sunday textile market

After a pretty nice ride through the countryside we got to the market without any expectations. The stuff they offer there is nothing you don't get at other places in Bolivia.But locals are quiet welcoming and people watching is interesting.All in all a decent experience on a slow Sunday in Bolivia.

Tarabuco Market itself is quite an interesting experience... large lively textile/flea market. As others have mentioned, most of it is tat, and you're better off buying items from certified "fair-trade" places in Sucre. People-watching was awesome... so many locals going about their business. Do try the food, it's simple & delicious.Our entire experience was ruined by the ineptitude of Oasis tours. First they moved us from our pre-allocated seats to the back of the bus without any explanation.Despite being told to be 15 minutes early, the bus left 15 minutes late. Air-con was not working so in order to avoid stuffiness, windows were opened. This resulted in constant inhalation of diesel fumes and dust, making breathing even more difficult for the next 6 hours (remember, you're still at altitude).Maps/guides of the town/market were handed out to some people on the bus... but bad luck if you were seated towards the back, as they had run out. No apology offered, just a shrug of the shoulders. When it was time to return to Sucre, the driver was late, leaving all passengers waiting in the heat outside the bus. Some wrong turns were taken on the way back into town, resulting in an even later arrival.All in all, an OK activity for a Sunday but Oasis Odyssey Tours need to get their act together.

Some 70 km to the east of Sucre lies Tarabuco. It's probably best to keep your expectations low. This is not a village where you will see local folklore or even people going about their normal daily routine. Tarabuco is approached via an enormous arch in the form of a leather hat which is worn by the local people when performing their folk dances. The village itself is one enormous market for (mainly) textiles however the prices are 'Tourist' prices and better bargains can be found in Sucre. When we visited the streets had been torn up to install gas piping (I think) and walking was difficult. We travelled from Sucre by private taxi (200Bs for the day) and the journey was really interesting (our driver was very happy to stop to let us take photographs). Worth a visit but don't expect too much.

We went to the market mainly to feel the vibe of all the people from the area coming to the market in their typical clothes. Avoid the main square (full of made in china stuff) and just wander in the streets, observe people trading vegetables for grains (no money here but real troc).Yet be aware this is not the best place to buy authentic textile (no supply here). If you want to buy authentic textile, either go in the good shops of sucre either (this is the option we took and it was a great experience) take a local guide and go to the village of candelara (another hour on the road) and buy from the local cooperative (you are truly at the source and this is where you find the best prices (yet don't forget you usually buy pieces which required weeks or months of work)

It's hard to believe that the tiny one horse town we had driven through the previous day would be transformed into such a hubbub of colour and activity when market day descends. Locals crowd the market hall and the narrow streets to barter and sell goods, which range from mundane household items to foods and clothing. Get there early to see it in full swing as it winds down by lunchtime.If you're hoping to find quality handicrafts/weaving then you may be disappointed -we found only standard tourist items. Better to visit one of the weaving co-operatives in a local village such as Candelaria or the better artisan shops in Sucre.Still worth a visit to see the local colour.

We went upon recommendation from a local.If you are interested in local crafts, the market itself is honestly nothing different from what you can find in other cities around Bolivia, Sucre being one. We just felt in a place where they just concentrate tourists to buy crafts. The rest of the market (mercado campesino) is a crawling mass of misery and dirt. Overwelmingly poor conditions in a spoiled and contaminated environment, full of garbage everywhere and destroyed buildings. If you think poverty and misery are a tourist attraction, go ahead and enjoy the place.

I took one of the tourist buses for about 35 bs. Pretty easy to catch and they meet in the main square. It was interesting to see the countryside, but the view wasnt fantastic. When you get to Tarabuco, you are immediately connected with a local restaurant/dancing place. A good place to use the bathroom before heading to the market. In all honesty, compared to other markets I have been to, this one was not that impressive and it was hard to determine which was the stuff from China and which was actually authentic. The best part was walking around the stalls where the locals go to. All in all, you only need about an hour, and I wish I didnt have to waste pretty much a whole day. The restaurant was not that great, although I just got a sandwich. The executive menu looked better.

This market was not as big as I was expecting, about 2 blocks worth of stalls - many of them selling similar things. Nothing compared to Otavalo Market in Ecuador. Apart from the textiles, there isn't much that you can't buy in Sucre/the rest of Bolivia.It takes about 2 hours to get there from Sucre. 'Tourist buses' cost 35Bs an an be organised with tourist agencies or sometimes your accomodation.

