Some people just like to go for sightseeing and explore when they visit new towns and cities while others along with these like to shop and buy local crafts. Vacation shopping is a lot of fun and most people love to go on a shopping spree while on holiday. The Caribbean is increasingly becoming a shopping hub across the world with shopping festivals in major cities. Martinique is no exception when it comes to shopping culture!
Travelers to Martinique will find inexpensive French items such as perfume and fragrances, designer clothes, and wine. In addition, certain luxury items are offered at a 20 percent discount if paying with certain debit cards or travelers checks. Select stores in Fort-de-France offer duty-free shopping or you can save your big haul for the airport with exemptions. For perfume or fashion, go straight to one of the shopping centers such as Galeries Lafayette, Galerie Saint-Louis or Centre Commercial le Rond Point, all in Fort-de-France.
If you're in search of locally manufactured souviners, there are many artisanal "bijoux Creole" goods. Products include locally crafted jewelry, straw weavings, dolls, pottery, and tapestry. Creole jewelry is steeped in Martinique rich history, and will easily fit into your luggage to take home. Products include a multi-strand beaded necklaces called collier chou, or a cable necklace called a chaine forcat. You will be able to find local jewelry in many stores in Martinique or you can head to La Galeria in Le Lamentin, which is home to about 135 boutiques.
To purchase straw baskets, the Cooperative de Vannerie in Sainte Marie offers hand woven items. For other handmade products, the main market in Fort de France, Le Grand Marche, is a great place to start. Here you will find local spices, homemade liquors, dolls, and other souvenirs. If you ae into collectibles, La Maison de la is a cool place to see creations utilizing over six hundred different types of fronds, leaves and plant materials. The store is situated near Bass-Pointe in the far north of the island.
Art is another great buy in Martinique and Galerie Jecy in Les Trois-Ilets provides metalwork designed with island themes like starfish, octopus, geckos, and billfish. Les Tros-Ilets has more arts and crafts available at Le Domaine de Chateau Gaillard, which engraves pottery and tapestries. For something very unique, Les Coraux de Leonne is a store specializing in art made from coral and other sea materials located in Trinite.
"I enjoy shopping and I found it affordable but some of the clothes are definitely not of the highest quality." - Hassan from Turkey
