The Perfume Souk is a cluster of small shops in Deira, next to the Gold Souk and about an 8-minute walk from Al Ras Metro station; try every oud or attar on your skin and compare at least three shops before you buy. We found no official price list, so this guide gives a method for comparing bottles, explains why a cheap bottle of pure oud is a warning sign, says what to check against fakes and lists fixed-price alternatives in malls and Souk Madinat Jumeirah.
By SB Excursions · Published 3 November 2026 · Updated 3 November 2026
Tour on this route: Old Dubai Walking Tour — From $35 per person, 3-4 hours.
Where is the Perfume Souk in Dubai and when is it open?
In Deira, on Sikkat Al Khail Street next to the Gold Souk, about an 8-minute walk from Al Ras Metro station. A Gulf News guide lists Saturday to Thursday 10 AM-2 PM and 4-10 PM, and Friday 4-10 PM. Shops set their own hours, so check on the day.
This guide also answers:
- How can I tell real oud from a fake?
- Can I get the VAT back on perfume?
- Is there a museum about perfume in Dubai?
Five places to buy or learn about perfume and oud
#1
The Perfume Souk lanes, Deira
A cluster of small shops beside the Gold Souk that sell attar, oud, wood chips and bukhoor, and some will blend a scent for you. Prices are not printed, so test on skin, compare three shops and negotiate gently. Gulf News reports that parking nearby is difficult and expensive, so use the Metro.
#2
The Spice Souk: frankincense and bukhoor
Open sacks of spices, resins and frankincense sold by weight, a few minutes from the perfume lanes. Frankincense and bukhoor cost far less than oil made from oud and travel well in a sealed bag. Ask for the price per 100 g, smell before you buy and read our Spice Souk guide for the checks.
#3
Souk Madinat Jumeirah
A polished, covered souk where the official directory lists an Arabian Oud Perfume Store among its shops. Prices are on the tags, so there is nothing to bargain over, and you get a box and a receipt. It costs more than the old souk for the same kind of bottle, and the setting is part of the price.
#4
Perfume House, Al Shindagha Museum
The museum is a cluster of heritage houses and the Perfume House is one of its themes. Adult entry is listed at AED 50 for two houses, and the museum is open daily from 10 AM to 8 PM according to our guide. Visit it first, and the Deira shops will make more sense. Check prices before you go.
#5
Perfume shops in the big malls
Gulf brands such as Ajmal, Rasasi and Arabian Oud sell in mall shops with printed prices, air conditioning and a receipt. There is no haggling, and no risk of a swapped bottle. The same kind of bottle can cost more than in the souk, so these shops suit buyers who value certainty over a bargain.
Perfume Souk in Deira: the short answer
The Perfume Souk is a cluster of small shops in Deira, on Sikkat Al Khail Street next to the Gold Souk, about an 8-minute walk from Al Ras Metro station. A Gulf News guide to the old souks lists the hours as Saturday to Thursday 10 AM-2 PM and 4-10 PM, and Friday 4-10 PM. Shops set their own hours and many keep their own break, so check on the day.
The shops sell oud, attar (perfume oils), oud wood chips and bukhoor to burn, and some will blend a scent for you. It is free to walk, and nobody expects you to buy on a first visit. Expect strong smells, friendly invitations to step inside and a lot of choice.
We could not find an official price list, and we will not invent one. Prices depend on the oil, the size of the bottle and the shop, so the sections below give a way to compare. The honest summary: it is a good place to try Arabian scents and to buy small bottles as gifts, and a poor place to buy an expensive bottle in a hurry.
What the shops sell: attar, oud oil, wood chips and bukhoor
The words on the bottles are confusing, so this table sorts the main products. Khaleej Times describes mukhallat as a traditional blend of essential oils that is commonly called attar, and oud as a resin that forms in Aquilaria trees after a fungus infects them.
| Product | What it is | How it is sold | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attar or mukhallat | A perfume oil, traditionally a blend of essential oils | By the small bottle or by weight | Try it on your skin and wait before you decide |
| Oud oil | A scent made from oud, the resin of the Aquilaria tree | By the small bottle; pure oil is the costly end | Ask what is in it and where the oud comes from |
| Oud wood chips | Pieces of scented wood for burning | By weight, in a bag or a box | Smell them and ask the price for a set weight |
| Bukhoor | Scented wood or incense blends, burned on charcoal or in an electric burner | By the bag, the box or in a set with a burner | Smell first; the smoke clings to cloth |
| Spray perfumes | Western-style bottled perfumes | Printed prices in brand shops; negotiable in some souk shops | Check box, label and serial number against the bottle |
Khaleej Times adds that oud from north-eastern India, called Hindi in the Middle East, is among the most coveted and expensive in the world. Keep that in mind when you see a bottle marked pure oud at a very low price.
