Barbados Shopping and nightlife

Shopping in Barbados

Shopping in Barbados offers a varied experience. As a duty-free island, prices are typically 30% to 50% less than in Europe and North America. Shoppers must have their airline or passport ticket when purchasing duty free goods. Most of the duty free shops and large, western-style shopping malls offering high quality goods and excellent service are found along Broad Street in Bridgetown. Here you can buy everything from designer clothing to gold and silver jewellery. Popular souvenirs include local handicrafts, such as straw bags, batiks, paintings, rum and woodwork. Speciality craft and gift shops can be found in Pelican Village, outside Bridgetown, as well as Holetown, Speightstown and St Lawrence Gap. The Crane Village on the south-east coast is the latest upmarket shopping destination, which includes duty-free shops.

Shopping hours

Mon-Fri 0800-1700, Sat 0900-1300 or 1400. Some stores are open until 1800 or 2100 on weekdays and until 1530 on Saturdays.

Nightlife in Barbados

Bajans love to party with nightlife options in Barbados ranging from clubs, beach bars and pubs to rum shops, dinner shows and twilight boat cruises. Music ranges from calypso and reggae to the latest R'n'B. Most of the main nightlife spots are concentrated around the south and west coasts. St Lawrence Gap is the liveliest nightlife spot on the islands; it’s a one-street affair lined with smart pubs, clubs and bars. If you want to party with the locals, head to Oistins Fish Market on a Friday or Saturday night, where Bajans dance to the early hours in the open air with music ranging from country and western to the latest calypso.