Ibn Battuta Mall

Ibn Battuta Mall is the world’s largest themed shopping centre, inspired by the famous Moroccan explorer of the same name. With stunning decoration, fantastic entertainment options and almost 300 retailers – not to mention great dining, three hotels and easy transport links – Ibn Battuta Mall is one of Dubai’s best shopping destinations.

Opening hours: Ibn Battuta Mall is open from 10am to 10pm, Sunday to Thursday, and 10am to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Note that the mall may have different opening hours during Ramadan and public holidays, and that shops and restaurants in the mall may have different opening times.

Things to do

Just visiting Ibn Battuta Mall is a great (and free) activity, with colourful architecture and interactive displays to enjoy. Each of the mall’s courts – China, India, Persia, Egypt, Tunisia and Andalusia – is named for a stop in Ibn Battuta’s journeys: India Court features a full-size elephant clock, a medieval water clock with moving wooden dragons and phoenixes; China Court boasts a full-sized ship; and Andalusia Court has a stone fountain of lions. 

Other activities at Ibn Battuta include Sky Zone, one of Dubai’s best trampoline parks, and Kidz Palooza, which features a soft play area for younger children, and fantastic paint and pottery studios where the whole family can make art together. Enjoy a blockbuster at Novo Cinemas‘ 21 screens including IMAX, or try Switch Bowling‘s lanes, pool tables and karaoke rooms for some friendly competition.

Places to eat

Ibn Battuta Mall has dozens of places to eat, including international chains such as Nando’s and Pizza Express – most restaurants are in China Court, while there are casual food courts in Persia Court and Tunisia Court. The mall features plenty of independent and local restaurants including Coterie Kitchen and its excellent roast dinner, Off The Hook’s sumptuous seafood and Gazebo‘s terrific Indian dishes.

Try Cold Stone Creamery for something sweet, and if you’re after a flavourful brew, head to Dubai favourite Gloria Jean’s Coffee. There are also branches of Costa, Tim Horton’s and Starbucks throughout Ibn Battuta Mall – with the Starbucks directly under Persia Court’s stunning dome one of the most memorable in the city.

Hotels at Ibn Battuta Mall

Ibn Battuta Mall is very well-served for accommodation with three hotels onsite, starting with the five-star Oaks Ibn Battuta Gate. This luxurious hotel features a distinctive arch, a rooftop pool, four gourmet restaurants and complimentary access to Riva Beach Club.

Avani Ibn Battuta Hotel provides four-star accommodation next to Ibn Battuta Mall, with a range of dining options and a striking pool and lounge terrace where you can enjoy the sunset. The three-star Premier Inn Dubai Ibn Battuta Hotel has comfortable rooms, a pool, in-house spa and gym – and both the Premier Inn and Avani hotels are right next to the Dubai Metro station.

How to get to Ibn Battuta Mall

It’s easy to reach Ibn Battuta Mall using Dubai’s public transport network:

• Dubai Metro: Ibn Battuta Mall has its own metro station on the Red line, with an easy change at Jabal Ali Metro Station if you’re coming from central Dubai – just change to the metro towards UAE Exchange station and travel one stop more. Once you get off at Ibn Battuta, the mall entrance is right by the metro station.
• Bus: Ibn Battuta Mall is home to a bus station, and is served by plenty of bus routes to Dubai and beyond. Route 8 goes from the Gold Souk to Ibn Battuta via Jumeirah, while route F55A goes to and from Ibn Battuta to both Satwa bus station and Al Maktoum International Airport. Other routes include F43, F44 and F46 to areas near Ibn Battuta Mall, as well as the inter-emirates service E101.

Please visit rta.ae for detailed public transportation schedules.

If you’re driving to Ibn Battuta Mall from Dubai, follow Sheikh Zayed Road, then take either Exit 27 (for the China Court end) or Exit 25 (for the Andalusia Court end). Get a preview of your trip with Google Maps.