Shopping in St. Lucia

What is a Caribbean vacation without getting in a little souvenir shopping?  The Caribbean is known for selling products at great values that American vacationers can rarely resist, and St. Lucia is no different.

The Goods

When choosing products that are made in St. Lucia, consider the products that the island is best known for.  Batik and silk-screened fabrics are at the top of the list, followed by art, straw weavings, pottery, and wood carvings. 

Don't forget some of the islands top perishables: cocoa, coffee, and some locally grown spices.  Don't forget the locally distilled rum and island hot sauce.

Where to Shop

The best shopping in St. Lucia can be found in the capital city of Castries, where there are numerous shops selling a large variety of goods, often at duty free prices.  With more than 20 in the complex, Point Seraphine has the largest collection of shops on the entire island.  It is conveniently located near the cruise ship ports, so that cruise passengers can easily get in a few hours of shopping when they dock in St. Lucia. 

On Saturdays, check out the Saturday Market, which has been around for over 100 years, and is still one of the best places to purchase souvenirs.  Vendors set up booths filled with local produce, spices, and the days catch, as well as booths filled with handmade crafts and pieces of art.   

Just north of Castries is the Gablewoods Mall compound, which features three restaurants and numerous shops, is a great place to pick up a variety of products, and even has a grocery store and post office on site.  Within the city of Castries, and immediately surrounding it, visitors will find numerous art galleries where they can view works by native artists, and perhaps even pick one up to return him with as a souvenir. 

In Soufriere, most of the shops that are not run by the resorts are locally owned.  Here you will find clothing shops, art galleries, and gift shops.  The town market is located on Maurice Mason Street.

At the Rodney Bay Marina in Gros Ilet, visitors will find the J.Q. Mall, a modern shopping mall complex, filled with clothing stores and novelty shops.  There are also a few banks and restaurants on property. 

Duties, Taxes, and Other Tips

When making duty free purchases in St. Lucia, visitors must present their cruise ship boarding pass, or their airline ticket.  Though vacationers can typically walk right out of the shop with their purchases, liquor and tobacco will be sent on to the airport or the cruise ship, where you can pick it up upon your departure.  You will find duty free shopping at J.Q. Mall in Rodney Bay, Hawanorra Airport Duty-Free, and La Place Carenage and Pointe Seraphine in Castries.

Business hours will vary between each shop, but you can bet that most shops will stay open between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, with an hour long break in the middle for lunch.  Note that the official currency of St. Lucia is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar, so travelers will want to exchange their money before trying to pay with cash on the island to be safe.  Although the U.S. Dollar is widely accepted, you may receive change in local currency.

Whether bargain shopping, or looking for something to commemorate your time in St. Lucia, there are plenty of places on the island that offer everything you need.