PodAsia Travel Podcast

077 - Shopping Islamabad, Pakistan Joshua Holden back in hospital! We visit the "supermarket" area in Islamabad - the only area that Pakistanis go to shop.

We show you some great PodAsia images Google Earth travel images. Podsafe music this week is from Dan Montgomery and UK artist Aaron.

What, Where and How to Buy in Islamabad, Pakistan. A haven for the shopping and travel or business traveller enthusiast, Islamabad is fast acquiring a great reputation for having some of the cleanest, most accessible and interesting shopping places in the country. From Jinnah Super Market in F-7, which is a hub of shopping, to the Blue Area, a stretch of about 4 kilometres of purely commercial space, Islamabad revels when it comes to the shopping bug for any traveller.

F-7 Markaz (Jinnah Super Market): Perhaps the most famous shopping precinct in the city, Jinnah Super or Jinnah as it is popularly called, has a wealth of shopping. There are book stores that sell old and new books, DVD stores, fashionable clothing outlets including brands like Levi’s and Dockers, food stalls and restaurants, and a landscaped outdoor seating area. It’s a popular hangout for the young and trendy, who’re out in numbers enjoying the ambiance. In the middle of sector F-7

F-6 Markaz (Super Market) <PODCAST FROM HERE> Similar to Jinnah Super, Super Market is also a haven for the trendy and hip. A much larger and older market, this precinct has a lot more variety than other markets, and houses some very novel and exotic stores. Apart from the everyday books, clothes, shoes and movie stores, Super Market has Islamabad’s oldest and best chemists, opticians, sports stores, photographer’s studio, bakery and an entire nook dedicated to the culinary arts. Highly recommended for the business traveller.

GOOGLE AERIAL VIEW OF F-6 Super Market CLICK HERE

Aabpaara Market: Located close to the centre of the city, Aabpaara is the oldest and most comprehensive market in Islamabad. It is also the one market in the capital city that has the greatest variety, where one can find almost anything. There are dry fruit stores, antique toy shops, novelty shoe stores, mechanical and electrical repair kiosks, clothes, consumer electronics and a wealth of so much more. And everything at a very reasonable, affordable price.

G-6 Markaz (Melody Market): Close by to the Aabpaara Market is the Melody Market, known throughout the city for its excellent clothing and accessory stores, food joints and novelty book stores. The market is also one of the oldest in the city, and because of its affordability and easy prices, it attracts a throng of people from all walks of life. Islamabad’s most convenient and accessible shopping area.

What to buy. We suggest you always look out for good carpet when in Pakistan. Pakistan is almost a central hub of carpet from the middle east, Kashmir and other regions. Of course, it is buyer beware and it is best to allocate some time to shop and get to know what you are going to buy. Shipping is quite easy. I’ve bought a number of carpets and the vendors will fold them into a seperate, easy to manage package - just watch out for excess baggage charges that may apply.

One location we found good for carpets: Kashan Carpet. Block 8, Super Market F6, School Road, Islamabad.

Other vendors for pashmina shawls, cashmera shawls, cashmere silk blended shawls, bedcovers, cushion covers and many other fabric produce are: Maharaja Handicrafts. Shop 3, Block 8, Super Market F6, School Road, Islamabad. This store doesn’t look much from the outside but once you step into this cave of textiles, we’re sure you will find something to your liking. You can also see their site www.maharajahandicrafts.com. Ask for Mr Bhawani Shanker.

Of course to buy and get the best deals, use local currency - Pakistani Rupee (PKR) or most of the larger stores also accept Visa or American Express.

Music in this episode is from UK based Aaron with his song "One and only Love" and welcome back Dan Montgomery with "I’ll be the one".

 

 077 - Pakistan [00:30:28m]: Play Now | Download
 F-6 Aerial map: Download

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 26th, 2007 at 6:50 pm and is filed under PodAsia Travel Channel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.