Dragon Mart Dubai: Real Hours, Two Malls, and How Far It Actually Is
Dragon Mart is two malls, not one: the original factory-price complex and a newer, glossier extension next door, with a cinema and a supermarket of its own. Its own site gives one clear set of hours; a couple of other listings online do not match it. It is also further from the usual tourist base than it looks on a map.
Dragon Mart is the largest trading hub for Chinese products outside mainland China, and it is a working wholesale market before it is a tourist attraction. That shapes everything below: where it actually is, when it is actually open, and who it actually suits.
Two malls, not one
The name covers two separate buildings next to each other, built over a decade apart, with a different pitch each.
| Dragon Mart (original) | Dragon Mart 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Positioning | Factory-price Chinese goods, wholesale and retail | Higher-end merchandise, same discounted pricing model, opened 2016 |
| Extras | Food court | NESTO hypermarket, a 12-screen cinema, two hotels, 1,120 apartments, Dragon Drive dining boulevard |
| Shop count | Over 3,500 outlets across both buildings combined, per Dragon Mart's own site | 2,500+ of the combined total, per the same site's directions page, a figure that does not fully square with the total above |
Source: Dragon Mart's own site (dragonmart.ae), shop and directions pages, both checked 21 October 2026. Visit Dubai's page for Dragon Mart 2 names a Geant supermarket instead of NESTO; the official site is more current and used here.
Head to the original Dragon Mart for the lowest prices on Chinese-made goods; Dragon Mart 2 is where the newer, glossier stock sits, at the same discount model but aimed at a step up from factory-basic.
What's actually sold there
“Everything” is the honest answer, organised into named categories rather than one undifferentiated sprawl. Dragon Mart's own shop directory lists these as searchable filters.
| Category | Category |
|---|---|
| Furniture | Lamps & Lanterns, Lighting |
| Building Materials | Hardware & Machinery |
| Electronics | Sanitary Ware |
| Fashion | Textiles |
| Household Items | Decoration |
| Beauty & Wellness | Gift & Hobbies |
| Toys | General Merchandise |
| Safety Equipment, Auto Accessories | Sweet & Confectionery |
Source: Dragon Mart's own shop directory (dragonmart.ae/en/shop), checked 21 October 2026.
Furniture and lighting are the categories Dragon Mart is best known for among residents, the reason the lighting-shop photo below is the more representative image of the two: rows of chandeliers, not souvenir stalls. For souvenirs, gold and spices instead of bulk goods, the shopping is at the Gold and Spice Souks of Deira, over by Dubai Creek rather than out in International City.
The hours, and why a couple of listings disagree
Dragon Mart's own contact page is specific and unambiguous. A couple of other pages are not: one shows a garbled, self-contradicting set of hours, another lists only three of the seven days. The official page is the one to trust.
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Sunday to Thursday | 10:00 to 22:00 |
| Friday to Saturday | 10:00 to 23:00 |
| Food and beverage units | Until midnight, every day |
Source: Dragon Mart's own site (dragonmart.ae), checked 21 October 2026.
How far it actually is
Dragon Mart sits in International City, well east of the cluster of sights most visitors base themselves near. It is not a quick detour from a Downtown or Marina hotel.
| From | Distance | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Dubai | 19.5 km | 22 min |
| Dubai Marina | 37.8 km | 34 min |
Source: Measured with OpenRouteService on OpenStreetMap road data, 21 October 2026. No traffic factored in.
Who it actually suits
Tripadvisor puts it at 3.6 out of 5 from over 800 reviews, around 128th of roughly 770 things to do in Dubai. That is not a knock on the place, it is an accurate read of what it is: a wholesale and bulk-retail complex built for residents, traders and furniture buyers, not a curated sight. It suits bargain hunters, anyone furnishing a home or office, and the curious with half a day to spare. It does not suit anyone trying to fit one more landmark into a tight Dubai itinerary.
Getting there, by metro, bus, taxi or transfer
Dragon Mart sits on Al Awir Road, off Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road at Interchange 5, next to International City: 20 minutes from Dubai International Airport, 40 from Jebel Ali Port. Public transport is more workable than the distance alone suggests, as long as you know which bus to take.
| Method | Detail |
|---|---|
| Metro + bus | Rashidiya Station (Red Line), then bus no. 50 direct to Dragon Mart, every 30 minutes, 6am to midnight |
| Metro + RTA taxi | Rashidiya Station, then a 9-minute, 10.4km taxi ride |
| Bus stations on site | Rear entrance (BA) at Dragon Mart; opposite The Mahal restaurant (GB section) at Dragon Mart 2 |
| Taxi stands on site | Main entrance (AA) at Dragon Mart; opposite The Mahal restaurant at Dragon Mart 2 |
| Taxi booking | dtc.dubai.ae or +971 4 208 0808 |
Source: Dragon Mart's own directions page (dragonmart.ae), checked 21 October 2026.
A direct private transfer skips all of that for the price of convenience, worth it if you are going specifically to buy furniture or bulk items and do not want to carry them back on a bus.
Dubai: Private Transfers to Dragon Mart
A private, air-conditioned transfer direct to Dragon Mart, pickup from your hotel or apartment included. Unreviewed on Viator as of 21 October 2026, worth weighing alongside the price before booking.
What are Dragon Mart's opening hours?
Sunday to Thursday 10am to 10pm, Friday and Saturday 10am to 11pm, per Dragon Mart's own site. Food and beverage units stay open later, until midnight. A couple of other listings online show different or garbled hours, so check the official page if the timing matters to your trip.
Is Dragon Mart one mall or two?
Two connected buildings. The original Dragon Mart sells Chinese factory-price goods, wholesale and retail. Dragon Mart 2, opened in 2016, carries higher-end merchandise at the same discounted pricing model, plus a 12-screen cinema, a NESTO hypermarket, two hotels and the outdoor Dragon Drive boulevard of cafes and restaurants.
What can you actually buy at Dragon Mart?
Furniture and lighting are what it is best known for among residents, alongside building materials, electronics, fashion, household items, textiles, toys and general merchandise, organised into named categories on its own site rather than one undifferentiated sprawl across the 3,500-plus shops.
How far is Dragon Mart from central Dubai?
About 19.5km and 22 minutes driving from Downtown Dubai, or 37.8km and 34 minutes from Dubai Marina, measured turn by turn with no traffic factored in. It sits out in International City, well past the cluster of sights most visitors base themselves near.
How do you get to Dragon Mart by metro?
Take the Red Line to Rashidiya Station, then either bus no. 50, which runs direct to Dragon Mart every 30 minutes from 6am to midnight, or an RTA taxi, about 9 minutes and 10.4km from the station, per Dragon Mart's own directions page.
Is Dragon Mart worth visiting as a tourist?
It depends what you are after. It rates 3.6 out of 5 on Tripadvisor, ranked around 128th of Dubai's attractions, which is consistent with what it actually is: a wholesale and bulk-retail hub built for residents and traders, not a polished tourist sight. Worth a stop if you want bargain shopping or are furnishing a home; skip it if you are looking for a must-see landmark.
Diego Fresno
Spent a trip through the Gulf from 7 to 17 December 2023: Bahrain on the 11th, Dubai and Abu Dhabi over the 13th, 15th and 16th, Doha on the 17th. One trip through the Gulf, not four separate ones, which is the whole reason this site exists instead of a single-city blog. One trip three years ago does not make anyone an expert on a region, which is why every price, floor number and opening time here is checked against the operator's own site before it goes on a page, not remembered from the trip.
Read next: Dubai Frame, Burj Khalifa tickets, or back to the Dubai guide.