The main bazaar in Nukus is a functioning Central Asian market of the old sort, less touristy than the famous bazaars of Samarkand or Bukhara. It sells produce, livestock, dried fruits, bread, and everyday goods to local customers. The textile section has Karakalpak embroidery and handmade items, and the bazaar is also where you hire a taxi to Moynaq or Chilpik — drivers loiter around the edges waiting for fares.
It is worth an hour of wandering early in the morning when it is busiest. The food vendors sell samsa (meat-filled pastries) and bread straight from the tandoor oven, and the produce is local and good. The bazaar operates daily, with the largest activity on weekends.