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Shopping in Micronesia

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(Bachelor's, Master's & PhD)

Let's be honest! Studying abroad comes in handy with a good shopping culture! Everyone wants to get time to explore markets and pick a few goodies to add to the cart list! Shopaholics welcome to Micronesia, the land of beauty and charming crafts!

This is where your shopping impulse is put to the test. With numerous shopping malls, stalls, shops, and supermarkets Micronesia will certainly take thy breath away!

Each of the Pacific Islands of Micronesia have their own different souvenirs, from Chuuk’s love sticks to Yap’s bright grass skirts to Pohnpei’s elaborately carved model canoes. Fresh coconut is the most common ingredient in locally sorted lotions, soaps, and shampoos.

Most Micronesian shops are open on weekdays, some are open for  a few hours on Saturdays, and no shops on any of the islands are open on Sundays.

Fin Chuuk and Truk Stop, Chuuk’s two main gift shops, command the island’s largest selections of the slender carved wooden rods called love sticks.

Many of these love sticks were carved by craftsmen on the Truk Lagoon island of Fefan. War clubs, weaving, handmade bags, and scuba diving T-shirts are some of Chuuk’s other distinct souvenirs.

Numerous Chuuk souvenir shops and stalls are situated within walking distance of the island’s main cruise terminal.

A big supermarket called Wall Mart, not to be confused with the far more famous and very similarly named United States discount department chain, is on the site of a former 1880s Pohnpei fort near the Spanish Wall. Pohnpei’s Wall Mart may command the biggest number and variety of groceries of any shop on any of the Pacific Islands of Micronesia.

The handicrafts on Pohnpei also tend to be cheaper than on the other islands. Kolonia’s streets are adorned with woodcarving, turtle shell jewelry, and woven wall hanging shops.

However, an even wider variety of affordable handmade jewelry, carvings, weavings, and traditional Pohnpeian skirts are sold in Kapinga Village.

On Pohnpei, women traditionally weave intricate wall hangings while men skillfully carve dolphins, sharks, and other animals from mangrove wood. Ivory nuts and mother-of-pearl shell are among the traditional jewelry crafting materials.

Even more souvenir T-shirts and handicrafts are sold at several Kosrae hotel gift outlets as well as the island’s visitor’s bureau.

However, several Kosrae artisans sell their wares directly from their houses and will even come to the Kosrae Village Resort to barter with hotel guests upon asking. Many more general stores and craft workshops are located throughout this small island.

"I enjoy shopping and I found it affordable but some of the clothes are definitely not of the highest quality." - Hassan from Turkey

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