How to Reclaim VAT and Why Not to Look for Bina Market by the Airport: Karavan Publishes a Baku Shopping Guide

Karavan Rent A Car in Baku has published a major guide to shopping in Baku in its Travelers Club — from malls on the waterfront to the Sadarak and Bina markets.

The guide covers the capital’s eight main malls: Crescent Mall, Port Baku Mall, Ganjlik Mall, 28 Mall, Park Bulvar, Deniz Mall, Metropark and Amburan Mall. For each one it explains who it suits, what’s inside, how to get there and offers a practical tip. The newest, Crescent Mall, opened on 28 May 2024, with a car park for 1,193 cars, the country’s first musical fountain and brands that opened their first stores in Azerbaijan.

A separate section is devoted to the Sadarak and Bina markets in Lokbatan, off the Salyan highway, where locals go for wholesale prices. The guide’s authors warn of a common mistake: the Bina trading centre is not in the Bina settlement near the airport but next to Sadarak. For the markets there are eight rules to avoid overpaying — from comparing prices at several stalls to testing appliances in front of the seller.

Another find in the guide is a car-free route: five major malls sit along one metro line, the red line, at neighbouring stations from Icherisheher to Narimanov.

An important practical section covers Tax Free. Foreigners can reclaim VAT (18%) at the airport on purchases of 300 manat or more per receipt in shops displaying the Tax Free sign, provided the goods leave by air within 90 days. The guide works through an example and explains why you shouldn’t check purchases in before the customs stamp. In January to August 2026, foreigners got back more than 6 million manat.

Read the full guide on the company’s website. Reach Karavan Rent A Car in Baku by phone, WhatsApp, or Telegram at +994-55-455-22-45.