Market shopping in Asia
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A
Fresh Market
The Fresh market stocks exotic fruits you won't typically see elsewhere in Laos, such as Chinese pear. Other local delicacies include nok ąen dąwng (swallows stored whole in jars until they ferment), and hét wâi (wild matsutake mushrooms), which grow wild around Xieng Khuang and fetch high prices in Japan.
reviewed
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Barakholka
This huge, crowded flea market is on the ring road in the northwestern outskirts. Uzbeks, Chinese, Uyghurs and others converge here to sell everything from animals, fridges and cars to fur hats, jeans and shoes, at very good prices. Weekends, especially early Sunday morning, are the busiest times. Take any 'Barakholka' bus westbound on Rayymbek.
reviewed
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Holiday Jade Market
The Holiday Jade Market, perhaps the largest market for jade and other semi-precious stones in Asia. The Jade Market is also a great place to buy jewellery, objets d'art both small and large, religious items and everything you might need to set up your own feng-shui practice back home (outside of actual knowledge of Chinese geomancy of course).
reviewed
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Easter Weaving Room
Has genuine Igorot weavings and garments. Also carries a broad selection of high-quality, locally made items. Easter Weaving Room sells everything from hand-woven bookmarks to tapis (woven wraparound skirts). It’s well organised and prices are clearly marked. In the basement factory you can watch women hard at work on their looms.
reviewed
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B
Miya-gawa Market
Miya-gawa Market Asa-ichi take place every morning and provide a pleasant way to start the day, with a stroll past gnarled farmers at their vegetable stands and stalls selling crafts, pickles, souvenirs and that all-important steaming cuppa joe. Located along the east bank of the river Miya-gawa, between Kaji-bashi and Yayoi-bashi.
reviewed
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C
Filipino Sunday Market
Join the jolly Filipino community in Seoul who gather in this lively Little Manila every Sunday to meet, chat and eat Filipino food. Street stalls sell tropical treats such as coconut drinks, cassava cakes, fried bananas on a stick, adobo chicken and longaniza sausage. Call-back telephone cards are also on sale.
reviewed
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D
Fruit & Vegetable Market
There's a fruit & vegetable market by the main bus stand and a more convenient one just south of Mizan Chowk, where you can also buy nuts and dried fruit. The peaches, grapes, cherries, musk melons and mangoes are especially delicious, sold by mobile vendors when in season, along with fat pomegranates from across the Afghan border.
reviewed
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E
New Market
The city’s largest market is New Market. You can find almost anything here including maps, material, saris and household items. It’s a great place to get kitted up in local gear. You can find pre-made salwar kameez (a long dress-like tunic worn by women over baggy trousers) for as low as Tk 200.
reviewed
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F
Chinese Handicraft Mart
There's no shortage of browsing for clothing in the city's night markets, but the highest concentration in one place is at the Chinese Handicraft Mart. You'll find four storeys of clothing, jade, porcelain, ceramics, tea sets, jewellery, scrolls, paintings and prints and that's just a small selection of the variety on offer here.
reviewed
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G
Banzaan Shopping Plaza
Banzaan has two faces. There are the tumbledown shopping stalls with your garden-variety knock-offs and handicrafts if you’re into bargain hunting, and the newly built fresh market. It’s a posh version of a traditional Thai market, with a terrific seafood selection, a food court upstairs and just enough funk to satisfy the soul.
reviewed
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H
Bangsal Rd
Bangsal Rd, in Old Dhaka's Bangsal, is the place to buy rickshaw parts. For rickshaw art try further along Bangsal Rd in Nazira Bazar, or Bangla Duair Lane. The art is painted on strips of tin and vinyl, and will fit in most suitcases. Prices are around Tk 50, sometimes more if it's special. Bargaining is required, of course.
reviewed
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I
Th Khao San Market
The main guesthouse strip in Banglamphu is a day-and-night shopping bazaar, selling all but the baby and the bathwater. Cheap T-shirts, trendy purses, wooden frogs, fuzzy puppets, bootleg CDs, hemp clothing, fake student ID cards, knock-off designer wear, souvenirs, corn on the cob, orange juice… You name it, they’ve got it.
