3 Goa Markets That Shouldn’t Be Missed

From hippie threads to heady spices, homewares to handmade jewellery, Goa ’s markets are among the most colourful on the planet!

ANJUNA FLEA MARKET
There’s nothing that quite captures the cosmopolitan colour of 21st century Goa than the Anjuna Flea Market. A hippy stronghold since the seventies, Anjuna Village actually dates back to the 16th century. These days, it’s famous for its beachside trance parties – and the regular Wednesday bazaar, which runs from October through March. The sheer variety of wares on sale is bewildering, as is the cornucopia of human beings perusing them – from seasoned new age gypsies to package tourists to locals. Sort through the consumer detritus and there are treasures to be unearthed – artisanal bags, jewellery, lamps and textiles including dresses refashioned from colourful saris.

ARPORO NIGHT MARKET
A popular market with tourists, the Arporo Night Market, also known as Ingo’s Saturday Night Market runs from late December till April during the tourist high season. Open between 4 and 11pm, it is on a huge scale, with local stallholders jostling with foreign traders from all over the world. The goods on sale are just as diverse – from antiques to branded fashions, hand made leather sandals to crystal wands. Besides the goods on sale, there’s the opportunity to consult with Tarot card readers and other mystical types, while there are food stalls and restaurants galore offering everything from Thai, Chinese and of course Goan eats to Tibetan Momo and German pretzels.

THE FRIDAY BAZAAR AT MAPUSA
Another flea market favourite, the Friday Bazaar is similarly broad in its offerings, with the usual collection of local vendors and hippies selling pottery, clothing, jewellery, homeware, carpets, spices, fresh fish and pretty much anything else you can imagine that can be made with natural materials and a little creativity. The food offerings are definitely worth checking out, especially local favourites like feni (local liquor), salt fish, Goa sausage and cashew. Open every Friday from 8am till 7pm.