Shopping in Netherlands Antilles - outlets, shopping streets and boutiques

Despite the fact that the Netherlands Antilles are famous for their natural beauty, white beaches, and clean sea, there is another reason why thousands of tourists come here every year, even when it’s not a holiday season. This reason is shopping. It is very convenient to buy anything on the Antilles. This fact is appreciated by tourists around the world. They return here for new visits to favorite shops. Such popularity is due to the fact that the Antilles are almost completely a zone of duty-free trade, with all the ensuing consequences.

Appliances, household items, electronics, jewelry and many other things on the shelves of local stores are not subjects to any taxes and fees. Hence, they are much cheaper than in other places. If you make lots of purchases, it turns out that all the amount spent during the trip is low. Even including the tickets to get to the place, it will be less than if you just buy the same in your country. Therefore, it is not surprising that every tourist who has come to the Antilles goes for shopping. Even those who arrived here just to sunbathe, still go to the local store in order to buy items at a bargain price.

There is a large number of shops and shopping centers on the Antilles. There are boutiques of almost all the world's leading brands, so there will be no problems with lack of choice. However, it is important to know that shops and shopping centers have quite specific working hours. It should not be surprising if the one store closes four times in one day. Depending on the island, the operating time may differ. If you take the average, the usual stores work from 8 to 9 am, then from 12 to 12.30 pm and from 1 pm to 1.30 pm in the afternoon. The last period is from 4 to 6 pm. That’s more than enough for locals. Such a timetable doesn’t cause any difficulties for tourists. It’s just important to get used to it. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The situation with large shopping centers is different. They are usually closed in the morning. Local residents are at work, and tourists rest on the beaches, go diving, walk around the neighborhood and participate in other activities. Therefore, the working hours of shopping centers are from 7 pm to 10 pm. Every evening, you can visit many boutiques and make purchases on favorable terms. Shopping centers are quite common. They can be found not only in the capital, as one might expect. There are even boutiques that can be found only in the most popular cities in the world.

Given the favorable shopping conditions and low prices for all products presented, the Antilles are one of the best places for shopping. The only drawback is that they are located quite far from the big countries. You can come here not only for the sake of shopping, but also to get a full rest, relaxing on the Caribbean coast. Full shopping bags will only be a pleasant bonus.

You can buy anything as a souvenir for relatives and friends. The culture and mentality of this state are somewhat different from ones of geographic neighbors. In addition to traditional gifts, such as Caribbean rum or a magnet, one can also buy unique items. For example, an amazing liqueur that is popular all over the world or one of the traditional garments that are represented in almost every store.