery, Furniture, Textiles and Carpets, Home Appliances, and General Merchandise.
Almost every product imaginable is sold here. Prices are considerably cheaper than the swanky malls in Dubai that cater to tourists and affluent locals. Bartering is possible in many stores.
Fabyland, a family entertainment centre, opened in 2019. It offers a soft play area, rides, and arcade games. It’s situated on the first floor of Dragon Mart 2, near the cinema.
Standard opening hours for shops at Dragon Mart are Sunday to Wednesday 10 am to 10 pm, and Thursday to Saturday 10 am to midnight. Timings may change during Ramadan. The mall is busiest at weekends (Friday and Saturday in Dubai) and public holidays.
Services and facilities include information desks, ATMs, toilets, and prayer rooms.
Dragon Mart is located at the northern end of the International City area of Dubai, next to the E44 (Al Awir Road/Ras Al Khor Road).
There is no Dubai Metro station near Dragon Mart. The nearest is Rashidiya Metro Station, the eastern terminus of the Red Line. Many shoppers catch a train to Rashidiya and then take a bus or taxi to the mall.
Buses going to Dragon Mart/International City include:
- Bus service X23 (express) – Gold Souq Bus Station (Deira) to International City (via Sharaf DG Metro Station and BurJuman Metro Station)
- Bus service 53 – Gold Souq Bus Station (Deira) to International City (via City Centre Deira and Dubai Festival City)
- Bus service 310 – Rashidiya Metro Station to International City
The car parks here offer around 10,000 spaces. Parking is free for customers.
I have had a very bad experience recently, I purchased quite a lot of stuff from a shop in building materials and arranged for a pick up to collect it from the warehouse behind the complex. However, while unloading the items at my villa I found that one item was less. I am sure this was purposely done because one of my friend complained of the same thing for his purchases. It is important to note that me and my friend as well experienced this in the purchases made at the same shop. This notorious approach will bring about a bad reputation Dubai carries.
Almost every week end i visit Dragon Mart for window shopping. I think everything is available there and the price is little bit cheaper compare to all store anywhere in UAE.
is there an online shopping website for Dragon Mart store? or any other UAE based Chinese wholesalers?
I hope the sales people are not just from the China mainland an not speak English? Is there some kind of directory at some information counter lie all the usual malls in Dubai?
I agree with Nafees this is real, their attitude is not warm welcoming.
I want to buy three wheel motorcycle ambulance for Afghanistan is there any company providing these type of products
We visited April 2016 for the second time, and loved the experience, you can get anything you want in dragon mart, and the prices are lower than the norm, need too look around tho because the prices do vary from one seller too another, sometimes by large amounts, always barter, and the comments about being followed/watched, it’s probably they are competing too get sales, we have never experience any rudeness or been ignored, we purchased loads each time and have had no problems with the products or sellers. We look forward too visiting again on our next trip
Please I am a visitor in Dubai. How do i get to Dragon Mart by Metro or RTA bus. Is there is a free shuttle bus to Bur Dubai, Al Fahidi Metro in particular?
No free shuttle to Dragon mart. Go to Burjuman metro and from there you will find many buses to Dragon mart.
Can I get a three wheeler mobility electric scooter for elderly person?
I have visited Dragon Mart and I am looking for the Chinese shop that sells footwear for children. I need to have the contact number please to talk to shop. I am looking for something that I brought from them earlier this year. Please advise.
After purchasing my goods I had to drive to the warehouse to collect them myself. When I found it I had to wait nearly 2 hours for it to open. The goods I purchased broke after 1 week. When I returned to complain and get replacements I had to really fight for my rights.I would not recommend anyone to shop there.
Shop keepers are ignorant, rude and only want to play with electronic toys in the aisles you are trying to walk down.
Why is there no e-commerce at Dragon Mart?
Do you mean why can’t you buy products online from the DragonMart website?
If so, the answer is that it’s not a single store. It’s a centre with a few thousand small stores selling all kinds of different things and stock lines that change frequently. It would be impossible for them to organise this centrally.
Some traders may have e-commerce websites or be involved in online trading individually, but there is no central website where you can buy products.
I’m looking for Turkish mosaic lamps I’ve seen in the Dubai Mall. Will I find them at Dragon Mart?
I don’t know for sure but I’d say there was a pretty good chance.
Try the underground souq at Wafi City.
Can you get the Metro to Dragonmart? If so, which station?
The Dragonmart is in International City. There is no Metro station here unfortunately. You will need to take a taxi or get a bus.
If you want to catch a bus you could get the 367 from Etisalat Metro Station or 53 from the Gold Souk Bus Station.
Can take a bus direct from Fujairah to Dragon Mart?
I don’t believe there is a direct bus between Fujairah and DragonMart.
The best you can do I think is get the E700 bus from Fujairah to Dubai and get off at Dubai International Airport Terminal 1. From here you can get the number 24 bus to International City.
It is the Chinese way not to follow customers around. It shows respect and trust and belief that customers can make up their own mind. This is customary in China where I rarely saw anyone by my side in a retail store.
In the UAE, sales staff almost hang by your elbow. It is flattering to believe this is service, but in reality it is only to keep an eye on the customer in case they steal. This is borne out by the fact that very few of these staff are able to answer a question about an item not seen on the shelves.
Good point about the Chinese culture. I’ve not been to China so can’t comment whether it is true or not. I’ve no reason to doubt you though.
I’m not sure you are right about why UAE sales staff follow you around. I never get the feeling that they are trying to see whether I am about to steal something though. I think it is more a case of not knowing what else to do.
I agree to a certain extent about their lack of knowledge. It’s fairly commonplace all over the world though. The rates of pay for sales staff tends not to attract geniuses.
Visited Dragonmart. Very pathetic attitude of most of the sales staff. Doesn’t cared about the customers. Also treat the customers as some unwanted guests. Need training to this people regarding sales and customer service.
So true. The same happened to me when I visited one shop. Pathetic.
You mean they refused to be at your beck and call?
probably that is the case..
I visited the Dragon Mart. The shop keepers were sitting on their chairs and surfing the internet. They didn’t show any interest in the customers. Neither were they polite towards customers. We were like unwanted guests. These days, mall retailers want customers and I feel some kind of motivation is required for these shopkeepers.