Shopping can
really be a delight in Manali if you love to bargain. Items which you can pick
up from the shops here include handicrafts, carpets, Chinese electronic goods,
Chinese clothes and shoes, Himachali jewelleries and Kullu shawls. For those
looking for something more, there are Tibetan curios such as prayer wheels,
amulets, dorjees or thunderbolts, masks, musical instruments, jewellery and
thangkas. Fresh jams, pickles, yellow chilli and wild asparagus can also be
bought from Manali.
best place in Manali to shop. Apart from this, the NSC or ‘New Shopping Centre’
Market near the bus stand can also be explored for goods.
main shopping area in Manali, selling local Kullu and Kinnauri shawls, rugs,
caps and footwear, imported goods, besides a range of Tibetan handicraft items.
It is more of a busy commercial street with modern concrete blocks of hotels
that spill over with tourists in the peak season. Other shopping zones in the
Mall include- Hong Kong Market, Thai Market, Tibetan Market, Dragon Shopping
Complex, Lama Underground, Shangri La Shopping Complex, New NAC Market and Snow
Lion Underground Market.
The Himachal Handicrafts Emporium and Bhuticco weavers’ co-operative in the
main Manali Mall are good for local handicrafts. Handcrafted shawls and rugs
are the major and the most popular buys here.
The Tibetan Bazaar and Tibetan Carpet centre run by the refugee community sells
thangkas, rugs, local tweeds, Buddhist paintings, bamboo souvenirs, Chinese
goods (electronics, shoes, clothes etc), silver and turquoise jewellery and
prayers wheels amongst other things. The place is overcrowded with tourists in
the summers.
If you are interested in buying more hippie and junky stuff, then the Old
Manali market is a must visit. You could even pick up fresh fruit jams, jellies
and pickles from the market and take them back as souvenirs. All the shops are
open from 10 am to 7 pm. Bargaining is a must here as most shops tend to quote
a higher price.
