Best Things to Buy in the Caribbean
Shopping in the Caribbean is always a fun experience. Many times you can find items that you wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else in the world. Before you begin your shopping adventure there are some tips you should follow to ensure that you go home with a good deal.
Where To Go
There’s quite an abundance of places you can do some shopping while you are in the Caribbean. Like the U.S., you may be able to find modern shops or even a mall or two in larger cities like Cancun. However, to get a good bargain you really should visit an open air market. Not only do these markets help support the country’s local economy, but you are immersing yourself in the culture and creating lasting memories.
Best Things to Buy in the Caribbean
There are so many great items to buy in the Caribbean that it’s impossible to list them all. No matter where you are shopping in the Caribbean you can usually find the following items:
- Food items like rum cake, spices, jelly/jams, liquor and coffee
- Handmade items like straw hats, blankets and jewelry
- Local artwork
- Perfumes and cosmetics
- Purses, shoes and clothing
- Gold & silver
Other Important Tips
- Each country does have their own unique items for sale in a variety of different shopping venues.
- Check is U.S. Dollars are accepted in the areas you are shopping. Larger stores to accept credit cards.
- If you are quoted in local currency, make sure and have a currency conversion app handy.
- It’s okay to try and negotiate on prices at the local markets, especially if you are buying several things at one time.
- Carry small bills so that you can have exact change.
- Some vendors can be pushy. It’s okay to say smile and walk away.
Here is a list of some of the best things to buy in the Caribbean by island.
Bahamas
When it comes to shopping, the Bahamas is known for its unique finds. The International Bazaar in Freeport is known for the luxury items they sell. Nassau’s Straw Market, which is located on Bay Street, contains not only straw goods, but clothing items and hand made souvenirs as well. Make sure and check out the conch shell jewelry, local tropical jams & woodcarvings.
- Straw Goods – Purses, hats, fans, baskets & souvenirs made from dried palm leaves
- Jams & Jellies – Try the local guava jelly and pineapple jam.
- Conch Shell Jewellery – This beautiful pale pink shells cover the body of a conch. These shells are polished and made into beautiful bracelets, necklaces & earrings.
- Cigars – You can purchase Cuban cigars as well as take a tour of local cigar factory in Nassau
- Batiks – Colorful batik fabrics are used for tables linens, garments and accessories in the Bahamas.
- Wood carvings – Some of our favorite past times is to watch the local artists. From souvenirs to beautiful bowls and kitchen goods, it is amazing to see them come together right before your eyes.
Dominican Republic
If you want to find designer items, the Dominican Republic is the place to go. Here you can find anything from jewelry to trendy fashions. Another popular item for tourists to take home is a handmade rocking chair. Don’t worry, they are already dissembled and placed securely in a box for you to easily transport it home and put it together. Larimar is a gemstone similar to turquoise and amber is mined in DR, so you will find plenty of jewelry made with these stones. Cigars are also a good buy, particularly by Fuente. Try Mamajuana which is a blend of red wine and honey fermented in a bottle with herbs and tree bark or purchase just the tree bark and herbs and take home to enhance the flavor of your favorite rum or wine. Coffee, leather goods, honey and rum can can also be found throughout the island.
Jamaica
Oh the things you’ll find in Jamaica! They are known for everything from chocolate liquor to jerk seasoning. You can find large markets in Port Antonio, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios & Negril. Blue mountain coffee, rum candles, calabash wooden bowls, coconut wine glasses, Pickapeppa hot sauce and Appleton Estate Reserve rum are popular items to shop for. Jamaican white rum has increased in popularity over recent years. Also try the locally made liqueur, Tia Maria. If you are into art then you are in luck. Many pieces of artwork from Jamaica have become very popular among art collectors. If you happen to buy one of Jamaica’s many pieces of artwork for sale, you might find yourself with a very valuable item in the future.
Related reading: A Guide to Hot Sauces Around the World
Puerto Rico
One of the benefits of shopping in certain parts of Puerto Rico is that there is no duty if you are a citizen of the U.S. Overall there are quite a few different types of items for sale in the country including guitars, guiro, paper mache masks and figurines carved out of wood. One unique item you can find easily is a pilon, which is a wooden mortar and pestle which is great to crush garlic & spices. Candies made of local fruits including orange, pineapple, lime, guava, coconut, papaya and sweet potato are popular items that are easy to pack. Puerto Rico is well known for its varying flavors of rum. You can also find more traditional souvenirs like jewelry and cigars as well.
Related reading: Mangu vs. Mofongo
U.S. Virgin Islands
The capital city of Charlotte Amalie is the main shopping hub for those looking to shop in the U.S. Virgin Islands. There are over 400 different shops there and it can get extremely busy when there is a cruise ship in port. Many people buy jewelry to save the tax on luxury goods. You can currently purchase up to $1,600 worth and pay no tax vs. $800 on many of the other islands. Other items for sale include custom leather sandals, dolls, designer clothing, carved calabash bowls, rum, hot sauce, electronics and jewelry made out of shells & sea glass.
Cuba
Recently opened for easier travel for US Citizens, primarily via cruises, Havana has some great items you can shop for. You can find great deals on straw hats and purses, papier-mache dolls, hammocks, hand carved wooden statues, ceramics and paintings. Other popular items include Latin music recorded by locals, cigars and Cuban rum. The country is not full (yet) of international boutiques you find on many other Caribbean islands.
Haiti
Shop for Haitian oil paintings, mahogany carvings, pottery and wrought-iron sculptures, as well as cotton and hand-embroidered clothing. Local hand made jewelry and crafts are beautiful. Many items are made of recycled materials such as steel from a steel drum, papier mache from cement bags and glue made from locally grown starch. The rum is one of the best we have tasted! Rhum Barbancourt is made from sugarcane instead of molasses which gives it a distinct, sweet flavor.
Curacao
Try the local island liquor named after the island “Curacao.” Make sure the label says Curacao or Curacao, which is the true version made with dried peels of lahara, a fruit native to the island. French perfumes, Medeira linens, Italian handbags and sportswear, Dutch dolls, chocolate and cheese are all good to buy. Make sure and ask if the 5% island sales tax is already included in the price tags you see. This island is not common for bargaining other than at the Floating Market.
Grenada
Not known for bargains that are found on many other Caribbean islands. Best things to look out for are local arts and crafts, rum and spaces grown on the island. Look for locally made jams and jellies, especially the guava. Popular spices to buy are nutmeg, cloves, ginger, mace, cinnamon, bay leaf and vanilla. Local spices are also used to make perfumes, jewelry and some rums.
What Other Information You Should Know
Not all cities have duty free shopping so you will need to check with each shop to determine whether your items will be duty free or not. Also, some places actually welcome trying to bargain while others will find it insulting. Use your best judgment and try to follow along with what the locals do and you will have an enjoyable shopping experience wherever you find yourself in the Caribbean.
