Canelar Barter Trade Center
Canelar Barter Trade Center
4
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Top ways to experience Canelar Barter Trade Center and nearby attractions
The area
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Attractions
1 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.0
51 reviews
Excellent
11
Very good
22
Average
15
Poor
2
Terrible
1
Lensky
25 contributions
I was here with my officemates from Davao for a seminar. And we visited the Canelar Barter Trade which is just near the Grand Astoria Hotel which we checked in. There are plenty of goods ranging from coffees to chocolates from Malaysia and Indonesia. But I bought the Sotanghon and Maling.
Written 20 April 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CaliTo69
Philippines144 contributions
Jul 2012 • Family
The products are mostly either from Malaysia or Indonesia. You really have to move from each stalls and check on each price offer. They have almost the same products so price difference is just about P5 - P10 but if you are buying plenty, you must haggle the price.
There are also similar stalls located near the city center, one just across Tsokolate restaurant. Mind you...haggle haggle....as they will start with a sky rocket price.
Sunday is a better time to buy in both Canelar and city center as there are fewer customers and they are more willing to reduce price to have a sale
There are also similar stalls located near the city center, one just across Tsokolate restaurant. Mind you...haggle haggle....as they will start with a sky rocket price.
Sunday is a better time to buy in both Canelar and city center as there are fewer customers and they are more willing to reduce price to have a sale
Written 7 July 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jblaza
Marikina, Philippines714 contributions
Mar 2023 • Friends
The Canelar Barter Trade in Zamboanga City is a misnomer since the transactions done here are no longer barter trades of goods. All stalls accept cash and most accept e-payment transactions such as Gcash. I think some of the signs in the area had been modified to read as “Canelar Trading Center.” The Canelar Barter Trade is a short ride or walk from the city proper, less than a kilometer.
I bought most of my pasalubong from Canelar. We went here at around 4 in the afternoon to buy pasalubong. There were hardly any other customers at that time. Canelar consists of dozens of stalls selling practically the same products—packaged food, ready-to-mix powdered drinks, clothing, magnets and keychains, bags—your usual pasalubong stuff.
The food that is sold here comes mostly from Malaysia, some from Indonesia—chocolates, biscuits, snacks, instant noodles, coffee, milk tea, and tea. I was able to snag a couple of bottles of Kecap Manis from Indonesia. The shirts, malong, scarves, and bags are similar to what you can get from Divisoria. Sadly, there is hardly any product sold here that is uniquely Zamboangueño. The most unique item that I got was vinta (Zamboanga’s most identifiable icon) magnets and keychains.
Since the stalls have very similar products, we went around the market to find the cheapest buys. (we no longer went to the parts of the market that had household items for sale; it was the portion of the Keep in mind that their prices are not fixed. Haggling goes a long way. I usually start at half of their asking price. I also asked for freebies.
Like I mentioned, Gcash is accepted as payment. I had to transact near the road though since the network coverage inside the market was not good and the e-commerce transaction could not push through.
We had to stop buying at around 530 PM when the stalls closed and power in the area was cut off.
I ended up buying malong and pashmina, a handful of t-shirts, Maggi Kari (curry flavor), a variety of Apollo wafer products, Tofiluk and Safari, an assortment of milk teas, chocolate drinks, ginger tea, iced tea, and 3-in-1 coffee, kecap manis (it was a rare find in Canelar—I had been fond of kecap manis since I traveled to Indonesia and the kecap at Canelar was cheaper and bigger than what I had bought from online stores), and a taqiyah (an Islamic prayer cap).
The Canelar Barter Trade used to be an iconic part of Zamboanga tourism. However, tourism in Zamboanga is not organized at all. Zamboanga is not tourist-friendly. Compared to other tourist spots where there are abundant organized tours of the city available, in Zamboanga, there is none. In other tourist spots, many of the organized tours have a dedicated time for pasalubong shopping, and this is an opportunity that Canelar is not able to take advantage of. With the further dilapidation of its premises and the rise of more convenient shopping alternatives (a new SM Zamboanga is under construction), and with international products being more accessible through e-commerce, the days of the Canelar Barter Trade may soon be numbered.
