Local handicraft goes back a long way into history, and is composed mainly
of pretty banana-leaf dolls, colourful traditional dresses, wide hats and
large skirts. There is no shortage of stereotypical objects either: a wide
choice of madras clothes, colourful towels, T-shirts, table sets, seashell
jewels the famous “bakoua” hat, as well as aquarelles, bamboo plates and
calabash bags are available in souvenir shops. Sweet-toothed tourists will
delight in the island’s special crystallized fruit.
Devotees of the arts have a great number of art[...]
Saint Martin and its sister island, Saint
Barthelemy both hold the status of free port, but be prepared that
the exemption from VAT does not necessarily mean low prices. The island’s
shopping facilities are as well known as its beaches or lively evenings:
stores are numerous and well-equipped, and a day out shopping is sure to be
one of your favourite pastimes. Cigarettes and alcohol are rather a good
deal, their attractive price at wholesalers also accounts for their
cheapness in bars. IT and electronic equipment are also a bargain,[...]
Objects on sale Martinique are similar to those on the other islands, though the quality of “Made in Martinique” is definitely a positive asset. Local handicraft goes back a long way into history, and is composed mainly of madras clothes, colourful towels, T-shirts, table sets, seashell jewels, the famous “bakoua” hat, as well as aquarelles, bamboo plates and calabash bags, all available in souvenir shops. Sweet-toothed tourists will delight in the island’s special crystallized fruit. Devotees of the arts have a great number of art galleries to choose from all[...]
Saint Barthelemy holds the status of free port, and good bargains are thus everywhere, not to mention the fact that it’s so much more elegant than shopping in Jersey. MATCH is the island’s leading supermarket, but probably not the best choice, as prices are significantly higher than in other, less well positioned grocery stores. For really good prices, check out the smaller stores (Anse des Cayes, Flamands, Corossol, Lurin, Marigot). Shops are open from Monday to Friday the whole day, and until 1 p.m. on Saturday, though usually closed on Sundays. Saint[...]
A special bravo goes to the village's women's society at Grand-Bay that makes soap with essential oils. Coal Pot's soaps are great with peppermint, grapefruit, passion fruit, and patchouli. The ingredients are « organic ». The soapbox is printed with soya ink and the carton is biodegradable! Sold at a very low price, this product is meant for export.
BELLO for their quality and originality. You'll find it in all of the supermarkets on the island.
Guava and passion fruit jam, orange marmalade and a large choice of syrups, spicy or[...]
There is no shortage of shops on the main road. Don’t miss the Martine
Cotten Gallery, exhibiting paintings by this lady of Breton origin,
well-known and loved in the West Indies (another one of her galleries is
situated in Pont-Aven en Bretagne, the domain of Paul Gauguin). Posters and
postcards of her works are on sale here.
At Castries, you'll find some shops selling women's sportswear with prints or batik printing. You'll also find clothing and souvenirs in the shops at the major hotels. You can take the alluring scent of tropical flowers home with you, thanks to the local perfume production.
Dolls, stamps, costume jewellery and objects made from sculpted wood are sold everywhere. The local wickerwork, made from straw and sisal, is interesting.
At Castries
Take a stroll through Castries too, you'll discover many stalls with either clothing[...]
Handicraft The motto of handicraft in Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines is: “Art made with quality”.
A common way of judging a location and its population is by examining
their local arts and crafts, so let’s take a look at what is actually made
in Saint Vincent. Local artist workshops are mostly situated in the capital,
Kingstown, and display a great variety of multicoloured articles and
products, meticulously elaborated by native men and women through a choice
of fine raw material: reed, bamboo, coconut, local wood, banana leaves and
even[...]
Sugarcane is the greatest pride of this island, and it is not cultivated solely for rum: the cane itself is given to pigs, and leaves are food for cattle in periods of drought. Sugar is manufactured in the factory of Grand Anse, as well as its by-product, sugarcane syrup, which is indispensable for the preparation of ti-punch, cakes, and candy, and also a great drink on its own with cold water and lemon juice.
