If one is in need of some new clothing or interesting souvenirs (maybe a new rice cooker), or pretty much anything else you want to buy, you’ll find it at this market. In between all the different stores, you have the choice of food from around the world: pizza, pasta, burritos, tacos, you name it. Although I don’t understand why anyone would want to eat that sort of food instead of the yummy Thai cuisine. Still, some tourist prefer to stick to what they know.

Pet Section At Chatuchak Weekend Market.

If you walk a little bit further into the market you’ll come across the Pet Section. This section is a very controversial one indeed. On one end, you’ll come across anything available to “pamper” your pet: toys, leashes, glittering collars and animal clothing for all occasions. Quite often with a life model sitting in front of the stall.

The other part of the section would be the live animal zone. Though not comparable to some other dreadful animal markets in southeast Asia, it’s nevertheless an unfortunate sight: fifty budgies squeezed into a single cage, rabbits, hamsters, squirrels, guinea pigs longing for water, outgrown cages where even a turn isn’t possible. And on top of this, meowing cats & barking dogs desperately longing for some sort of attention. Chicken, ducks, poultry of all kind and of course the trade of illegal animals is not an unusual sight here.

And for those who can’t resist a bit of gambling, look carefully. Just walk up a few stairs far in the back of Chatuchak market and you’re in the cock-fighting section, illegal as well but with lots of people attending and betting. If you are up for it, you can try to fill up your holiday cash account.

Facts About Chatuchak Market.

• Chatuchak’s opening hours: Saturdays & Sundays from 9.00 am – 6.00 pm and Fridays from 6.00 pm – midnight. The plant sections are also open on Wednesdays & Thursdays from 7.00 am – 6.00 pm.
• How to get to Chatuchak Market: Skytrain (BTS) to Mo Chit station; take exit no. 1 and follow the crowd.
• What to see: Ah well, you’ve 30 Acres of pretty much everything you need (or don’t need).

Chatuchak is Bangkok’s most famous weekend market. Apart from the thousands of visitors shopping here everyday, the market also has a dark side. It supports the trade in illegal wildlife – just about any animal you can think of.

A captured Macaw parrot at Chatuchak market. Traders unfortunately make no halt when it comes to endangered animals.

Wildlife crime is a big business – not only in Asia. It’s run by dangerous international networks and wildlife and animal parts are trafficked much like illegal drugs.

The world is dealing with an unprecedented increase of illegal wildlife trade.

In many cases, the actual sale doesn’t take place at the store, but somewhere in a side alley. The bustling market lanes of Chatuchak market provide excellent cover for the exchange.

The pet section at Chatuchak market is dedicated to the sale of animals, with stalls selling cute puppies, kittens, hamsters, ducks, hedgehog and also colourful fish can be purchased for your aquarium.

The illegal trade of endangered animals is a multi-billion dollar industry, yet compared to drug & arms trafficing, not as much throught about.

The animal section at Chatuchak market is nothing for the faint-hearted, since animals here are often kept under horrible conditions.

Cock fighting is very popular all across southeast Asia, including Chatuchak market.

Markets are the heart of every city. No matter what time of the day, markets are always busy with peak hours early in the morning. They are vibrant, exciting, colourful and full of amazing impressions.

During our 36 hours in Kuala Lumpur, it was clear that the cities biggest market, Chow Kit, was on our agenda. You pretty much find everything you need right here – from household goods to fresh fish. Oh yeah, fresh fish is a good keyword; the wet market section immediately caught our attention. Such market is a rare scene in Kuala Lumpur because of its development.

Be aware!

This is nothing for light hearted, animal loving or smell sensitive people; the wet market section is dirty, humid, packed, smelly and literally wet. I really recommend to directly head towards a hot shower afterwards before continuing with your programme, because at the end of the market, you’ll have picked up an odour of fish, dead chicken, cloves cigarettes with a touch of lime and ginger…

Facts.

• Address: Northern end of Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, 50088 Kuala Lumpur
• Opening hours: Daily from 6.00 am – 5.00 pm
• How to get there: Take the Monorail line and stop at Chow Kit station. Walk for about 5 minutes and voilà.

The fish section at Chow Kit market in Kuala Lumpur also includes sharks…

Chicken Section at Chow Kit Maket. Step 1: Killing the chicken. Step 2: Boiling the chicken. Step 3: Plucking the chicken. Step 4: Chopping the chicken.

Smiling cow’s head at Chow Kit market in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

One of the walkways through Chow Kit market in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Fresh squid at Chow Kit market in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Dried squid at Chow Kit market in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Walking through the meat section at Chow Kit market in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Fresh fish at Chow Kit market in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

walking through the banana section at Chow Kit market in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Fresh lime at Chow Kit market in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Colourful head-scarfs can also be found at Chow Kit market in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Of course there are exceptions to be found – like for example only men sell tobacco – but the rest is in the hand of women. I guess that men rather tend to keep cattle than selling it. Why? I can only speculate :) Maybe it’s easier to walk around with the herds all day, lying under a tree and dreaming about the new cellphone … nah, I’m just kidding :D But I do have to say that during all of our travels, we’ve noticed that a lot of really tough work (carrying rocks in India and so on) is done by women. I’d really be interested on why this is the case. Input anyone?

