FLEA-STREET MARKETS, Goa

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If you want to inhale the true aroma of Goa this market is a must-see in your itinerary. Although it used to be more of an *off the beaten path* destination, more & more tourists are bravely finding their way to this Friday experience. For tourists visiting the town of Mapusa there is not much in the form of sightseeing, but spending 2-3 hours in the weekly village market & then settling down for some lunch at one of the small restaurants dotted all along the main road is what travelling is all about, isn't it?

The town's name, pronounced "Map'sa" after the Konkani words for "measure" and "fill" is an obvious indication of its commercial & trading nature. This is the capital of Bardez Taluka, Northern Goa, 13 km north of the capital Panaji (Panjim). MAPUSA market is known for its fresh farm products with farmers & traders from all over Goa and beyond.
This isn't a market for the typical tourist - this is a simple yet thriving village market for the locals to provide them with their day-to-day groceries & other items.

Basically, this market provides an altogether different experience, far from the naive glee of beaches & other touristy places!

NOTE: If you have a heightened sense of smell, prepare yourself for a smell-and-stench overload. Dried & fresh fish mixed with the smell of onions in the sun and that unmistakable aroma of a nearby open sewer proved to be too much for my travel companions, who were forced to smear peppermint lipbalm into their nostrils ;-)

What to buy: > Fruits and vegetables, fresh & dried fish, spices, etc.
> Flip-Flops ("chapels" in Hindi) for 70 Rupees (US$ 1,50)
> Colourful powders for applying various symbols on your skin
> Candles, textiles, plastic toys, fake branded items (t-shirts, sports shoes, etc) ethnic handicrafts, plants & saplings, oil lamps, clay pots, wooden furniture, etc.

The prices of the products are pretty reasonable. Still just do not give what is demanded at first. Haggling & bargain-hunting are part of the whole Asian shopping experience.

NOTE: It can be rather hot, humid & tiring in the market. Bring your own water along, but there are also plenty of shops selling chilled softdrinks. To be on the safe side, try buying drinks in sealed plastic bottles, as glass bottles are usually "recycled" and there's no telling whether they were cleaned properly or not.

The flea market in anjuna is full of lovely treats and gifts for you and your loved ones. There are traders from all over india. So if your trip is only restricted to goa you can still buy some rajasthani or tibetan artifacts to take home and surprise them with.

What to buy: Coconut earrings.
Mirror work skirts.
Beaded jewellery.

What to pay: Bargain. The best man wins.

If you have 2 weeks in Goa, save Anjuna Wednesdays Flea market for your 2nd week. This market is more of an experience than a shopping trip. It is a hot, busy, tugging at your sleeve, boxing you in kind of place.
It really is a one trip deal, you will have no need to ever visit it twice.

What to buy: come here mainly to look and get the feel of a busy market. You may find some good deals on pashmina (type) scarves, but dont purchase until you get closer to the beach..as here the price will be a 1/4 of what you first told and will probably be for 4 not 1 scarve.

make sure you inspect the scarves..as the quality varies hugely..you may be disappointed when u get home.

What to pay: my sister spent Rs3000, I had only turned my back for a second and she came away with bed sheets etc. be careful..visit many stalls before buying, always divide the price by 4 and work up if you think its worth it.

Yes, Anjuna flea market is very touristy. But its also a great deal of fun!!! Apart from the fact that you can find something for just about anybody, its vibrant atmosphere is just a joy to emerse yourself in. A great place to haggle for sarongs, bags and sandals and its all much cheaper and better quality that those that you will be offered on the beach. Whilst haggling remember to keep it light hearted and fun, the stall owners enjoy the communication and will always drop their prices if you come up with a witty remark. If this fails, walk away and they will reduce their prices to suit your request!! We bought a silver bracelet here from on of the Tibetan ladies, and I have to say its amoung the best quality and design that my boyfriend has ever owned, so dont leave without some silver. Only one thing to watch out for.....crazy wandering "ear cleaners"!! I kid you not, these men swoop on unsuspecting tourists (usually men) and try to tell you that you have something (soap) in your ear, before attempting to stick their grubby fingers into your ear!!! This is nothing serious to worry about....just keep your wits about you and dont let it keep you from enjoying the market. After a hectic few hours of shopping, why not head to one of the near by beaches and collapse on a lounger.....Vagator is so ideal (see my Vagator comments). The best thing to do is to get your taxi driver to take you here in the morning (before it gets tooo hot and busy) and then collect you in a few hours.

What to buy: Silver
Sarongs
Leather goods
Bags
Cotton Kaftans

Where can you find a place that sells everything under the sun from Porcelain, candle work, Turkish hookahs,ancient artefacts, religious deities, Pashmina shawls, G strings, trance compact disc's, beads, Quartz and Calcite crystals, uncut gems, Sitars, Guitars and the list continues… You could also have a dreadlock haircut or learn some magic tricks. How about a quick course in juggling or clay pigeon shooting? For the more adventurous there is always the good ole art of body piercing, tattooing or maybe even a foot massage.

If this is making you wonder if all of this is too good to be true then think again. A place like this does exist. Known to most locals as the flea market and probably one of the best in Goa is 'Ingo's Saturday Nite Bazaar'. Those holidaying in Goa and not making the trip to this market in the village of Arpora in North Goa are missing out on an experience of a lifetime.

What to buy: Shawls, lounge CDs, cheap beach wear and glassware

What to pay: Bargain hard

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We shopped at 3 different markets in Goa.

1. Mapusa Friday Market...This market is open on Friday from 8:00 am til 6:00 pm..We took a taxi from Candolim for 400 Rs. (expensive, yes) and they waited for us for 3 hours i think..This market is more of a local event and has everything from clothing to produce..Really enjoyed it!!

2. Ingo's Night Market...This Saturday night market was booming with vendors, food vendors and entertainment..Also took a taxi from Candolim for 400 Rs and they waited for us for 5 hours..

3. Anjuna Market..This market is a major attraction for tourists..I found this market to be a bit more touristy and sold everything imaginable..Open every Wednesday from 9:00 am, best to get their early..It was so hot out the day we went..but we did enjoy it..

What to buy: Everything that exists is sold in the markets..At the:

Mapusa Market: I bought 4 really nice cushion covers and a wall hanging for about 800 Rs. which i thought was a really good deal...Also bought a pair of shoes..

At Ingo's Night Market..All i bought was Kingfisher!! Although there was a variety of everthing.

Anjuna Market bought some blouses, a purse and some tank tops!! Could have bought way more, but it was just too hot to shop!!

Alot of the other things i bought in Goa, where from stores in Candolim and Baga..But mostly i bought cushion covers in every style and color..

What to pay: You can spend as little as possibe at the markets..as you can haggle and get the price way down if you know how to do it right!!

Water Buffalo

This decorated Buffalo was at the Anjuna market area and doubles up as a mobile shop the owner leading it wherever the crowd is

What to buy: fabrics, woven goods,

What to pay: Barter for the best deals, expect to pay approx half the asking price

This is the place to visit on a Wednesday a cacophony on sound, smells and people the Gypsies, the hippies, Tibetans, beggars, you name it they are there and will try and sell you something from woven goods, trinkets, jewewrly Silver and paper mache boxes,all sorts of handicrafts, bet you come away with something! And all to the sound of a pulsing techno beat!!