From Sucre, take a trufi at the parade de trufis a tarabuco, you'll pay 10 BS. Alternatively, if you're lucky, privte persons or taxis might offer you a lift for the same price, a lot more comfortable than sitting on a tiny seat in a tiny car with "not so nicely" smelling bolivians. On the market, force yourself to walk round first, before buying something. And never buy something for the money they tell you. It might already be cheaper than prices in Sucre, but they'll lower the prices a lot, just stay strict. Be there rather early, at 2 PM the first merchands start packing their stuff. If you look for a nice cafe, there's a BEAUTIFUL place about one cuadra from the main plaza. opposite direction of the HI hostal, but I don't remember the name. Prices okay, very nice backyard all in white reminding you of greece or something.

If I were to recommend visiting the Sunday market, it would be because it offers you an opportunity to be among the locals (who are going about their life whether tourists are there or not) without looking like a tourist. It is a chance to observe rural Bolivian life. You will stand out if you are not in traditional Bolivian attire, but the locals are used to tourists and are friendly if you speak your best attempt at Spanish with a smile and do not get in their face with a camera ( I still recommend dressing modestly as in the rest of Bolivia). The goods are cheaper here than in the city, and are very similar if not the same as goods in nearby big cities (such as in bigger cities in Bolivia or nearby Peru). You can get a good homecooked meal for under $2 at nearby, family-run restaurants and just enjoy a day of not rushing or being pressured to buy something.

We decided to go to the Sunday market after we heard other travellers were going there, as there are some different ethnic groups that come up to the market to sell their wares. And it was supposed to be an authentic experience...We booked a tourist bus to go there, although you can easily do it by public transport, but it was just easier and not that much more expensive...Left at 8.30 to get there at 10AM, our bus was going to leave at 1.30pm back to Sucre, and it was not early enough... The road was pretty, but not compared to other road trips in Bolivia (ie: Uyuni to Potosi is fantastic).We got there and we're hushed into a small restaurant where we could 'book' a table for later, although it was not necessary in the end... Walked a few blocks to the market, interesting to see the village I guess.Then, it's right into the 'market', which is completely geared for tourists. There are actually very few authentic sellers, and the wares that are being sold there are way under the quality of some that you can find in Sucre (and where money still go to the local people). We had a coffee on the plaza, which was probably the highlight of the day: looking at other tourists getting hassled and some going on a shopping spree.By 11.30, we were done, almost jumped on a local bus to get back early, but decided to wait it out. We were rewarded by a cheap lunch in the restaurant where we were dropped at and some poor folkloric dancing...Anyway, it really felt like a waste of a day, I would not recommend it at all

If you're looking for really high quality handicrafts, this is the place to go. I've been in Bolivia for 5 months at this point and most of the stuff for sale is made at a factory by machines, but the people in this area are known for their hand weavings. There's definitely other types of normal gringo souvenirs here like the striped rainbow hippie pants and hipster knit hats, but the tapestries are unique to the area. Just a heads up, they're priced a lot higher than the stuff you find in La Paz since it takes them months to complete even a small piece. Around 250Bs for a small tapestry, but a lot of them are willing to bargain with you. I took Oasis tours for transport and I'd try to find another tour group if you can. We left at 8:30, got there at 10, and didn't leave until 4 which was way too much time here. It's a small town and a small market.

We were initially very skeptical about visiting this place but overall we really enjoyed it. The village itself is more than just a market place and if you are a bit of an adventurer you can wander off the main streets and see much more than just the touristy bit. We loved the traditional atmosphere and looks of the villagers - you can see costumes alive that are normally displayed in La Paz museums:-) Souvenir stalls are plentiful and you can buy some really stunning fabrics and pottery if you wish to get some. We also enjoyed the food market where locals eat and you can join them if you wish. Food in Bolivia is not safer in restaurants than it is on the street so no worries about that:-) and lets not forget the scenery...on the way to Tarabuco from Sucre you can see mountains and canyons and some rough terrain... it was our first place of visit in Bolivia and we were truly amazed.you can see more on my blog: http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Chuquisaca-Department/Sucre/blog-756969.html

I spent a day at Tarabuco market, visited it from Sucre with Oasis tours and really enjoyed it. You can see there a proper traditional Bolivian market with a bunch of different things to buy. Iglesia de San Pedro and the streets of Tarabuco are beautiful to see.

Interesting because it was the last day of a festival. You can catch a Tourist bus from the main plaza in Sucre departing 8.30 am, cost 35 Bolivianos. It is cheaper to catch local bus from Centro and then transfer in historical area out to Tarabuco. Return. Ost is 10 Bolivianos.