Market woman in Laos selling vegetable.

Market woman in Laos selling fish.

Market woman selling meat.

Local business at a market in Laos.

Women selling goods.

Anyway, on a well assorted market (if you come at the right time in the morning) everything is in full swing; people are arriving and leaving … some of them even travel the entire night to sell their goods at the weekly market. It’s a place of gossiping – which is very women like of course – and chit chat. At least before the mobile phone was introduced to the even remotest area … So the markets are always a noisy affair and people tend to check goods which they are going to buy very thoroughly (whether these are veggies, herbs, eggs or meat).

Fried maggots.

Bugs at a market in Laos.

Fish at a market in Laos.

Yes, and at these markets you can find things that will never ever (!) appear in a (western) supermarket.

The photos below are all very bearable (in our opinion) but if you want the “real tough stuff”, you should check out our article about wet markets around the world (caution – this is nothing for veggies or vegans!!)

1. Bush meat (alive or dead).

Bush meat is still a common sight on many markets in remote areas – no matter if the animal is protected or not. One has to understand that these people are mostly not very educated and well, meat is meat … One of these protected animals is the Aguti. It’s a very rare endangered rodent. We spotted an animal on a market in Thakhek, which looked quite similar. We we’re only able to take one picture because the stall woman covered it immediately and it was gone when we came back to the stall after a while.

A dead Aguti at a market in Vientiane, Laos.

Bush meat at a market in Laos.

2. All sorts of other dead animals.

Whether it’s just a fish or a skinned bulls head – you’ll find whatever your heart desires (not desires for that matter).

3. Fresh vegetables.

The Lao kitchen is one of the best in Asia. If you know what not to eat (pork, etc.), you pretty much can’t go wrong with whatever is on the menu. Vegetables are always fresh and tasty!

4. Fresh fruits.

If you’re a fruit lover, South-east Asia is the right spot for you. You’ll get fresh papayas, mangoes, pineapples, water melons, rambutans and many many more at any market.

5. A lot of people.

As I already said, people come together at markets, so it can be a very crowded place. Especially if the market is only once a week. Then the entire village (and of course the surrounding villages) can be found there. So, if one wants a true experience of a country and their people, one of the first visits should be to the local market.

Caution!!! We’re used to pretty much anything after all of our travels, so this is for those who are not: If you’re eating dinner, or lunch, I’d really recommend swallowing before you scroll down! Oh and in advance: a big sorry to all vegetarians out there … but hey, this is what you find at markets if you leave the touristy parts.

Anyway, let me know which one you think is the yuckiest. I’d really love to hear your thoughts on this :)

Skinned rabbits are not seen too often, but at Huayuan market in Guangzhou, you can’t miss it.

Skinned frogs in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

A cow head at the Central market in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Turtles, crocodiles, snakes – nothing special at Huayuan market in Guangzhou.

Cut off pig’s feet at a wet market in Hong Kong.

The crocodile’s head is usually cut off at wet markets in Guangzhou.

Dead fish at a market in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Dead ducks at a market in Guangzhou, China.

Cow eyes at a market in Hong Kong.

Bush meat in Laos.

Carrying a dead pig into a market in Hong Kong.

Dead frogs at a market in Gangtok, India.

Not at a market but it fits here: Dead cat at a beach in Vietnam.

A bulls head in Hong Kong.

Pig’s brain can also be found at wet markets in Hong Kong.

Fresh (or maybe not so fresh) chicken at the Russian market in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Preparing frogs for dinner in Cambodia.

Burned goat heads in India.

Dead fish at a wet market in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Duck peckers at a market in Bangkok, Thailand.

Giblets at a market in Vientiane, Laos.

Dead cows at a market in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Meat section in Hong Kong.

The remains of a dead cow in Darjeeling, India.

Qingping Market is a good spot to find many exotic things. The market came into existence in 1979. As we all know, Chinese people are known to eat almost anything! If you go to this market you’ll see for yourself. You may find both dried starfish, snakes, leopard and many other animals. It has over 2.000 stalls and lies in the north of Shamian Island. It is the largest street market in Guangzhou. Over 60.000 people shop there every day!

The Chinese medicine section is interesting and less disturbing. From shark fins, to snake eyes you’ll find everything you “need” for your suffering.

Two cages roosters at Huayuan market in Guangzhou.

A live crocodile at Huayuan market in Guangzhou.

Different herbs at Qingping market in Guangzhou.

Live snakes at Huayuan market in Guangzhou.

Dried seastars are a common sight at markets in Guangzhou.

Herbs and spices at Qingping market in Guangzhou.

Different ingredients you’ll need for Chinese medicine can be found at Qingping market in Guangzhou.