The Historical and Ethnographic Village of Pearl Divers is an open-air museum located in one of the oldest districts of Dubai city - Al Shindagha, near the mouth of Dubai Creek. The re-creation of a traditional settlement of pearl divers and Bedouin nomads began here in 1997 on the initiative of the city government, and now anyone who comes here can be transported back in time and get acquainted with the architecture, customs and art of those distant times before the discovery of oil fields, when Dubai - now the capital of luxury and wealth - was just a small settlement that survived mainly by trading pearls.
Visitors to the ethnographic village will be able to see up close how local craftsmen - masters of pottery and weaving - work, visit a pearl exhibition, ride camels, try to tame a real hunting falcon and, of course, taste traditional dosa flatbread made of lentil flour, which is generously served by Bedouin women in traditional costumes with the obligatory burkas hiding their faces. You can finish your visit with souvenirs at one of the many local vendors' stalls and lunch at an authentic Arabian restaurant, of which there is plenty.
Finally, the Al Shindagh Museum Village is a quiet and peaceful place, suitable for a leisurely and relaxing holiday. There is a flurry of activity only a couple of times a year during the shopping festivals and Eid in Dubai, when many curious onlookers flock here to witness the traditional archery competition first hand.
