Shopping in Barbados
"Buying Island Gifts, Items and Souvenirs in Barbados"

There are many places where you can go shopping in Barbados ranging from modern air conditioned malls to chattel villages and you will always find the sales staff in the shops to be friendly and helpful. The cities of Bridgetown, Holetown and Speightstown are all good for shopping and you should look out for locally produced items such as clothing, mahogany carvings, jewellery and basketware. And obviously Barbados rum, a must gift to take back home with you!

Where You Should Go Shopping in Barbados........

The most obvious places to enjoy Barbados shopping are the island's major cities starting with the capital, Bridgetown Barbados, the island's main shopping hub.

Shopping in Bridgetown..The Capital Of The Island

Bridgetown is where shopping in Barbados really comes to life.  On Broad Street you will find lots of duty free shops, shopping malls such as Dacostas Mall, and department stores such as Cave Shepherd and Harrisons. Many hotels offer a free shuttle service to the shops here where you will do most of you duty free shopping in Barbados.

Nearby Swan Street is pedestrianised and has lots of wayside vendors and street stalls selling jewelery, crafts, fruit & vegetables. There are quite a lot of street stalls around Bridgetown from which you can even buy hand made leather shoes. The leather will be cut, shaped and tanned for you there and then and prices can be quite reasonable.

Learn more about shopping in Bridgetown Barbados

Shopping at The Oistins Barbados Fishing Village

Once you have exhausted the Barbados duty free shops and stores of Bridgetown, Oistins should be your next stop.  Here you will find some great local Barbados handmade crafts and jewelery. Oistins is the centre of the Bajan fishing industry and is very famous for its fish market. However, you will also find stalls selling local crafts in the area surrounding the fish market.  

The best time for you to go shopping here is on a Friday night.  This is when this Barbados city comes to life with The Oistins Fish Fry, when locals and visitors gather to enjoy the island's best locally caught and grilled fish.  This will allow you to enjoy an amazing authentic Bajan dinner followed by a stroll through the fishing village's local stalls. Most hotels offer one free complimentary ride to Oistins on a Friday night to hotel guests...you should take that ride :).

Shopping in Holetown, Barbados

If you happen to be staying on the west coast of the island the village of Holetown will be your nearest area to go shopping in Barbados.  Here you will find Barbados shopping malls including The West Coast Mall, Lime Grove and Sunset Mall in Sunset Crest.  At these west coast Barbados malls you will find supermarkets to do your grocery shopping as well as large department stores such as Cave Shepherd where you can enjoy your share of Barbados duty free shopping.

In Holetown you will also find a lovely Chattel House Village.  Chattel houses are brightly coloured traditional style homes. There are a number of tiny "chattel house villages" around the island where several of these house have been grouped together to house unique local gifts and craft stores. These have made for a beautiful place for you to shop for souvenirs.   The Chattel House Village in Holetown is located right next to The West Coast Shopping Mall along Highway 1.

Shopping in Speightstown, Barbados

Shopping in Barbados in the village of Speightstown is not as extensive as the other Barbados cities but has a few street stalls selling fruits and vegetables. Speightstown is located in the parish of St.Peter in the north western region of the island.  The main Barbados shopping street to visit in Speightstown is called Queen Street.  This street runs through the centre of the village and has a variety of stores.  This is where you will find Jordan's Supermarket a local grocery store.

Shopping in St. Lawrence Gap

A side from the major cities and villages of the island, St.Lawrence Gap, or "The Gap" as it is called locally, is a street along the south coast that is well known for its "wayside vendors" and collection of craft stores.  You will find St.Lawrence Gap in the parish of Christ Church home to Dover Beach,  Escape At The Gap and Rostrevor Hotel.

There are two main places to shop along this street, the first being The Chattel House Shopping Village.  This shopping village is similar to the Chattel House Village that you will find in Holetown along the island's west coast.  Here you will find the same colourful tiny houses selling Barbados souvenirs and gifts.  There is also a similar collection of chattel houses at the nearby Dover Beach.

The second place to shop in St.Lawrence Gap is a two-floor store stocking a wide range of accessories, crafts and decorative items for your home.  This store is known as Walkers World and is located directly next to Dover Beach.  This is a must visit.

What Should I Buy While On Vacation in Barbados ???......

Below I have put together a list of items that you can purchase while on vacation in Barbados and where you can buy them from. The majority of these items are available duty free as well so you can save.

Local Arts and Crafts 

Local Bajan craftspeople work with a diverse range of materials creating pottery, basketware, paintings, sculptures, footwear and clothing. You can often find their work for sale alongside conch shells from street vendors and at the Chattel House Villages. At the Chattel House Villages and other locations throughout the island you will also find The Best Of Barbados gift shops selling a wide range of  locally made souvenirs.

There is also Ann's Craft Centre inside Pelican Village in Bridgetown selling colourful woven products using local straw. Other products to look out for include locally made jewelery, mahogany carvings and shell work. There are also numerous local artists sell their paintings.  

Jewelery & Watches

Many visitors to the island like yourself enjoy shopping in Barbados for the finest gold and silver jewelery at very reasonable prices.  The prices can be as high as 50% cheaper than in North America and Europe. The best places to shop for high end jewelery in Barbados are at Colombian Emeralds, Diamonds International, Little Switzerland and The Royal Shop.

Local Food & Drink

Barbados is the original home of rum making Bajan rum some of the best in the world, so you must shop for some during your stay. Other local products you should also buy include Coconut Bread, a sweet loaf bread made with coconut shreds, and Banana Bread, a similar bread but made with bananas.  You should also get some Bajan Rum Cake.  This cake is made with the finest Barbados rum and has a very unique taste.  This also makes a perfect gift for friends and family.  

The best place to go shopping in Barbados for rum, coconut bread and banana bread is the a local supermarkets as this is where you will find them selling for the cheapest prices.  Bajan rum cake on the other hand can be found in the many gifts and souvenir shops around the island including The Chattel House Villages and Cave Shepherd. 

Brand Name Beach Wear

Bikinis and men's swim trunks are sold on the island at duty free or importation tax free prices to visitors.  One of the best place to buy duty free swimwear in Barbados is Lazy Days at the Quayside Centre in Christ Church.

This Barbados beach wear / surf shop is easy to find as it is directly across the street from Accra Beach Hotel and stocks top name brands such as Quiksilver, Billabong and Hurley.  This store also sells beach sandals, boogie boards and much, much more. 

Local Barbados Pottery

When shopping in Barbados pottery is a very unique buy and also makes for great gifts and souvenirs.  The best place to purchase local pottery in Barbados is at the Earthworks Pottery House in the parish of St.James where they sell over 100 shapes and 20 stock patterns of microwave friendly dinnerware and pottery pieces. 

A visit to this Barbados pottery house can be arranged with your hotel's tour operator and will allow you to enjoy a guided tour of the pottery house and chat with the local potters, after which you can browse through their collection of items for sale. 

Local Barbados Art Work and Paintings