How to buy, step by step
Shop staff are used to visitors who test several scents before they buy, so take your time. This order works in every shop.
- Decide the job first. A small gift, a scent for yourself or a burner set for the home each has a different budget and a different kind of shop.
- Test on skin, not on paper. Ask for a drop on your wrist and wait 15-30 minutes, because the scent changes as it dries. Try no more than three or four in one go, since your nose tires.
- Ask what is in it. Ask whether the bottle is pure oud or a blend, and where the oud is from. A shop that is proud of its oil will answer.
- Ask for the size and the price together. Get the price per bottle and the size in millilitres, or the weight in grams. Some shops quote in tola, an old unit that Khaleej Times describes as 10 grams; ask for the figure in grams or millilitres.
- Compare at least three shops. Note the scent, the size and the price at each, then go back to the best one.
- Counter-offer gently. Perfume shops give modest discounts, usually for several bottles, not half off. Our haggling guide explains the rhythm.
- Watch the sealing and the wrapping. Keep the bottle in sight, ask for it to be wrapped and take a receipt that shows the shop name.
Prices: how to compare when there is no price list
Without a price list, the best tool is the price per millilitre. Divide the price by the size and compare. The numbers in this table are made up to show the arithmetic; they are not real quotes.
A very low price for oud is itself information. Oud is among the most expensive scent materials, so a price that looks too good usually means a blend, a synthetic or a diluted oil. A high price does not prove quality either, which is why testing on skin and comparing shops matter more than any single number.
| Shop (example) | Bottle size | Quoted price | Price per ml |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shop A | 12 ml | AED 120 | AED 10.00 |
| Shop B | 6 ml | AED 90 | AED 15.00 |
| Shop C | 12 ml | AED 100 | AED 8.33 |
Illustrative numbers only, to show how to compare. Always ask for the current price.
At the fixed rate of AED 3.67 to the dollar, AED 120 is about $33. Shop prices in the UAE normally include 5% VAT. If one invoice is AED 250 or more in a shop that takes part in the Tourist Refund Scheme, you can claim back part of the VAT at the airport. Small independent shops are the least likely to take part, so ask before you pay; our VAT refund guide has the steps.
Fakes and blends: what to watch for
There are three different problems, and it helps to keep them apart. The first is an oil that is not what the label says. Khaleej Times has written that attars are often copied with cheaper ingredients, and that it takes a connoisseur to tell the original from the copy. You cannot test that in a shop, so rely on a price that makes sense, a shop that lets you test and a receipt.
The second is a copy of a designer fragrance. Gulf News has reported replicas of well-known brands on sale in Deira and Karama. A lawyer quoted in the report said that falsifying a trademark carries a jail term and a fine of AED 5,000. Selling copies is illegal, your home customs may seize them and the contents can be poor. If you want a designer scent, buy it in a brand store or a mall.
The third is the swap. Gulf News also warned that some vendors show a genuine bottle and hand over a fake. Keep the bottle in sight, and when a brand is involved check the box, the label and the serial number: the number on the bottom of the bottle should match the one on the box.
These are the signs that should slow you down:
- A price for pure oud far below the other shops.
- A shop that will not let you test on skin.
- Pressure to buy today because the oud is rare or the price is special.
- Poor printing, spelling mistakes or a missing barcode on a branded box.
- No receipt, or a receipt without the shop name.
Our guide to common tourist scams in Dubai covers the wider picture.
A fixed-price option: malls and Souk Madinat Jumeirah
If you would rather not haggle, buy where the price is printed. Gulf brands such as Ajmal, Rasasi and Arabian Oud have shops in malls, and the Souk Madinat Jumeirah directory lists an Arabian Oud Perfume Store. Printed prices make comparison easy and the shops are air-conditioned. You pay for the setting, and you get a known scent, a box and a receipt. Our Souk Madinat Jumeirah guide covers the souk, and the what to buy in Dubai list sorts perfume against other gifts by budget.
