Otavalo - Meet the World's Largest and Most Colorful Indigenous market

It is early morning in Otavalo, where the world's largest and most colorful Indigenous market takes place. It all begins at dawn, when the first costumers arrive attracted by the food and the animals for sale. This market dates back to pre-Inca times and it is a veritable range of animals to eat and buy that mingles with the sound of the Andean pipes and the Quichua, the native indigenous language.

By 9am, the performance takes place at the hundreds of handicraft booths spread all along the main streets. The center of the performance is the "Poncho Plaza", where approximately any craft item produced in Ecuador can be found at undoubtedly cheap prices.

Poncho

The tiny stalls offer a bewildering and involving array of local handicrafts, with textiles of superior rainbow colors predominating. Naturally, you will also find there the sublime Panama hats -originally made in Ecuador- at half the price or less than what you would pay in Quito, the capital. The range of colors of the assorted fabric products, the blankets, ponchos, balsa wood bowls and carvings, as well as the range of fruit and vegetables on sale is a feast for the eyes in this involving market where haggling for lower prices is anticipated and part of the fun.­­­

The market is safe and tourists are all the time welcomed by the friendly local people, the Otavaleño indigenous. People can't help but be delighted by the dignified Otavaleño ladies who still wear their distinctive former dress of intricately embroidered white blouses with flounced lace sleeves, their black skirts and their long, braided hair often decorated with colorful ribbons.

Saturday is the busiest market day and the best time of the week for tourists to go. This world-famous outdoor marketplace, that some consider "a place to visit before you die" (Book "1000 places to visit before you die" by Patricia Schultz; and Ninemsn's description "Top 10 Places to see Before You Die") is a extraordinary way to sense some local culture while you get a good price for loads of gifts and souvenirs for everybody back home!

Otavalo - Meet the World's Largest and Most Colorful Indigenous market

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