Spice Shopping Abroad: A Guide to Istanbul, Marrakech, and Bangkok for Indian Travellers
By Vihaan Patel (Priya Venkatesh is a food writer and frequent flyer who has eaten her way through 30+ countries while navigating vegetarian menus, airline meals, and street food stalls — always from an Indian traveller's perspective.) · Published · 10 min read
Indian travellers are already spice experts — so spice shopping abroad should focus on what you cannot get at home. This guide covers what is genuinely worth buying in Istanbul, Marrakech, and Bangkok.
Quick answer
As an Indian traveller, you already have access to the best spices in the world at home. Shopping for spices abroad makes sense only for varieties you cannot easily get in India: Turkish Urfa biber and pul biber chilli flakes, Moroccan ras el hanout and preserved lemons, Thai dried chillis and shrimp paste, and saffron from Iran (via Istanbul or Dubai). Do not buy turmeric, cumin, or black pepper abroad — Indian versions are superior and cheaper.
Istanbul — the Spice Bazaar and beyond
The Egyptian Bazaar (Misir Carsisi), commonly called the Spice Bazaar, is Istanbul's most famous spice market and the most tourist-facing. The stalls are photogenic — pyramids of coloured spices, dried fruits, and Turkish delight — but prices inside the bazaar are 30 to 50 percent higher than shops outside. For better value, walk two streets north into the Tahtakale wholesale area, where local shops sell the same products at local prices.
What to buy: Pul biber (Aleppo-style red pepper flakes) — this is the defining Turkish spice that you cannot easily replicate with Indian chilli powder. It has a fruity, moderately hot flavour that works brilliantly on eggs, grilled vegetables, and yoghurt. Urfa biber is the smoky, darker cousin — equally worth buying. Sumac (ground dried berry with a tart, citrusy flavour) is used across Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisine and is hard to find in India outside specialty stores. Turkish saffron is often Iranian saffron repackaged — quality is generally good but verify by checking the thread length and aroma.
Istanbul flights are direct from Delhi and Mumbai on Turkish Airlines and IndiGo. Turkish delight and dried apricots from Malatya are also worth buying — they are genuinely better than what you find in India.
Marrakech — the medina spice souks
Marrakech's medina has spice shops on nearly every lane. The quality is generally good but the hard-sell culture requires negotiation. Start at 40 to 50 percent of the quoted price and work from there — this is expected and not considered rude.
What to buy: Ras el hanout is the signature Moroccan spice blend — a complex mix of 15 to 30 spices including rose petals, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, cloves, and sometimes grains of paradise or ashberries. Each shop has its own recipe and the best shops will grind it fresh for you. This is the one spice blend that is genuinely unique to Morocco and worth carrying home. Preserved lemons (citrons confits) — whole lemons cured in salt and lemon juice for months — are a Moroccan cooking essential that is nearly impossible to find in Indian stores. Buy a jar or two. Harissa paste (chilli paste) is easy to carry in sealed jars and adds a North African dimension to home cooking.
What to skip: cumin (Indian jeera is better), saffron (Moroccan saffron is decent but not superior to Kashmiri saffron), and any spice blend without a label (you cannot verify freshness or ingredients). Marrakech destination guide has more shopping tips.
Bangkok — Chinatown and Chatuchak
Bangkok's spice shopping is different from Istanbul and Marrakech — it is less about ground spices and more about fresh and fermented ingredients that define Thai cooking. Chinatown (Yaowarat) has shops selling dried shrimp, dried chillis (prik haeng — the long dried red chillies used in Thai curries), and Chinese five-spice powder. Chatuchak Weekend Market has a food section with curry paste ingredients, coconut sugar, and packaged spice kits.
What to buy: Thai curry paste ingredients — dried galangal, dried lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves (dried versions travel better), and shrimp paste (kapi). These are the building blocks of Thai green, red, and massaman curries and are hard to find in India outside Bangkok import shops. Mae Pranom brand sweet chilli sauce and nam prik pao (roasted chilli jam) are pantry essentials that cost a fraction of what they cost in Indian import stores. Bangkok flights are the cheapest way to access Southeast Asian ingredients.
What to skip: fresh herbs (they will not survive customs), fresh lemongrass and galangal (buy dried instead), and anything without clear packaging — Indian customs may confiscate unlabelled food items.
Carrying spices through customs
Ground and dried spices in sealed, labelled packaging generally pass Indian customs without issue. Fresh or unprocessed plant material (fresh herbs, fresh roots, whole plants) may be subject to plant quarantine inspection and can be confiscated. Sealed jars and vacuum-packed bags are your safest packaging. Keep receipts — if customs asks about the value, a receipt proves you are within the 50,000-rupee duty-free goods limit.
Pack spices in your checked luggage, not carry-on. Ground spices in unlabelled bags in your carry-on can trigger additional security screening at foreign airports — they look like powder on X-ray.
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth buying spices abroad as an Indian traveller?
Only for spices you cannot get in India — Turkish pul biber, Moroccan ras el hanout, Thai curry paste ingredients. Do not buy cumin, turmeric, or black pepper abroad; Indian versions are better.
How do I negotiate spice prices in Marrakech?
Start at 40 to 50 percent of the quoted price and negotiate up. This is expected in the medina. Shops outside the main tourist areas offer better starting prices.
Can I bring spices through Indian customs?
Yes. Dried and ground spices in sealed, labelled packaging are generally allowed. Fresh herbs and plant material may be confiscated under plant quarantine rules. Pack in checked luggage.