I bought most of my pasalubong from Canelar. We went here at around 4 in the afternoon to buy pasalubong. There were hardly any other customers at that time. Canelar consists of dozens of stalls selling practically the same products—packaged food, ready-to-mix powdered drinks, clothing, magnets and keychains, bags—your usual pasalubong stuff.
The food that is sold here comes mostly from Malaysia, some from Indonesia—chocolates, biscuits, snacks, instant noodles, coffee, milk tea, and tea. I was able to snag a couple of bottles of Kecap Manis from Indonesia. The shirts, malong, scarves, and bags are similar to what you can get from Divisoria. Sadly, there is hardly any product sold here that is uniquely Zamboangueño. The most unique item that I got was vinta (Zamboanga’s most identifiable icon) magnets and keychains.
Since the stalls have very similar products, we went around the market to find the cheapest buys. (we no longer went to the parts of the market that had household items for sale; it was the portion of the Keep in mind that their prices are not fixed. Haggling goes a long way. I usually start at half of their asking price. I also asked for freebies.
Like I mentioned, Gcash is accepted as payment. I had to transact near the road though since the network coverage inside the market was not good and the e-commerce transaction could not push through.
We had to stop buying at around 530 PM when the stalls closed and power in the area was cut off.
I ended up buying malong and pashmina, a handful of t-shirts, Maggi Kari (curry flavor), a variety of Apollo wafer products, Tofiluk and Safari, an assortment of milk teas, chocolate drinks, ginger tea, iced tea, and 3-in-1 coffee, kecap manis (it was a rare find in Canelar—I had been fond of kecap manis since I traveled to Indonesia and the kecap at Canelar was cheaper and bigger than what I had bought from online stores), and a taqiyah (an Islamic prayer cap).
The Canelar Barter Trade used to be an iconic part of Zamboanga tourism. However, tourism in Zamboanga is not organized at all. Zamboanga is not tourist-friendly. Compared to other tourist spots where there are abundant organized tours of the city available, in Zamboanga, there is none. In other tourist spots, many of the organized tours have a dedicated time for pasalubong shopping, and this is an opportunity that Canelar is not able to take advantage of. With the further dilapidation of its premises and the rise of more convenient shopping alternatives (a new SM Zamboanga is under construction), and with international products being more accessible through e-commerce, the days of the Canelar Barter Trade may soon be numbered.
Written 24 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mike321ph
Pasig, Philippines321 contributions
Jun 2015 • Solo
Looks like this place is on the way to recovery after the Zamboanga siege. There are stalls selling items from Malaysia & Indonesia at bargain prices from clothing, pashminas, chocolates, Maggi "Kari" or Curry, Tom yum & Ayam, to biscuits, ceramics, jewelry & pearls (they say cheaper than Greenhills), glassware etc.
A local recommended the stalls at the inside rather than those outside which are readily visible and accessible.
Be ready to always haggle and not act surprised at the cheap prices.
A local recommended the stalls at the inside rather than those outside which are readily visible and accessible.
Be ready to always haggle and not act surprised at the cheap prices.
Written 29 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kidzzstuff
cebu city9 contributions
Dec 2013 • Family
Looking for something unique, different and affordable to bring back to Manila or as" pasalubong" then you come to the right place, ranging from chocolates to spices and neatly designed shirts to native wallets. One secret I have to share though like going to Divisoria or Baclan you have to negotiate your way like they do in " Pawnstars".
The most popular items are Maggi Curry, Cadburry Chocolates and whitening soaps or lotions. The sad thing though this place has seen its popular days and it seems the energy here is waning thinks to the less and less people coming to the place and plus the bad the bad light brought by the Zamboanga siege...
The most popular items are Maggi Curry, Cadburry Chocolates and whitening soaps or lotions. The sad thing though this place has seen its popular days and it seems the energy here is waning thinks to the less and less people coming to the place and plus the bad the bad light brought by the Zamboanga siege...
Written 2 November 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MijnlieverdFH
Tagum City, Philippines4,142 contributions
Apr 2012 • Friends
My friends and I were amazed of the various products sold here. From imported soap, biscuits/wafers, coffee to clothing blouses and shirts and "malong" they have it here.
