On Saturday morning a trans-border market (intermittently closed due to political sensitivities) takes place on a no-man's-land island in the middle of the Pyanj River 3km west of town. It attracts Afghan traders in turbans and pakol (flat caps) and Tajiks who enjoy the opportunity to consort with the neighbours. The bazaar is held in three metal-roofed halls; a passport but no Afghan visa is required.
The market is often suspended if there is political tension in the air, but although this was the case at the time of writing, the market, much beloved by locals on both sides of the border, will not remain closed for long.
