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| An old woman selling freshly harvested fruits and vegetables in Sagada |
When preparing an itinerary, you most likely include popular destinations or best-places-to-visit recommendations by travel sites. But have you ever considered a public market as part of your itinerary? Whether you're exploring a big city or staying briefly in a small countryside, consider visiting public markets. Here are a few reasons why public markets are worth a visit:
Public markets are a good place to experience local culture. A public market is a place where people in the community gather to buy and sell their goods. So you'll definitely hear locals interacting with each other in their own language or dialect. You'll learn how a certain fruit, vegetable, or fish is called differently in that part of the country. You'll get a taste of local food. And you'll see how people practice their trade using their tools. When I was in Romblon, I saw a few women skillfully slicing the pith of a coconut trunk (ubod) using a bolo.
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| This dried dolphin fish is commonly called dorado. In the Pacific Ocean, it's mahi-mahi, but in Batanes it's known as arayu harvested only between April and May |
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| In a public market in Batangas City, you can pick a pizza, bicho or pilipit for merienda |
Public markets are a good place to find products not found anywhere else. That's why whenever we go up to Baguio, I look for strawberries and blueberries. Though some goods are also available in other parts of the country, some food that come from a particular area taste better than those from other regions.
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| Fruits like mangosteens are cheaper in Davao public markets |
Public markets are a good place to buy pasalubong. Most travelers bring home souvenirs from their trips, but Filipinos are particularly fond of buying pasalubong--goods to share with family and friends when they return home. And there are lots to buy at a public market, often cheaper than those sold in malls. Aside from fruits, vegetables, meat, and delicacies, most public markets also have stalls for glassware, footwear, clothes, and other local products.
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| Coffee beans from Batangas City |
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| You can also find hairbands, lighters, and dishwashing liquid in a public market |
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| More fruits and flavor at Farmers Market at Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City |
Of course, not all public markets are the same. Some may be opened only on particular hours of the day or days of the week. Some are small while some are quite big that you'd need more than an hour to explore the place. Whatever the case, next time you travel consider including a public market in your itinerary.
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