Shopping in St. Thomas

As one of the most popular vacation spots in the Caribbean, it goes without saying that shopping until you drop is quite easy. With art galleries, fashion houses, jewelry stores, kiosks and gift shops, as well as accessory shops and specialty stores in the main area of Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas is the place to go if you have some extra cash to spend.

If you are looking for a bargain, the duty free shops are well worth visiting. These include Boolchand’s retail outlet, the Royal Caribbean camera and electronic store, Diamond Place for stunning jewelry, Dynasty Duty Free for all your perfumes, liquor, jewelry, tobacco products and more, and last but not least, the Tropicana Perfume Shop. Duty free shops line the main streets and the cruise liners’ main port at Havensight is filled with boutiques and shops including Havensight Shopping Center, Port of Sale and the Buccaneer Mall. There are cafes, and bars dotted around the main streets so that you can get a bite to eat and refreshments while you shop.

Some specialty stores that might catch your attention are the Dockside Bookshop, the Scandinavian Center where you can get glassware, hand sculptured goods, and contemporary crafts from Denmark and Scandinavia. Other popular shopping spots include The Royal Dane Mall, Palm Passage and Riise Alley.

With most of the shopping options in St Thomas, you will find that they are catered for tourists, especially those from the cruise ships, which makes them more expensive. You will need to find the local shops that are affordable and authentic. You can find smaller shops in Lockhart Gardens, Tillet Gardens, Mountain Top, Tutu Park Mall, Paradise Point and the Nisky Center. Remember that most shops close at about 1pm on Sundays unless there is a huge influx of tourists from a docked cruise liner.

When considering the duty free options, travelers are given a $1600 exemption if they return from a US insular possession whether it is directly or indirectly. This exemption includes 1000 cigarettes and 5 bottles of alcohol, as long as you are over the age of 21.

Here are some shopping tips to keep in mind:

• Don’t wear your swimwear to the shops. Sales people and locals will find it rude.
• When you intend on purchasing jewelry, many of the locals and family owned businesses will be prepared to bargain with you, so you can get some great deals.
• The local sales people are very conscious about polite greetings, so always say “Good morning” or “Good afternoon” before you say anything else.

With these hints and advice as to where the best shopping areas are on St Thomas Island, you will have a wonderful shopping experience when you travel here.