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Shopping in Turkmenistan

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Let's be honest! Studying abroad comes in handy with a good shopping culture! Everyone wants to get time to explore markets and pick a few goodies to add to the cart list! Shopaholics welcome to Turkmenistan, the land of beauty and charming crafts! This is where your shopping impulse is put to the test. With numerous shopping malls, stalls, shops, and supermarkets Turkmenistan will certainly take thy breath away!

Shopping in the country is just like going on a treasure hunt amid tens of stalls and thousands of items, there are products that you would find more precious than others. It’s just a matter of finding that thing that you can’t resist to purchase. A stroll through the Tolkuchka Bazaar would show you what that implies. There are so many souks, each selling their own unique products. From camels to jewelry, nuts to electronics, look forward to anything and everything in this bazaar.

However, the most notable product to buy in Tolkuchka is carpets the hand-woven Turkmen carpets that are well-known all over the world for their awe and craftsmanship. How you would bring it home would be your worry though, as it may include additional cargo charges from your airline. Shopping in  Turkmenistan will test your bargaining skills. Locals would undoubtedly try to sell at higher rates to foreigners, so try your best to get the best deal possible out of your money.

Most sales in Turkmenistan are made at local bazaars. These large markets exist in every city and have been a part of the culture for decades. Indeed, Turkmenistan lay on the ancient Silk Road trading route and so once held much dominance as a trade hub, as merchants brought their wares to this geographical area where the east collided with the west. These bazaars are open every day, usually from 8:00 a.m. until 8 in the evening. Some of the large markets on the outskirts of big cities only open three mornings per week due to the influx of items.

During the cotton harvest season, bazaars are not opened during the day as locals attend to the fields. One of the biggest bazaars in Turkmenistan is Tolkuchka, which is situated about five miles outside the center of Ashgabat. There is a more centrally-situated market in the city called Gulistan, which is sometimes called the Russian market. Here, you will find a plethora of items, including,khalats, and most famously, Turkmen rugs and carpets. You will find them, in all shapes and sizes, at the local bazaar.

"I enjoy shopping and I found it affordable but some of the clothes are definitely not of the highest quality." - Hassan from Turkey

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