Shopping in Oranjestad - authentic goods, best outlets, malls and boutiques

Oranjestad is considered Aruba's most attractive city for shopping. Travelers should pay special attention to goods made in Indonesia and the Netherlands. Most of the shops in popular tourist streets sell souvenirs. Here you can buy traditional T-shirts and mugs with national symbols, as well as more original traditional souvenirs such as handicrafts made of natural rubber and Divi Divi wood.

The city has many specialized stores that offer their customers premium-quality Delft pottery. Those who prefer elite alcoholic beverages should look for rum in local stores. Here you can also buy high-quality tobacco products. Stores offering Indonesian aloe vera based cosmetics will certainly interest ladies. Here you can pick up excellent shampoos and lotions, as well as popular sunscreens based on organic components.

Some unscrupulous sellers may offer tourists souvenirs made from coral and rare shells. Such products are not worth buying since they are officially banned for sale. Fans of original souvenirs should pay special attention to handicrafts by local artisans. One of the native Aruban crafts is called “Mopa Mopa”. Craftsmen make lovely boxes, animal figures, masks, and various jewelry by hand. The craft got its name because of the eponymous tropical plant, which once a year secrets special jelly-like resin. This natural material is used to create amazing ornaments and drawings, which are subsequently applied to wooden crafts. The technique of making such souvenirs is very complicated, so they are quite expensive in Oranjestad stores. Specialized Mopa Mopa stores can be found in large shopping centers, including Renaissance Marketplace and Royal Plaza Mall. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Oranjestad's main shopping street is Caya Grandi where one can find all kinds of shops. This street is pedestrianized, which makes it very comfortable for shopping. During a walk, you can choose beautiful beachwear and accessories, get yourself stylish clothes from famous brands, buy perfumes and jewelry. The city's main street is also notable for its architecture - here you can admire the so-called "gingerbread houses".

Renaissance Marketplace is an open-air shopping plaza that houses over 130 stores of various kinds. Here you can also find clothing and perfume stores, as well as several large craft stalls and tobacco shops. The marketplace has more than 20 restaurants and a modern cinema, so you are free to explore it all day long.

Those who prefer to shop in the most refined stores should head to Renaissance Mall. This shopping center concentrates stores of the most famous brands and is considered the most expensive and exquisite in the country. It offers visitors more than 60 stores representing such brands as Prada, Louis Vuitton, Hess, Ralph Lauren, Furla, Carolina Herrera, and Gucci. Thrifty tourists would likely be more interested in Royal Plaza Mall. It is not so famous and is mainly visited by locals. Here you can buy high-quality European-made goods at very attractive prices - 10-30% cheaper than in average Dutch stores.

The most unusual shopping center in Oranjestad is Paseo Herencia Shopping & Entertainment Center decorated after an old village. Besides shopping pavilions, it provides several performance venues where entertainment programs are arranged every day. Visitors to the shopping center can not only buy interesting souvenirs but also get acquainted with the region's folklore traditions, as well as try the best regional dishes at local restaurants.

The largest shopping center in Aruba, Palm Beach Plaza, is located in Oranjestad. To explore all of its shop windows, one would need weeks. People come here in search of clothes from European brands, children's goods, jewelry, and cosmetics. The mall is well equipped for family leisure, it has restaurants and cafes, a cinema and a bowling alley, as well as play areas for children of different ages.