Exploring Ulan Bator and the Naran Tuul black market in Mongolia

Following the trail of the 'adventurer' Genghis Khan on a journey from the capital Beijing, China to Ulan Bator – the capital and largest city of Mongolia.

When we decided to order, we were informed that most dishes were sold out, leaving only 3 options. I frowned, wondering why this wasn't communicated 15 minutes ago?

So I opted for lamb liver, beef, eggs along with milk tea and coffee. After the meal, I found the food to be rather mediocre. Back in the cabin, I noticed my Chinese friend enjoying instant noodles. It made me ponder, perhaps that choice would have been better than dining at the train restaurant.

Gazing out of the window, the sight of lush green plains and clear skies evoked an inexplicable sense of tranquility. In the distance, I could spot herds of sheep and horses leisurely grazing.

Throughout the journey into Mongolia, I only came across a few scattered small settlements. Surprisingly, there was no sign of any desert. As time passed, I wasn't even aware that I was within the territory of the capital Ulan Bator.

I witnessed the heartwarming reunion of Tseren – a fellow traveler on the train – with his wife and daughter. Afterwards, we bid farewell and set out to find a hotel for rest. My friend and I joined forces with a group of tourists heading to Sunpath Hostel. After thoroughly inspecting the facilities, we decided to stay here. Additionally, we also signed up for a tour organized by the hostel.

Accompanying us were tourists of various ages from different countries around the world (USA, Canada, Australia, European countries...). I overheard people discussing visiting the 'black market' – which would be closing for a week starting from tomorrow, on the occasion of the national holiday. After some consideration, my friend and I decided to join them. The traffic here isn't great so it took us quite some time to get there, but perhaps because of that, we had more opportunities to chat with each other.

The Black Market (Naran Tuul Market)

Naran Tuul Market, also known as the 'black market,' is one of the largest market areas in Asia. On one side are large buildings, while on the other side is a dense maze of stalls offering all kinds of goods from fabrics to food. It's always crowded here with buyers and sellers, and sometimes the tightly packed crowds can make you feel suffocated.

Pickpocketing is also extremely serious here. Just a few minutes after stepping into the market, I almost lost my wallet. As I was walking with the crowd, I suddenly felt someone's fingers reaching into my pocket. I immediately stopped and held onto my bag tightly. If I had reacted a few seconds later, my wallet would have surely 'flown away.' I quickly warned everyone in the group. Clearly, theft is as common as rice here.

My friends and I continued to explore the black market, searching for fox fur, camel, Tibetan yak, Mongolian belts, clothes, handbags, and jewelry. After many hours of shopping, Christina and I acquired quite a haul including camel hair scarves, socks, Mongolian V-neck T-shirts. Before leaving the market, we also stopped by the fresh fruit stand.

Getting a taxi in Ulan Bator is far from easy. Drivers will stop and immediately leave if they realize you can't speak Mongolian or if your destination isn't convenient for them. Moreover, there's no signage to distinguish taxis. Any car on the road could be one. It's part of the local culture. Here, people are willing to act as drivers for you if you can negotiate a price with them. In other words, you might catch a ride at any time.

Back at the guesthouse, we left our purchased items and set out to find a place for dinner. Once again, I found myself in a situation where the restaurant didn't serve the food listed on the menu. So, I simply pointed to the dish the table next to us was having, and the waiter nodded. Moments later, he brought to our table a plate of fried dumplings filled with onions and lamb along with some warm salty milk. This meal completely satisfied me.

After dinner, my friends and I stopped by a store to buy beer and ice cream. We chatted for a while and then took a stroll around. We didn't go too far because the evenings here are quite chilly.

So ended a fantastic day in Ulan Bator. Tomorrow, we will continue our journey.

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Source: Mytour Travel Guide