Things to Do in Dubai · Markets & Souks

Friday Market (Fujairah Road)

A roadside souk in the mountains — carpets, pottery and fruit on the way to the east coast

Hidden Gem Markets & Souks ✓ Self-guided · No booking needed

📍 Location Along the Masafi stretch of the Dubai–Fujairah road (E88)

🕒 Timings Open daily despite the name, roughly 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM

🎟️ Entry Fee Free — roadside stalls, park and browse

⏱️ Duration 30–60 minutes (as a road-trip stop)

🌅 Best Time Morning light on the mountain backdrop; any day — Fridays are busiest

🚇 Getting There Drive the E88 toward Fujairah/Masafi — the stalls line the road; every east-coast day trip passes it

📖 About

The "Friday Market" at Masafi is the UAE's most famous roadside souk — a colourful kilometre of stalls strung along the Fujairah highway where the Hajar Mountains begin. Despite the name (it dates from when Friday was the only market day), it now runs every day of the week.

The line-up hasn't changed in decades and that's its charm: carpets hung like flags from the stall fronts, clay pots and planters stacked in pyramids, inflatable pool toys, honey and mountain-grown produce — plus fruit stands piled with whatever's in season, sold cheaper than any city supermarket.

Almost nobody drives out just for it, and nobody driving past can resist stopping. If your itinerary includes Fujairah, Snoopy Island, Hatta (via the E88 junction) or Wadi Wurayah, this is the mandated leg-stretch: fifteen minutes of browsing, a bag of mountain fruit, and maybe a carpet you didn't plan on.

⭐ Highlights

Carpets and kilims displayed along the roadside
Local pottery, planters and garden clay at village prices
Seasonal fruit and mountain honey stands
The Hajar Mountains rising directly behind the stalls
The classic pit stop of every east-coast road trip

💡 Insider Tips

Bargain gently and buy where locals stop — the fruit stalls with UAE-plated cars out front.
Carpets here are mostly machine-made and cheerful rather than heirloom — price accordingly.
Pottery survives the drive best wrapped in the newspaper the sellers keep for exactly that.
Combine with Fujairah's Al Bidyah Mosque and Snoopy Island for the full east-coast day.