Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 9am-7pm Wed-Mon)
East of the centre, this is also known as the Black Market
(Khar Zakh), but it's not the sort of place where you go to change money illegally and
smuggle goods - though this certainly happens.
A covered area has a decent selection of clothes and accessories, such as bags, jeans
and fake North Face jackets. This is also one of the cheapest places to get traditional
Mongolian clothes such as a simple
del
(starting from around T80,000) and
huruum
(Mongolian jacket, for around T50,000). Carpet sellers are also in the covered area. Just
to the west of this section are stalls for the hat and boot sellers, where furry winter hats
start from T20,000 and traditional boots start at around T50,000. All these make great
gifts.
Towards the back of the market you'll find saddles (T90,000 for a soft Russian saddle
or T120,000 for a simple Mongolian saddle), riding tack, Mongolian furniture and all the
parts needed to build your own ger. The back area is also where you'll find antique and
coin dealers, but they don't issue any official documentation (unlike the antique shops in
town), making it illegal to export their stock. New items, such as the snuff bottles (made
in China anyway), can be purchased without worry. You can also buy authentic shaman
drums starting from around T120,000.
In 2013 a fire destroyed the food section of the market, but other parts of the market
survived.
The market is notorious for pickpockets and bag-slashers, so don't bring anything you
can't afford to lose. Don't carry anything on your back, and strap your money belt to
your body. Naran Tuul is definitely worth a visit - just be careful.
A taxi to the market should cost about T5000 from the centre of town. To walk from
Chinggis Khaan Sq will take about 40 minutes. Try to avoid the area on weekends, when
the crowds (and traffic) can be horrendous.
Mary & Martha Mongolia
SOUVENIRS
(
www.mmmongolia.com
)
Fair-trade shop selling handicrafts, felt products and modern
Kazakh wall hangings. Has some innovative little products like computer bags and
mobile-phone cases made with traditional designs. It's a couple of doors past Le
Boulange bakery (
Click here
)
.
State Department Store
SHOPPING CENTRE
