Part of the Shangri-La Hotel complex in the UAE capital’s Khor Al Maqta area, The Souk at Qaryat Al Beri is a contemporary adaptation of a typical Arabian market (souk), with abras (water taxis) ferrying you around the waterside complex via meandering man-made canals.

The two-level souk’s architecture is a fusion of Arabian and Venetian themes. Enjoy an array of restaurants and cafés, most of which have stunning Grand Canal and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque views, as wel...