Shopping in Jeddah is a serious sport. As there aren't many entertainment options for women in Saudi Arabia, shopping malls have turned into 'destination malls': enormous structures with not only hundreds of shops, but full-scale amusement parks, ice skating rinks, and dozens of restaurants. The facilities are ultra-modern, and most importantly completely air-conditioned, allowing both men and women in Jeddah to beat the heat while they enjoy themselves.The newest and largest mall in Jeddah is the Mall of Arabia, which has more than 330 shops, and a Snow Village where guests can cool off and enjoy themselves in the snow. The mall has plenty of entertainment for children as well, including puppet shows and children's theatre.Other popular malls in Jeddah include the Red Sea Mall, the Heraa International Mall, and Roshan Mall. The selection of shops at the malls is huge, with many international brands that visitors will recognise, including Diesel, Nike, Banana Republic, and much more. Most shops in Jeddah are open from 9 or 10am to 1pm, and then from 5pm to 10pm.For a more authentic Middle Eastern shopping experience, the old town centre of Jeddah is home to a number of crowded souks (bazaars) where touts are waiting to haggle over leather goods, gold jewellery, and textiles, as well as knock-off designer goods. The most popular bazaar in Jeddah is the Souk Al Alawi.
