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Africa

Shopping in Africa

  1. A

    Sandgrouse Market

    Sandgrouse Market slightly further east, is the place for interesting food, much of it sold live.

    reviewed

  2. B

    Jankara Market

    Jankara Market is the largest market in Lagos and sells everything from tie-dyed cloth, trade beads and jewellery to pirate cassettes, pottery and clothing. There is also a fetishes market where you can buy herbs, traditional medicines and juju potions and powders.

    reviewed

  3. C

    Balogun Market

    The rambling maze of Balogun Market is excellent for clothes and fabric from across West Africa.

    reviewed

  4. D
  5. E

    La Ponte

    In the centre, around Marché Ganhi, are a number of good supermarkets, including La Ponte.

    reviewed

  6. F

    Waterside Market

    The chaotic and colourful Waterside Market offers almost everything for sale, including some attractive textiles (which are sold by the lapa, or 2m).

    reviewed

  7. G

    LIM

    Wander through the rooms admiring the stylish, pared-back selection of homewares, including fashion accessory items made from buckskin.

    reviewed

  8. Sono Mondiale

    This brilliant little shop has a better selection than some of the music shops in Dakar. It has a good variety of African (and not only Senegalese) music on offer - both on CD and cassette - and, oddly, a quirky vinyl collection of old salsa.

    reviewed

  9. H

    Libre-Service

    For European goods and French wine, head for the Libre-Service.

    reviewed

  10. I

    Keur Fall

    On a nicely brushed-up ground floor of one of the old buildings, Keur Fall sells a wide range of pretty children's and adult clothes, shoes and toys - all made by women in a nearby village and sold under fair-trade conditions.

    reviewed

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  12. Ecomarché

    The Ecomarché is a good spot for European goods and French wine.

    reviewed

  13. Ateliers d'Art

    In the same building as Sono Mondiale, this is a great place to rummage for fabrics. You can even watch the weavers working on the gigantic, patterned cotton-rugs on sale here - and seeing the work that's involved in making them almost makes you willing to pay the steep prices charged for them.

    reviewed

  14. Taurus

    Taurus, diagonally opposite BIM, stocks South African imports, meats and cheeses, plus soft serve ice cream.

    reviewed

  15. Spar Supermarket

    This huge supermarket will sort out self-caterers.

    reviewed

  16. J

    Phillipe Turpin's Studio

    The sculptor and printmaker Philippe Turpin, who etches on copper and then rolls the prints off the inky plates, has a studio that is open to the public. Turpin captures the wonder of Réunion in a fantastical, almost medieval way; his renditions of the Cirques resemble illustrations of fairy kingdoms.

    reviewed

  17. K

    Supermarket

    This large supermarket has imported European foods.

    reviewed

  18. L

    Supermarché

    The Supermarché carries all the desert essentials: water, toothpaste, lip balm, packaged soups, cookies, film, vodka and argan anti-cellulite lotion.

    reviewed

  19. M
  20. N
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  22. O

    Coopérative de Tissage

    At the Coopérative de Tissage, you can glimpse local women artisans at work on hanbels (locally woven carpets) and embroidered straw mats, and take one home at fixed prices of Dh550 to Dh750 per sq metre. Next door is the Ensemble Artisanal, the state-run showroom with stone carvings, pottery and woollen carpets woven by the region’s Ouzguita Berbers.

    reviewed

  23. P

    Central Souq

    Fresh cheese, meat and vegetables can be found at the daily central souq.

    reviewed

  24. Q

    Green Sleeves

    Green Sleeves features a charming selection of retro, funky and vintage clothing; next door is a sister shop offering similar styles in furniture and homeware.

    reviewed

  25. R

    Sonpark Centre

    Has an internet cafe and a few restaurants.

    reviewed

  26. Riverside Mall

    The biggest shopping centre is the glitzy Riverside Mall (about 5km north of town off Rte 40, with a wide range of stores) with various shops and ATM facilities.

    reviewed