Shopping
You will find duty-free shopping bargains and designer brands, arts and crafts, and souvenirs in the Caribbean. Barbados shopping offers a complete duty-free shops experience for any shopaholic.
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For more advice, check out our souvenirs guide as well as our tips on things to buy and take home.
Recommended Things to Buy and Take Home
South Coast Shopping in Barbados
A great place to start on the south coast is in Worthing, which has specialty items in Coconut-Walk. Then you can visit the nation’s capital of Bridgetown in the parish of St. Michael. This is one of the central shopping districts on the island, with great duty-free prices on a wide variety of options all in one place. From local to international fare, banking facilities, crystal and jewelry, duty-free shopping, pharmacies, shoe stores, and so much more, a trip to Bridgetown is a ‘must’ on any shoppers list.
In the capital city and heart of town, Broad Street is home to Harrisons Department store, DaCosta’s Mall, and one of the Cave Shepherd outlets stocking a generous selection of duty-free prices and designer brands such as Louis Vuitton.
Also along Broad Street are recommended quality jewelers and watch retailers :
Earthworks Barbados has a regular production that includes more than 100 shapes in 24 different design patterns. Our range is continually changing and expanding, but if you have collected a design that is no longer “in stock,” we will be glad to create it in a specific order at no extra cost.
- Colombian Emeralds International
- The Royal Shop
- Diamonds International
- Little Switzerland
Outside of town, there are still numerous places to shop along this lovely Barbadian stretch of coastline, including:
- The Royal Shop boutique store at Accra Beach Hotel
- Sheraton Mall
- Pelican Village Craft Centre
- Hastings Farmers Market
- Quayside Centre
- St. Lawrence Gap
- Oistins
Moving towards the center of the island in St.Thomas’s parish is a unique shopping area at Earthworks – No Ordinary Pottery!
Earthworks is an open pottery studio, making functional hand-decorated dinnerware and all kinds of red clay ceramic pieces. You can walk in and see experienced Bajan potters crafting their work. Barbados Souvenirs were created for you to take back home, which makes unique gifts and presents those loved ones back home.
The south-east of the island is The Crane Village, which is fast becoming a serious shopping destination with an inspiring art gallery.
The uniquely designed 55 000 square-foot Village is open to locals and visitors, offering various shopping, dining, and entertainment options. There are also loads of opportunities for duty-free goods in the 3 000 square-foot ‘ Duty-Free Emporium.’
Every Wednesday afternoon, The Crane Village also transforms into an open-air market (Village Fair) featuring local arts and crafts, jewelry, and traditional delicacies.
You will find several shopping centers on the south coast to choose from Christ Church’s parish with excellent local prices. For a full description, see our South Coast Guide to shopping in Barbados.
West Coast Barbados Shopping
The best place to start is in the parish of St. James on the west coast (or ‘gold’ coast as it is also known) is Holetown, home to some of the best high-end shopping on the island.
Here, you will find an array of duty-free and boutique options, as well as all the leading international designer brands, sure to satisfy those shoppers with luxury in mind.
Holetown is also home to some of the top recommended jewelers, including Colombian Emeralds International, Diamonds International, and Little Switzerland.
But don’t be fooled. The west coast shopping experience is not all ‘glitz and glamour.’ There are also plenty of ‘grassroots’ options on the west coast, like markets and quaint chattel houses selling local arts and crafts, souvenirs, and fresh produce.
Notable west coast shopping destinations include
- Limegrove Lifestyle Centre
- West Mall Shopping Centre
- The Chattel Village
- Sunset Mall
- Holder’s Farmers’ Market
- Speightstown
Speightstown is the second largest town on our island, with its array of shops and malls, boutiques and gift shops, souvenirs, banking facilities, and eateries to enjoy.
Airport Shopping
The Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) offers a range of options (especially duty-free ) for travelers in its Arrivals Terminal and Departure Lounge.
GAIA is home to both Colombian Emeralds International and Diamonds International and one of the Best of Barbados Gift Shops.
There are various convenience stores, fashions, crafts, and souvenir stores within GAIA with some great gift options and tax-free bargains to be had.
There is also a Cave Shepherd store in the Arrivals Terminal for arriving passengers to purchase some duty-free items.
For a full description of just what’s on offer at GAIA, check out our Barbados Airport Guide to shopping.
Cruise Terminal Shopping
The Bridgetown Cruise Terminal has various shopping options (mainly duty-free ) for anyone who takes a cruise and arrives at the cruise terminal.
Among the more notable retailers are Diamonds International, Little Switzerland, and Best of Barbados Gift Shops.
You will also find outlets like Cave Shepherd offering perfumes, fine linen, arts and crafts, exclusive resort wear, liquor, cigars, and cigarettes, as well as pushcart vendors, mainly selling local handicrafts.
There are banking facilities and even a Post Office in the Cruise Terminal, alongside Customs, Immigration, Port Health, and Plant and Animal Quarantine.
For more information, see our Cruise Terminal Guide to shopping in Barbados.
Did You Know?
You can pay in the United States US dollars, Bajan dollars, and credit cards; every traveler likes to take home a traditional souvenir from the country they have visited. For authentic Bajan souvenirs, one of the places to visit is Best of Barbados Gift Shops.
It is a family-owned business that has been making and designing top-quality local gifts and handicrafts on the island for over 40 years. Here, you’ll find a large variety of Bajan -made souvenirs, ranging from prints and designs by the company’s founder (artist Jill Walker) and her family to jewelry, art, paintings, cookbooks, beach bags, towels, T-shirts, music, and DVDs all at economically priced in Barbados Dollars ( Bds ).
You’ll find their stores in five locations – The Chattel Village in Holetown, Quayside Centre in Rockley, Southern Palms Hotel in St. Lawrence Gap, Bridgetown Cruise Terminal, and the Departure Lounge at the Grantley Adams International Airport for last-minute shopping needs.
Before entering each store, be sure to sanitize and wear your mask to protect the COVID-19.
Visit TripAdvisor for other suggestions of excellent locations to shop in Barbados.
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