Shopping in Hanoi

To find out the cultural essence of Vietnam, you must visit Hanoi first. Then visit the Old Quarter to catch the essence of Hanoi’s cultures. This neighborhood is a den of valleys with names that could spark a strong thirst for shopping in you. Just to name some, Hang Bac (silversmiths), Hang Bong (cottons), Hang Cot (bamboo lattices), or Hang Da (leather).

Yet, the origins of the names are tracked back to hundreds of years ago when Hanoi was still Thang Long and many streets are no longer provide what their names entail. Aside from what remains is still the most impeccable items that Hanoi is proud of. You can’t miss designer shops in Hang Bong, and Hang Ngang streets where Vietnam’s silk is bespoke into either Vietnamese traditional clothes or latest Western styles. You also should visit Hang Duong where you can taste most well-known candied fruits in Hanoi and Hang Gai Street which is filled with series of souvenir shops.

A little bit distant from the Old Quarter, a few streets are also worth your visits. Trang Tien, a five-minute walk from Hoan Kiem Lake, is an interesting street jam-packed with art galleries and bookstores. Bookstores offer a wide collection of writings about Vietnam’s culture in foreign languages. While, art galleries offer a superb variety of paintings and watercolors like lacquer ware and puppets. Galleries could also be found in the Nguyen Thai Hoc Street where young artists who are trying to build their brand names in Vietnam’s arts showcase their paintings.

In recent years, when Hanoi is opening to global integration, a lot of Western - styled shopping centers are developing. Several of the shopping centers are enormously superior and lavish like Grand Plaza, Parkson, The Garden or whereas the other shopping centers sell things at fair prices such as Pico Plaza, Big C, Intimex supermarket. However, the last ones still offer you a sense of modern shopping style.

Finally, as Hanoi is being developed these days, you could take a trip to new-born suburbs to experience shopping in traditional handicraft villages. For instance, visit Bat Trang village to purchase potteries and ceramics, to get access to the most authentic source of Vietnam’ silk visit Ha Dong’s silk village, or Tay Tuu village to purchase yourself with fresh flowers at prices one fifth or even one tenth what you are charged in the inner city.

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Packages we offer:
10D9N Hanoi - Halong Bay Special Scenic Tour
4D3N Hanoi - Halong
4D3N Hanoi/Halong Package (PVT)
5D4N Hanoi-Halong Bay-TAM COC

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Shopping in Morocco

There is something about the souks, an open air marketplace in Arab countries, in Morocco that attracts you. Even the marvels of Camden Market in London or Chatuckak Weekend Market in Bangkok cannot match. The souks can transport you to an exotic world that can only see in movies like Sex and the City 2 or Disney’s Aladdin.

Souks are remarkably part of the Moroccan life - in the event that you have not been to one, you have not seen Morocco! They are within the heart of the cities, busy with activity from buyers bargaining with vendors over their goods. And if you visit during night time, you will get to visit seasonal souks that offer more than just products to sell, like the Jamaa el Fna market in Marrakech. It is well-known for its circus and acrobatic performances.

Souks, in the same way as the Chatuchak Weekend Market, are separated into sections that specialize in different products and crafts. However, first time visitors are recommended to get a guide to bring with them around. The souks are huge and maze-like, and may cause you to feel confused and get lost. The new smells, colorful sights and determined sellers can overpower your senses, but the experience is worth it.

The products in Moroccan souks are not like the products elsewhere in the world. If you are in the market for a carpet, there is no better place to shop for one than in Morocco. Once you enter a carpet store in a souk, you will realize that there’s no two carpets are the same. Do not be stunned if you take a whole afternoon to bargain for one of Morocco’s top products.

Aside from carpets, you will find spices in colors that you never expect, more kinds of olives that you even knew existed, delicate metalwork that will make you want to buy even though you do not need them. Buy a burnoose or jallaba for clothing which is more appropriate to the weather if you were not prepared well enough. And if you love jewelry, the souks are your haven.

Some of the best souks to visit in Morocco are in Fes and Marrakech. The one in Ouarzazate is the most popular that even UNESCO labeled it a World Heritage Site. For a more bona fide market, visit the less touristy souk in Taroudannt.

image source: sarahannwright.com

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