Overview

Tanah Abang Market started off about 300 years ago as an animal market. It now occupies a three-story commercial building, but it also spills over to the hundreds of street vendors sprawling in the area. These small stalls sell mainly textiles, apparel, carpets and draperies, although one can also find every imaginable merchandise—home accessories, kitchenware, shoes, firecrackers and even rifles! Fruits, soft drinks and snacks abound. The bazaar takes up not just the sidewalks but also part of the road, so traffic here is often crawling. Bargaining is encouraged despite the already-attractive prices.