Tibet (西藏自治区) · 9 markets · 3 cities
9 markets in Tibet, grouped by city. The opening column is the part to read first: a country market stands empty except on its own dates. Chinese addresses are given as they are written, which is the form to show a driver.
Most common here: Country market (4), Minority and craft market (3), Everyday market (2). See all provinces, or what the six kinds of market are and why most of them are shut today.
4 markets
Lhasa (拉萨)
| Market | Kind | Opens |
|---|---|---|
| Barkhor Mall (八廓商城（平价纪念品）)Cheap souvenirs by the piece: beads from about 30 yuan, prayer wheels from four.(城关区八廓街附近) | Minority and craft market | Times not recorded |
| Barkhor Street Pilgrimage Market (八廓街转经道市集（清晨）)A market that forms itself between six and eight in the morning along the pilgrim circuit. Handmade butter lamps, old prayer beads and yak milk curd sold from back baskets.(城关区八廓街（环绕大昭寺转经道）) | Minority and craft market | Daily · 6:00 to 8:00 |
| Chongsaikang Market (冲赛康市场)Described as the oldest market in Lhasa at about 300 years, on the site of a Qing administrative office. Butter, tea, dried yak, incense, grain and old objects at wholesale prices.(城关区北京路北侧（紧邻八廓街，布达拉宫与大昭寺/小昭寺之间三角地带；公交7/8/20/21路”冲赛康站”）) | Everyday market | Daily |
| Lhasa Cijuelin Creative Market (拉萨慈觉林文创集市（周末）)A weekend craft market on the far bank, small and quiet, with Tibetan design work.(城关区慈觉林文创园区) | Minority and craft market | Weekly |
3 markets
Shannan (山南)
| Market | Kind | Opens |
|---|---|---|
| Dalong Border Trade & Cultural Exchange Fair (打隆边贸物资文化交流会（浪卡子）)A trade fair dated to 1274, when a monastery nearby was enlarged, held over seven days of the sixth Tibetan month beside a lake under snow peaks, with horse racing alongside.(山南市浪卡子县打隆镇) | Country market | On set dates |
| Shannan “Every-8th” Market & Lhozhag Fair (山南开发区逢八集市 + 洛扎物交会)A market on the 8th, 18th and 28th of each month for greenhouse vegetables and home-grown produce, plus the Lhozhag fair that has grown into a festival.(山南市开发区；洛扎县) | Country market | On set dates |
| Shannan Yarlung Material Exchange Fair (山南雅砻物资交流会)A seven-day fair held once a year, grown out of barter between farmers and herders in the 1960s and 70s. Apples from Nyingchi, potatoes from Shannan and chillies from Shigatse.(山南市乃东区泽当街道鲁琼社区（距市中心9公里）) | Country market | On set dates |
2 markets
Shigatse (日喀则)
| Market | Kind | Opens |
|---|---|---|
| Shigatse Farmers’ Market (日喀则农贸市场)Described as the largest produce market in Shigatse, where the copper ladles and wooden bowls hawked near the temple cost considerably less. Coral, turquoise and amber sold loose.(日喀则市（喜格孜步行街/丹增宾馆一带）) | Everyday market | Times not recorded |
| Shigatse Farmers’ New Year Market (日喀则农事新年年货市场)The new year market of Tibet’s grain country, held before the first day of the twelfth Tibetan month. The farmers’ new year is kept before the work of the season begins.(日喀则市（藏历十二月初一”农事新年”前）) | Country market | On set dates |
Going on the Right Day
Market dates move, and the ones that run on the lunar calendar move against the calendar on your phone. Tell our local team where you will be and on which dates, and they will say which of these are open while you are there and which are worth the detour.