Beautiful beaches and luxurious accommodations aside, St. Thomas is widely regarded as the Caribbean’s premier shopping destination. With more than a million cruise ship passengers and overnight Caribbean resort guests visiting St. Thomas each year, the island’s ports have long been bustling centers of trade and exchange. Much of the best duty-free shopping is concentrated near the waterfront in the island’s historic capital, Charlotte Amalie. With discounts of 40-60% off mainland prices on items like jewelry, fine china, glassware, electronics, perfume, clothing, and liquor, the deals seem endless. Adding to the allure is the fact that US citizens are allowed a $1,600 duty-free shopping allowance, twice the amount of any other island in the Caribbean and three times that of European nations.
Visitors to St. Thomas should start their shopping tour in the downtown and waterfront areas of Charlotte Amalie. The historic Dutch provincial warehouses along Main, Back and Waterfront streets, beautifully restored to house a plethora of unique shops, allow visitors to shop and sightsee simultaneously. In the alleys surrounding the Main Street area (Royal Dane Mall, Palm Passage, Riise Alley, and many others), shoppers will find smaller boutiques specializing in unique local wares and Caribbean rarities. Cozy restaurants and entertaining bars are found among these shops, ideal for lunch or an island cocktail. Most stores in this upscale shopping district are open Monday through Saturday; including holidays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Shops in the city center and waterfront areas are generally closed on Sundays, unless there is a cruise ship in port. However, the larger hotel shops in St. Thomas typically stay open on Sundays. The Havensight district is another concentrated collection of stores that cater to visitors to St. Thomas. Located near the main cruise ship dock, this shopping area is comprised of The Havensight Mall, The Buccaneer Mall, and The Port of Sale. With more than 60 distinctive shops within waterfront warehouses, the Havensight district is another great option for time-sensitive cruise passengers and overnight tourists alike. Like the shops on and around Main Street, tourists will find great prices on jewelry, clothing, perfume, liquor, electronics, music, sunglasses, and a variety of souvenirs. Also, Havensight is another great spot for lunch, with several cozy cafes. Shops in the Havensight district are generally open from 9 am to 5 pm, 7 days a week when cruise ships are in port. However, during peak season, some cruise ships stay in port well into the night. On those days, Havensight stores will remain open until 7:00 p.m.
Also in Charlotte Amalie, across from Emancipation Park and Fort Christian, is Vendors’ Plaza, a variety of small stalls, tables and tents displaying a wide variety of memorabilia. Here, in addition to the luxury items found in other shopping districts, you’ll also find many locally produced products and unique regional foods. The vendor plaza is generally open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m., when the vendors begin to set up, until 5:00 p.m. On Sundays, fewer vendors set up, although the Vendor Plaza is worth a visit when one or more cruise ships are in port.
Right across the street from Vendors’ Plaza is The Native Arts and Crafts Cooperative. Run by local artists, the Cooperative features a plethora of Caribbean artwork not available in any mall or shopping mall.
For the more adventurous tourist, smaller shopping areas catering primarily to residents are found throughout the island. Shopping malls like American Yacht Harbor in Red Hook, Lockhart Gardens, Tutu Park Mall, and the Nisky Center offer visitors distinctive cultural opportunities in addition to essential items like grocery stores, drug stores, and clothing stores. Tillett Gardens is an enchanting local haven for pottery, screen-printed fabrics, candles, paintings and handcrafted jewelry. The Mountain Top and Paradise Point centers are also interesting options because the shopping is accompanied by captivating views from the top of the hills. In Frenchtown, travelers can find some of the best cuisine the Caribbean has to offer.
As the heart of the US Virgin Islands, St. Thomas continues to amaze travelers with its refined pleasures. Combining a laid-back Caribbean vibe with the vibrancy of city streets, St. Thomas can be the best of both worlds.
This article was written by Justin Burch. Justin writes select travel articles on St. Thomas and other Caribbean resort areas for Marriott Resorts.