The central market is the social and commercial heart of Meru, busy from early morning until late afternoon. The fruit and vegetable section is heaped with produce from the Mount Kenya slopes — bananas, mangoes, avocados, passion fruit, and the famous miraa twigs bundled for the day's trade.
The miraa traders are the most visible and most distinctive part of the market. Watch the wrapping process: fresh twigs are bundled tightly in banana leaves to keep them moist for the long road journey south to Nairobi or north to Somalia, where the trade reaches its highest prices. The market is also a good place to stock up on basics before heading into Meru National Park.