Khan Al-Khalili Market in Cairo, Egypt
One of the oldest markets in the world, Khan Al-Khalili (or simply “Khan”), opened in Cairo back in 1382. Since then, the number of shops, customers, curious tourists and, of course, goods has significantly increased here. But perhaps the most successful assortment on Khan al-Khalili is represented by products made of glass, copper, perfumes and jewelry, which are handmade by local artisans.
A cynical traveler will say that Khan al-Khalili is a real trap for tourists, and in some ways he will even be right. Huge tourist buses every day bring here crowds of naive, constantly twirling dupes who do not know how to bargain and do not watch their handbags and cameras vigilantly. But in vain.
Evening Bazaar in Chiang Mai, Thailand
The night market in Chiang Mai, as in a high-quality horror movie, comes to life immediately after sunset, and quickly turns into a real “shopping city”. Funny fake Rolexes? You are welcome. Pirated DVDs? Here they are. Clothes, fabrics, sunglasses, jewelry — all this can be found here as well as chicken legs or Thai swords. The center of the market is the main building of Night Bazaar, three floors of which are packed with many shops, tents and stalls, as well as cafes with Thai cuisine.
Good purchases are considered to be sêua mâw hâwm (blue cotton for farm shirts), handmade fabrics, yâam (something like a backpack), tribal jewelry (for example, for legs or neck), scales for opium, hats, silverware, lacquered, wooden, iron or bronze Buddhas.
Chatuchak Market in Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok weekend market must first be seen to believe in such a thing. Occupying an area of more than 11 hectares, Chatuchak contains from 9 to 14 thousand stalls (it depends on who and how they thought, it is impossible to determine more precisely yet), and about 200 thousand visitors come here a day. So it is not surprising that it is considered the largest bazaar in the world.
On “Chatuchak” you can find everything: from antiques and vintage sneakers “sneakers”, ending with the skins of squirrels. JJ (as this market is also called) is considered an excellent place for the final purchase of souvenirs to relatives, colleagues and acquaintances who were unlucky enough to fly here on vacation.
Chatuchak is divided into several thematic sectors, the best guide for which will be a map of Bangkok from Nancy Chandler’s. When laying down time to visit the market, it is better not to skimp, here you can easily spend the whole day snacking in local cafes, sipping freshly squeezed juices, haggling and staring around. The best time for shopping is around 9-10 in the morning, until a crowd of people ran up.
Pike Place Market in Seattle, USA
Some people think that this market in Seattle is just a “lure” for tourists, others — a national treasure. Anyway, the Pike Place Market is the oldest bazaar in the USA, which covers an area of about 4 hectares and attracts up to 40 thousand visitors a day.
“Pike” is located in the lower district of Seattle and got its name due to the street of the same name, at the beginning of which is located — Pike Place (Pike place). On the upper level, facing the city, there are seafood shops, artisan shops, bookstores and other stalls. Most of the street musicians also found a home right there. The lower tiers are dominated by sellers of antiques, comics and souvenirs. There is also a large number of small restaurants and eateries. You can move between the tiers by elevator or on the steps, which offer a wonderful view of the bay.
Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo’s crazy Tsukiji Fish Market is one of the loudest and most crowded in the world. More than three thousand tons of fish and seafood are sold here per day, so you can imagine what a flavor is on Tsukiji.
The market itself consists of two sections: the “domestic market” — a licensed wholesale, where auctions are held and fish processing takes place, and there are also stalls of 900 merchants; and the “foreign market”, where wholesale and retail stores with cooking utensils, ready-made products and so on are located. Here you can have a nice snack in one of the many sushi restaurants.
The market opens early in the morning (except every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, as well as Sundays and holidays). The greatest activity in the market is usually from 5:00 to 8:00 in the morning, and then it decreases significantly. Most shops and shops close by 11:00, and the market itself at 13:00 in the afternoon. Tourists can visit the market daily from 5:00 am to 6:15 am, and watch the work of the market, the tuna auction (believe me, it’s worth it!) and all operations from a specially designated site.