You need to go around first to get the best buy of the items you like to purchase in mind. the rest you will discover a lot of merchandise. I suggest you try the big stores if you like to purchase some items besides clothing and related materials. It can be seen usually at the outer stalls facing the parking at the sides, much cheaper there.
Most items are not found in the malls.
You need to go around first to get the best buy of the items you like to purchase in mind. the rest you will discover a lot of merchandise. I suggest you try the big stores if you like to purchase some items besides clothing and related materials. It can be seen usually at the outer stalls facing the parking at the sides, much cheaper there.
Most items are not found in the malls.
Written 4 April 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WanderLustDavao
Mindanao, Philippines359 contributions
Mar 2015 • Business
Often times, we buy keepsakes that originated from the place we visited. At the
Canelar Barter Trade Center, you get to purchase coffee, chocolates, tea, wafers, biscuits, dry goods, etc from the neighboring countries of Malaysia and Indonesia. Thus, it becomes a trip within a trip - visiting Zamboanga while sampling some goods from the said countries. Prices are reasonable and you can still negotiate for a bargain. it is also located right at the city center,making shopping more accessible.
Canelar Barter Trade Center, you get to purchase coffee, chocolates, tea, wafers, biscuits, dry goods, etc from the neighboring countries of Malaysia and Indonesia. Thus, it becomes a trip within a trip - visiting Zamboanga while sampling some goods from the said countries. Prices are reasonable and you can still negotiate for a bargain. it is also located right at the city center,making shopping more accessible.
Written 3 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kathy P
Manila77 contributions
Inexpensive scarves, shawls, and sarong in a multitude of colors are available. They sell pretty much the same type of goods, so it's better to browse the outer stores first and haggle/buy in the inner stalls where it is usually a little bit cheaper. Apart from the "I heart Zamboanga" shirts and vinta magnets, there isn't a whole lot of souvenir selections here. Your best bet are the cheap but tasty Malaysian chocolates for pasalubong.
Written 11 November 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
redhotchili09
Manila150 contributions
Mar 2011 • Friends
This is basically like a big warehouse with stalls selling products from neighboring Indonesia and Malaysia; nothing fancy. This is not hard to get to since it's easily accessible by public transportation. Products such as Asian-made Cadbury, powdered soaps, powdered milk and many others made for the Indonesian and Malaysian markets can be found here. I bought a bunch of instant noodles flavored with sambal and a can of ikan bilis just for kicks.
The place can be quite interesting but I was a a bit disappointed because I was expecting the stalls to be filled with vendors. Instead, It looked as if only a third was in operation.
The place can be quite interesting but I was a a bit disappointed because I was expecting the stalls to be filled with vendors. Instead, It looked as if only a third was in operation.
Written 22 November 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
d0ctrine
Antipolo City, Philippines1,026 contributions
Oct 2019
Good place to shop for souvenirs (pasalubong) and food items like coffee, snacks, sweets and even noodles and canned goods. You can haggle with the vendors to get good prices for the items you fancy.
Written 5 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It depends on the fabric and its size. The cheapest i was able to buy costs 200.00 per cut but the material is really good! Most of the malongs come from malaysia amd indonesia.
Written 22 October 2019
can i order something offline and have it delivered to and address in philippine?
Written 7 December 2018
Hello po, i am from cebu and i would like to ask anong jeep ang pwdeng masakyan papuntang Canelar Barter Trade Center? Pwde po ba yung jeep na papuntang Airport na dadaan sa Canelar?
Written 13 March 2016
hanniegrace
Fukuoka, Japan
hello po im from davao and never been to zamboanga pero gusto ko po sana mag buy ng beach shawl malapit ng summer. here in davao mahal kasi yong from china town pangit din, pls po contact me on facebook hannie grace matura add me on facebook
Written 13 January 2016
Shawl- there are many types of shawls and similar shawls can be found in Davao, there is a barter trade center there in Aldevinco.
Written 22 October 2019
Showing results 1-5 of 5
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing