Many people from all over the world travel to St. Maarten not just for the beautiful scenery but to take advantage of the amazing shopping opportunities that the island has to offer. St. Maarten is one of the most popular shopping destinations in the Caribbean because there is no sales tax charged in St. Martin. St. Maarten’s duty-free status makes it a shopper’s paradise for those who are looking to buy incredible items for a significantly cheaper rate than in the US, Britain, Canada, Europe, and other parts of the world.
There are many items that are unique to the island of St. Martin that many tourists frequently buy during their visits there such as jewelry, Dutch cheeses, wine, perfume, watches, locally made hot sauces, guavaberry rum, and more. Many tourists love to purchase items like these because it helps them remember their amazing trip to St. Maarten or because they would like to give a memento to a friend or family member they were thinking about while on vacation.
There are many amazing places to shop on both the French and Dutch sides of St. Maarten such as the capital cities of Marigot and Phillipsburg. At these locations, tourists will find streets lined with beautiful handmade souvenirs from local artisans as well as designer clothing, delicious wine, electronics, and more. The US Dollar is widely accepted on both sides of St. Maarten and is the most common form of currency along with the Euro. Credit cards and traveler’s checks are also widely accepted and most salespeople speak English. This article is a shopping guide to the island of St. Maarten. The best places to shop as well as the most popular items to buy in St. Maarten will be explained below.
1. Wine
With the northern side of Saint Martin being heavily influenced by the French culture there is no shortage of delicious wines that tourists can buy to take home and enjoy. Wine is known to be one of the most popular drinks of Saint Martin. Since so many love the wine that is available in Saint Martin, they choose to take a bottle home to remember their trip and to give to their friends and family. There is a wide array of wines available in St. Martin that cannot be purchased just anywhere such as Chilean wine, Argentinian wine, and French wine. Many tourists visiting St. Maarten take advantage of the opportunity to buy delicious wines at inexpensive prices during their trips.
The delicious wines available in St. Martin can be purchased for a fraction of the price than can be purchased in other countries such as the United States, and countries in the EU because of the tax-free status of Saint Martin. Many of the local supermarkets, liquor stores, and souvenir shops have special sales on various brands of alcohol throughout Saint Martin. In St. Martin, a glass of wine costs around $9 to $12 (€7 to €10) per glass and an average bottle of wine in Saint Martin costs around $ 16 to $20 (€13 to €17). It is considerably cheaper to buy alcohol on the southern Dutch side of St. Maarten, since the exchange rate of the Netherlands Antillean Guilder is closer to the US Dollar than to the Euro, which is the currency used in northern French Saint Martin.
2. Hot sauces
One of the things the Caribbean is known for is delicious spices that can be found in the local cuisine. One of the most popular items that tourists buy during their trip to St. Maarten is locally made hot sauce that is full of these delicious Caribbean spices. Hot sauce has a long history in the traditions, celebrations, and cuisine of St. Maarten. Many tourists enjoy taking a bottle of hot sauce home to use in their own food so that they can remember the delicious cuisine of the island. These hot sauces are also a perfect gift to give to friends and family to give them a taste of the flavors of St. Maarten.
The peppers used in these hot sauces are made from peppers grown on the island of St. Maarten such as jalapeno peppers, scotch bonnet peppers, and habanero peppers. These peppers grow bountifully on the island due to the tropical climate and fertile ground on the island. Many of the bottles containing the hot sauce are even hand painted by the locals of the island. Locally made hot sauces usually start at a price of around $8 (€7) per bottle and can be found at restaurants, grocery stores, souvenir shops, and local street markets in towns such as Marigot and Philipsburg.
3. Dutch porcelain
The Dutch culture has a very strong influence on the island of Sint Maarten. This can be seen by the wide array of Dutch porcelain that is available to purchase on the island. Dutch Porcelain is one of the most popular items that tourists like to buy during their trip to Sint Maarten because it is not available anywhere else except the Netherlands. Dutch Porcelain is an item that many visiting the island of Sint Maarten value highly because it represents the island’s rich Dutch heritage and is a remnant of the rich Dutch culture that still is very strong on the island of St. Maarten.
The traditional hand-painted blue and white Dutch porcelain can be found all over the Dutch side of Sint Martin in souvenir shops, local street markets, and the like. These porcelain figures take many shapes such as plates, keychains, mugs, vases, tulips, traditional Dutch windmills, row houses, and more. The tax-free status of Sint Maarten also makes these items cheaper to purchase than even the Netherlands. Prices vary depending on the sizing of the item. Dutch Porcelain can make a great conversation piece for your dinner table and can be a nice reminder of your trip to Sint Maarten.
4. Designer clothing and shoes
The French side of St. Maarten is known for having the latest in fashion, and tourists who travel to Saint Martin love to take advantage of a shopping day while visiting the island. Tourists who are wondering what to wear in St. Maarten can visit the towns of Grand Case and Marigot. There are many high-end European stores for tourists to shop in these towns which feature items such as clothing, bags, sunglasses, shoes, and more.
Even those who don’t have the budget for high-end designer fashions can enjoy the atmosphere of checking out the latest trends. The duty-free status of the island of Saint Martin makes these fashions much more affordable than they would be if purchased in other countries like the US, Canada, and Europe. There are many discount designer stores and boutiques for tourists to enjoy.
5. Perfumes and cosmetics
Perfume and cosmetics are some of the top items that tourists buy on their trip to St. Maarten. The reason for this is that many who visit the Caribbean say that the perfumes in St. Maarten are less expensive than can be found on any other island in the Caribbean. Beauty lovers can find their favorite holy-grail cosmetics for a discounted rate, it is surely a place to shop till you drop. In the cosmetic stores, you can find exclusive European cosmetics at a much cheaper rate.
One of the popular places to buy perfume in French Saint Martin is Tijon Parfumerie, which is located in the town of Grand Case. At Tijon Parfumerie, tourists can take a class to discover how fragrances are made as well as make their own perfume. There are also many deals available on brand-name perfumes, skincare products, and cosmetics because St. Martin is a duty-free island. Many tourists take advantage of the amazing deals with cosmetics and fragrances during their trip to St. Maarten.
6. Flavored liqueurs
St. Maarten is known for being an island full of festivities and celebrations. Flavored liqueurs have a huge presence in the nightlife of St. Maarten and in its overall culture on both the French and Dutch sides of the island. Most of the celebrations on the island of St. Maarten include drinking their famous liqueurs such as Guavaberry Rum. This is a staple of St. Maarten and is one of the things tourists often buy to remember their trip to St. Maarten. Many of the flavored liqueurs are made locally on the island and the rum bottles have beautiful designs that are hand painted by local artists.
Many of the flavored liqueurs come in an array of flavors such as vanilla, passionfruit, banana, guavaberry, and more. A typical price for flavored liquor from Sint Maarten is from $16 to $23 (€14 €20) per bottle. Many of these bottles of flavored rum can be bought at local breweries and supermarkets and shops all over St. Maarten. Many of the rum distilleries or makers of the rum sold in St. Maarten are family-owned operations. Flavored liqueurs are definitely a special item to bring home to friends and family so they can experience the culture and flavor of Saint Martin in a bottle.
7. Guavaberry products
The Guavaberry plant holds a large place in the history of St. Maarten. Guavaberry is used in many different dishes and beverages on the island of St. Maarten. The island of St. Maarten has always had an abundance of guavaberries that grow naturally in the warm hills of the island. Guavaberry is a prized symbol of Saint Martin’s history and legacy, there are even old folk songs and stories commonly known in Saint Martin about guavaberry rum. This makes the Guavaberry an integral part of Saint Martin’s local culture, tradition, and heritage.
When visiting St. Maarten, many tourists buy different products made with guavaberry such as rum, desserts, juices, hot sauces, liqueur, and more. Guavaberry products can be found at local supermarkets, street markets, souvenir shops, and restaurants on the island. Guavaberry products are some of the best gifts you can bring to a loved one to expose them to the culture of St. Martin and it is a wonderful way to remember the tastes of the island as well.
8. Linens
Many people don’t expect to buy linens such as tablecloths and napkins while on vacation, but when visiting St. Maarten linens are some of the most popular items you can buy on the island. The reason for this is that St. Maarten has some of the best quality linens that can be purchased outside of Europe. Due to the heavy influence of Dutch culture in Sint Maarten, there are many high-quality linens produced by local artisans in Sint Maarten that compare to the linens that can be purchased in the Netherlands.
The prices for linens in Sint Maarten vary depending on the size and type of item you’re purchasing. However, many tourists love the fact that they can purchase quality linens at a much more affordable rate than other countries due to St. Maarten’s tax-free status. These quality linens can be purchased at the stores located in Phillipsburg which is the capital of Dutch Sint Maarten as well as souvenir shops all over the island. Linens are a wonderful souvenir that you can buy that will constantly remind you of your wonderful stay in Sint Maarten.
9. Jewelry
Most people like to purchase jewelry while they are on vacation. St. Maarten has no shortage of jewelry to offer to tourists who visit the island. St. Maarten has luxurious and high-end jewelry such as gold rings, silver necklaces, and earrings as well as beautiful and unique jewelry that was handmade by local artisans.
Most of these wonderful pieces of jewelry can be purchased on the French side of Saint Martin at luxury stores in Grand Case and the local craft markets in the capital city of Marigot. Jewelry can also be found at many high-end stores, souvenir shops, and jewelry stores on the Dutch side of Sint Maarten, prices for different pieces of jewelry can vary. Purchasing a beautiful piece of jewelry is sure to help you remember your vacation in Saint Martin quite fondly, as well as be a thoughtful gift for a loved one.
10. Cheeses
Dutch culture is one of the most prominent influences in Sint Maarten so it’s no wonder why cheese is one of the most popular items that tourists enjoy buying during their trips to St. Maarten. There are a variety of cheeses available to purchase on the Dutch side of the island such as Gouda, Edam, Maasdam, mozzarella, blue cheese, and more.
Many of these delicious cheeses are available to purchase at the Amsterdam Cheese and Liquor Store, which is a specialty store located in Phillipsburg, St. Maarten. Cheeses can also be purchased at grocery stores and local markets in Phillipsburg. Buying these cheeses as a souvenir is sure to make for a tasty treat for you and your friends that will remind you of your time in St. Maarten when you return home.
11. Stickers
Many people love to purchase stickers to put on their cars, laptops, and other surfaces. Tourists who visit St. Martin often buy stickers representing St. Martin so that they have a daily reminder of their wonderful time on the island. Many of these stickers say “SXM” or have pictures of the scenery of St. Maarten and can be purchased at souvenir shops all over the island for around $2 to $6 (€1 to €5). These stickers are also a nice and inexpensive gift to give to friends and family.
12. Postcards
Postcards are a wonderful way to let your family and friends know that you were thinking about them during vacation. Many tourists love to purchase postcards that feature the beautiful scenery of St. Martin or even the local artwork to either send to friends and family or to keep for themselves for memories of their trip to St. Maarten. Many of these beautiful postcards can be purchased at local souvenir shops all over the island of St. Maarten.
13. Bags
St. Maarten has many high-end stores that feature designer bags that are available for tourists to purchase during their trips to St. Maarten. These bags are some of the most popular items that travelers like to buy during their vacations. The reason for this is that many of the name-brand bags available can be purchased at a significantly lower price than in the US, Canada, and countries in the EU.
Most designer bags can be purchased on the French side of the island where there are many boutiques and stores with the latest fashions. There are also different stores located in Phillipsburg, Dutch Sint Maarten where bags can be purchased. Those on a budget can also purchase bags made by local artisans at the street markets in Marigot, these bags are often very unique and sold at a lower price than designer handbags.
14. Watches
Luxury watches are some of the most popular items that visitors to Saint Martin look to purchase while on the island. Many of the prices for these name-brand watches that are sold in St. Maarten start at around $400 (€363). Tourists like to purchase these watches in Saint Martin because they can purchase them at a rate of 20% less than they normally would be in countries such as the United States, Canada, and countries in the EU. The reason the watches can be purchased much cheaper than other places is that the island of St. Maarten doesn’t charge tax on goods.
Many luxury jewelry stores on both the Dutch and French sides of Saint Martin sell watches. Buying a watch in Saint Martin is a great way to score a great deal quality product that will stand the test of time.