New waterfront wholesale souk opens in Dubai

The first phase of a new waterfront marketplace has opened in Dubai's Deira Islands.

Souk Al Marfa is an indoor shopping and trading hub that stretches 1.9 km along the shoreline.

It brings together businesses from local and international backgrounds in the form of small kiosks, retail stores, showrooms, and street food outlets.

As many as 400 stores across various categories are now open.

"Souk Al Marfa provides affordable growth opportunities to traders across the country, with the potential to ship and import directly to its shops and pavilions, and promises a diverse, large-scale shopping experience for customers," said Omar Khoory, Chief Assets & Hospitality Officer at Nakheel.

"In this first phase, over 1,000 stores will open over the coming weeks, with a wider expansion in phase two towards the end of the year. When fully operational, it will be the UAE’s largest wholesale souk and waterfront destination," added Khoory.

There are 4,000 onsite parking spots, while public transport is readily available with free RTA buses from Gold Souk, daily from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm until September 1, after which regular fares will apply.

Visitors can also enjoy free shuttle buses to and from key hotels in Deira.