reviewed
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J
Alien's Street Market
This market just northwest of Ritan Park is packed to the gills with a huge variety of clothing, as well as tons of accessories. You can find most things here. It's popular with visiting Russian traders, which means the clothes come in bigger sizes than usual and the vendors will greet you in Russian. Haggling is essential.
reviewed
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K
Market
The Market has a decent selection of food supplies imported from Russia and China. Traditional Kazakh skullcaps and jackets can also be found amid the chaos. How and why the shopkeepers have 'Boots' plastic bags is a mystery to us. There's a small charge to get into the enclosed part of the market where all the food is.
reviewed
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Tezykovka
Tezykovka is the local name for this vast 'flea market'. Also known as Yangiobod Market, this sombre sea of junk - 'anything from nails to nukes' as one resident put it - is located in the Khamza district, and reached by bus 30 from the Mustaqillik metro. Keep a close watch on your purse or wallet in this or any bazaar.
reviewed
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L
Khlong Toey Market
This wholesale wet market, one of the city’s largest, is inevitably the origin of many of the meals you’ll eat during your stay in Bangkok. Get there early, and although some corners of the market can’t exactly be described as photogenic, be sure to bring a camera to capture the stacks of durians or cheery fishmongers.
reviewed
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Jinya-mae Market
Jinya-mae Market Asa-ichi take place every morning and provide a pleasant way to start the day, with a stroll past gnarled farmers at their vegetable stands and stalls selling crafts, pickles, souvenirs and that all-important steaming cuppa joe. Located in front of Takayama-jinya (Historical Government House).
reviewed
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Saberkas Weekend Market
If you land in Miri on a weekend, don't miss the Saberkas Weekend Market, which takes place from Friday evening to midday Sunday, about 3km northeast of Bintang Plaza. It's one of the most colourful and friendly markets in Sarawak and vendors are more than happy to answer questions about the various products displayed.
reviewed
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M
Old City Shopping
As you wander through the narrow alleys of the old city lined with crumbling havelis (traditional ornately decorated residences) and other heritage buildings you'll see stalls selling everything from roasted sweet potatoes to jootis (Punjabi slippers - traditional, often pointy-toed, footwear).
reviewed
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Pasar Ikan
On the east beach is Pangandaran's fish market, and arguably the best place for fresh seafood. Pick out what you want from the selection of fresh seafood at the front of the warungs here and pay according to weight. The market is to the north, near the post office (not the wholesale fish market to the south).
reviewed
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N
Central Market
One of the most colourful and active markets in Malaysia, the central market is at its busiest first thing in the morning, and has usually packed up by early afternoon. Downstairs is the produce section, while upstairs stalls selling spices, brassware, batik and other goods stay open longer.
reviewed
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Soi 16, Th Charoen Krung
This ancient fresh market splays along the cramped alley between Th Yaowarat and Th Charoen Krung. It’s fascinating, but anyone who suffers even the mildest form of claustrophobia should not contemplate it. North of Th Charoen Krung funerary items for ritual burnings dominate the open-air stalls.
reviewed
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O
Antique Market
Vendors sprawl in every direction along the hútòng (narrow alleyways) of the Antique Market. Sift through its stamps, silverware, porcelain, clocks, Mao iconography and Cultural Revolution memorabilia. The market is best on Sundays, but die-hard vendors set up shop during the week.
reviewed
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P
Silk Market
The six-storey Silk Market is one of the most popular in Beijing, thanks to its wide array of high-quality fakes of big-name brands. Always packed, it’s best for clothes, but you can find bags and electronics here too. The silk is on the 3rd floor and is one of the few genuine items sold here.
reviewed
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Q
Night Market
There’s a night market running north to south through the heart of the Old Quarter, starting on P Hang Giay and heading down to P Hang Dao. Content-wise it’s something of a spillover for the area’s shops, but at least the streets are closed to traffic. Watch out for pickpockets.
reviewed