Masai Market, Nairobi - Kenya
For a wonderful selection of arts and crafts, wooden carvings and bead work, you can't go wrong at the Nairobi Masai Markets. These are held around the city at different venues on different days.
Not exclusively sold by the "Masai" these vibrant, colorful markets sell mainly tourist fare ranging from wooden sculptures, beaded necklaces, batik wall hangings, shoes, soap stone carvings, sisal bags, kikois, textiles and a whole host of other exciting goods. All Maasai Markets items are Kenyan and the range of goods on offer is impressive.
The nice thing about buying items from these markets is that sometimes (but not always) you are dealing with the actual people who make the craft items.
You can see ladies threading beads and making jewellery right in front of you, and if you talk to the traders it's easy to find people who are selling their own sculptures or craft items.