To learn before you shop, the Perfume House at Al Shindagha Museum is one of its themed heritage houses. Our Al Shindagha Museum guide has tickets and hours.
Getting there and fitting it into a souk loop
Take the Green Line to Al Ras and walk about 8 minutes, per Gulf News. The same guide says parking near the Perfume Souk is difficult and expensive, so the Metro is the better choice. From Bur Dubai, the abra across the Creek costs AED 1-2 and lands close to the Spice Souk. Gulf News suggests late morning as the best time. In the cooler months we also like the hours after 4 PM, when the lanes are busy and the lights come on, and from May to September it is better to go after sunset.
The perfume lanes sit beside the Gold Souk, so a loop is easy: the Spice Souk first, then perfume, then gold. Our Dubai souks guide shows the whole route, and the Gold Souk guide explains how gold is priced.
If you prefer a guide, our Old Dubai walking tour is a shared group walk of 3-4 hours with an English-speaking local guide, from $35 per person, or $55 with street-food tastings. It crosses the Creek by abra and goes through the Spice Souk and the Gold Souk, where it ends, so the perfume lanes are next door if you want to walk back and shop at your own pace. It is not a shopping tour. Full prepayment confirms your place, and cancellation or a date change is free up to 24 hours before the start.
Taking perfume and bukhoor home
Perfume oils can leak, so ask the shop to wrap each bottle and put the bottles in a sealed bag in your hold luggage. Liquids in hand luggage follow the limits of your departure airport, so check them before you pack. Bukhoor and wood chips have a strong smell that clings to clothes, so keep them in a sealed bag too.
Some countries restrict plant and wood products at the border, so check your own country's customs rules, and keep your receipts. A bottle you have tested, compared and paid for with a receipt is also the easiest to exchange or to explain if anyone asks.
FAQ
Where is the Perfume Souk in Dubai and when is it open?
In Deira, on Sikkat Al Khail Street next to the Gold Souk, about an 8-minute walk from Al Ras Metro station. A Gulf News guide lists Saturday to Thursday 10 AM-2 PM and 4-10 PM, and Friday 4-10 PM. Shops set their own hours, so check on the day.
How much does oud cost in Dubai?
We found no official price list, so we do not quote a range. Pure oud is among the most expensive scent materials, and a very low price for pure oud is a warning. Ask for the price and the size, work out the price per millilitre and compare at least three shops. Check current prices before you buy.
How can I tell real oud from a fake?
You cannot be sure in a shop. Test on skin and wait 15-30 minutes, ask what is in the bottle and where the oud is from, compare prices between shops and be wary of a very low price. Buy from a shop that gives a receipt. For a known scent at a printed price, use a brand store.
Can I haggle in the Perfume Souk?
Gently. Shops give modest discounts, usually when you buy several bottles, not half off. Brand shops in malls have printed prices and do not haggle.
Is it safe to buy designer perfume in the souk?
We advise against it. Gulf News has reported replicas of well-known brands in Deira and Karama, and selling copies is illegal. Buy designer scents in a brand store or a mall, check the box, label and serial number, and keep the invoice.
Can I take perfume oil and oud in my hand luggage?
Liquids in hand luggage follow your departure airport's limits, so larger bottles belong in the hold. Ask the shop to wrap each bottle and pack it in a sealed bag, because oils can leak. Check your airline's and your country's rules for wood products such as oud chips.
Can I get the VAT back on perfume?
Possibly. Visitors can claim back part of the 5% VAT at the airport if the shop takes part in the Tourist Refund Scheme, one invoice is AED 250 or more and the goods leave the UAE within 90 days. Ask before you pay and keep the form and the goods with you.
Is there a museum about perfume in Dubai?
Al Shindagha Museum has a Perfume House among its heritage houses. Our guide lists adult entry at AED 50 for two houses and opening hours of 10 AM-8 PM daily, so check the current price on the official site.
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Photos: The Perfume Souk lanes, Deira — Radosław Botev, CC BY 3.0 pl, The Spice Souk: frankincense and bukhoor — Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France, CC BY 2.0, Perfume House, Al Shindagha Museum — Akbarali, CC BY-SA 4.0, Perfume shops in the big malls — Dakstor, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).