What makes us happy when traveling, apart from new impressions, immersion in the history and culture of peoples…? Of course, shopping!
We think that the highlight of your trip will be a souvenir such as a Turkmen carpet! It will remind you of your trip every time you look at it at home.
Turkmen carpets are real works of art that even decorate the flag and coat of arms of the country.
Where can you buy a handmade Turkmen carpet?
In all cities and regions there are eastern markets where you can go shopping, as well as carpet boutiques. The cost of a carpet depends on the number of knots per square meter (from 250,000 to 1,000,000), as well as the complexity of the pattern and the quality of natural dyes.
I would like to immediately note that in order to take the carpet away, you will need to obtain a special certificate and license. To do this, you will need to deliver the purchased carpet to the Carpet Museum and receive the necessary documents there, and you also pay the state duty.
Helpful advice: carpets with an area of less than 1 square meter can be exported without certification. 😀
In the capital, Ashgabat, we recommend the following stores and boutiques:
- ALTYN ASYR Shopping Center – in the city center, near the “Russian Bazaar”. Here, in addition to carpets, cotton textiles, bed linen and clothes made of Turkmen silk keteni are presented.
- BERKARAR Shopping and Entertainment Center.
This is one of the favorite shopping centers of the city residents, shopping in which is pure pleasure. You will find any goods to your liking, and in between shopping you can dine in cozy restaurants and cafes with local, European and Pan-Asian cuisine. We recommend MANDARIN, SHA KOFE, SULTAN, MELBOURNE and BURGER ZONE.
- Almost all hotels and inns have souvenir shops, as well as carpet boutiques.
Among them, we would highlight the boutiques at the DIWAN, OGUZKENT and YYLDYZ hotels. If you buy carpets there, all the necessary documents for export are issued immediately upon purchase. Saving time and effort!
And as the Turkmen say – Nesip etsin!
Let the purchase serve for joy!