As you may have figured out, I am obsessed with markets, trinkets and crafts. So when I found out that Gaya Street Market opens every Sunday I was ecstatic, given that I just so happened to be there on a Sunday. I had done my homework and read that the market is long, hot and busy – and full of treasures. To say I was disappointed would be an overstatement.
What is there in Gaya Street Market?
Most of the stalls of this admittedly long and busy market were selling the typical Chinese tourist junk as pictured above, plus clothes, watches and plastics. I did not spot one craftsman or a woman, although a few stalls had some expensive baskets and the usual Bornean bead work for sale. Where are all the incredibly talented artisans of Sabah?
However what was fantastic about the market were the layers underneath the loud music and the crowd. Traditional herbs, small kopitiams just behind the tents, fish and birds (and the poor, poor puppies). And a fantastic food market just around the corner.
If you are heading to Jaya Street market forget about shopping but expect to find nostalgia and curious details. If you are in KK, do pay a visit to the Mari Mari Cultural Village. If you want to splurge, check out Gaya Island resort.
One Response
We missed visiting on our last trip. Next round…