The indoor handicraft market in central Hohhot — concentrated in the covered arcade between Zhongshan Road and the Dazhao area — is the best single-stop for Mongolian souvenirs in the city. The range of goods is considerable: snuff bottles in carved stone and jade, silver ornaments for horse bridles and clothing, painted leather goods, embroidered table runners in Mongolian floral patterns, and the small decorative wood-and-silver cases traditionally used to carry personal items on horseback.
Quality varies widely and bargaining is expected. The vendors in the interior sections of the market tend to have better goods at more honest prices than the stalls at the front. Mongolian silver jewellery — rings, pendants, belts, and hair ornaments in geometric and animal designs — is the best value category; prices are a fraction of what comparable pieces would cost in Beijing or in Mongolian tourist shops. The market also has a good selection of traditional Mongolian board games and musical instruments if you are looking for something heavier to carry home.