Varadero
Built in 1997, and already looking dated, Cuba’s first bona fide shopping mall is one of Varadero’s less-inspired architectural creations, though it…
Must-see shopping in Caribbean
Montego Bay
The largest selection of typical Jamaican souvenirs in MoBay – coconut-palm baskets, woven hats, Rasta-themed wood carvings and Haitian art rip-offs – is…
Montego Bay
With a nightclub vibe and bouncers inviting you in, this is a medicinal marijuana dispensary only in the sense that there's a nurse onsite, ready to write…
Montego Bay
This crafts market behind the fort sells a good selection of Jamaica wood carvings, vibrant paintings ripped off from Haitian art, locally made items…
Santo Domingo
Located on the 3rd floor of an aging office building, Mapas Gaar has the best variety and the largest number of maps in the Dominican Republic. Maps are…
Negril
Just north of Plaza de Negril. Crafts that are locally made are the varnished wooden carvings (you'll see some guys carving), plus some woven hats,…
Willemstad
A shadow of its former solid self, this old fort has seen its walls punched out for shops aimed at day-trippers plowing through from the nearby cruise…
Bequia
The best bookstore in the region stocks everything from charts and survey maps to yachting books and flora and fauna guides. Browse West Indian, North…
Habana Vieja
Part of the government-run Artex chain, the small, succinctly curated Memorias is where to come for a guayabera (men's shirt), a Museo de Bellas Artes…
Trinidad
This family-owned pottery produce piles of deyas (tiny earthenware lamps) for Divali as well as a variety of bigger ceramic wares. Take a walk into the…
Bazar – Proyecto de Desarollo Local
Holguín
Listen for music blasting from the doorway of this private, community-run market that sells jewelry, magic boxes, Cuban art and goat-leather goods. It's…
Santo Domingo
This longstanding contemporary gallery displays the works of acclaimed Dominican artists including José Gausachs, Ramón Oviedo, Iris Pérez, José Pelletier…
Anguilla
Located down a long driveway on the ground floor of a residential house (there's limited street signage to help guide you), Coral Reef has some good local…
Grand Cayman
You can't miss this seaside souvenir shack, marked by striking sculptures made out of recycled tires. That's just the beginning of the treasures – mostly…
Port-au-Prince & Around
Established in 1972, this craftmakers’ cooperative has worked to promote Haitian crafts and provide fair wages for its artisans. The shop here is strong…
Pointe-à-Pitre
Pointe-à-Pitre's cast-iron Victorian market is a fairly good place to buy island handicrafts, including straw dolls, straw hats and African-style…
Aruba
This glossy shopping center contains a cinema, dinner theater and plenty of chain restaurants and shops. There's regular entertainment (Latin dance, steel…
Habana Vieja
This bookstore, a throwback to the 1920s, was refurbished by the City Historian to fit in with its Old Town surroundings. Editions are mainly in Spanish,…
Habana Vieja
Small bookshop in the historic center that sells books published or sponsored by the Office of the City Historian. Most are in Spanish and track the…
Nassau
The flagship store of this Bahamian luxury-goods chain, which started out here in 1929, is worth popping into for its iconic status, even if you aren't in…
Santo Domingo
Every Sunday, shoppers descend on Av Duarte for a thriving Chinatown street market. Enormous fruits and vegetables, live chickens, dim sum and various sea…
Port-au-Prince & Around
An upscale art boutique with everything from custom sandals to Vodou bracelets to chandeliers made out of recycled tires. The business owner, Pascale…
Camagüey Province
This strip mall between the Gran Club Santa Lucía and Club Amigo Caracol has an ARTex store, a bookstore and a couple of government-run Caracol outlets…
The Exumas
Look past the mass-produced tourist tat on sale here and give serious consideration to the Bahamian clothing, trinkets and knickknacks that are genuinely…
Providenciales
The longest-standing gift shop in the Ports of Call Plaza, and perhaps on Provo, Mama's has been run by Eleana Patrick since 1995. It's packed with…
Southern Haiti
One of Jacmel's better artisanat (handicrafts) galleries, Moro features Carnival masks and costumes and the all-popular 'sitters' – colorful plywood…
Pinar del Río Province
An interesting, if dusty, selection of regional handicrafts run by the BFC (Cuban cultural agency), although revenue goes almost exclusively to the…
Anguilla
Drop by the studio of local artist Cheddie Richardson to watch him carve driftwood into masterful sculptures. You'll find him near the Sol gas station but…
Santo Domingo
This modern, two-story Dominican version of Barnes & Noble is one of the nicest and largest bookstores in the city, and has an upstairs cafe. Attached to…
Montserrat
The well-stocked gift shop inside the National Trust building in Olveston has a good selection of Montserrat-themed gifts, including T-shirts, rum,…
Holguín Province
This touristy, open-air handicraft market caters to resort clients from the surrounding area. Find the usual Che merch, postcards and beaded jewelry – not…
Nevis
Locally made clothes, jewelry, stonework and paintings by local artists plus a range of other brightly hued handicrafts can all be found in this friendly…
US Virgin Islands
Sellers hawk fruit smoothies, batik dresses, T-shirts, Prada knockoffs and Caribbean trinkets under blue-canopied stalls beside Emancipation Garden.
Vedado
This small but respected store in the bookish Casa de las Américas building is great for contemporary literature and CDs, and has some guidebooks.
Port of Spain
This large shopping mall has ample parking and a raft of shops selling everything from local craft to books, and an outlet of Trini clothes store Radical…
Bonaire
A handicraft market sets up on the main city square when there's a cruise ship in port. More than 40 vendors sell mostly local products and souvenirs, as…
Port-au-Prince & Around
A huge gallery over two floors, with a large collection of mostly moderns and some naives. The owner also has an extensive private collection housed as a…
Varadero
Varadero town's modern subterranean mall in Parque de las 8000 Taquillas is small by American standards, but has the basics including souvenirs, cigars, a…
Aruba
Affiliated with the luxury resort, this upscale shopping center is replete with art galleries, designer boutiques and high-end chain stores.
St Lucia
Across the road from the Central Market is this shopping arcade, which backs onto the waterfront. Load up on colorful textiles, rum, spices, handicrafts,…
