Shopping in Roatan

What type of shopping is on Roatan? What "native" or local items do they sell? Can you suggest any specific stores or areas to shop in? I am not looking for anything specific, just curious as to what I might find to buy....!! I shop for the sport of it!!! haha

Thank you in advance for information

What type of shopping is on Roatan? What "native" or local items do they sell? Can you suggest any specific stores or areas to shop in? I am not looking for anything specific, just curious as to what I might find to buy....!! I shop for the sport of it!!! haha

 

Thank you in advance for information

There are a lot of local shops just outside the cruise dock, you will get better prices on the same type of thing here than in West bay or West End. Most common are the wood carvings, boxes, hammocks and that type of thing. Roatan is not a shopping mecca. Very little is actually from the Island, some is from the mainland and some from elswhere, I have also seen the "made in china" things in some of the tourist shops like the backscratchers they buy by the gross for pennies each, paint "Roatan" on them and they are $8.

There are two stores in Coxen Hole, a few blocks down [to the right] of the dock. Yaba Ding Ding is full of native made items such as the wood carvings, pottery, paintings and beautiful hand made tie-dyes that are made on the premises. This is a not miss store for me.

Across the street is another store [Can't remember the name, but it is directly across and to the right of Yaba Ding Ding] that sells local handicrafts and souveniers and clothing. There prices are lower than Yaba Ding Ding and negotiable. They also have the beautiful carvings that Roatan and Belize are known for. You have to see it to appreciate how nice it is. There are plenty of other locally owned stores in Coxen Hole that also has similar products.

There is a shop on the left that sells exquisite cameo pieces that are made on the premises. I have not gone there yet. I understand they are pricy but beautiful. This shop is on the left of the main port area.

There are also a lot of stores in the West End area. I've seen beautiful hammocks displayed on the outside, but haven't shopped there yet.

The dock area has just opened up the same typical cruise stores that are in every other port, but I prefer the local made stuff myself.

These shops are all in the original dock area. I understand that Carnival is opening a new pier, but I am unfamiliar with that area and not sure when it will be opened.

My mom would like to know how scary the walk is to get to those stores.

My mom would like to know how scary the walk is to get to those stores.

Both times, I have gone with our guide that we hired. It is quite a few blocks up the road. It may be intimidating walking on your own, but the port is full of tourist when the ships are in port, so I suspect that others will be walking that way also.

I did shop in some of the local stores near the port a few years back and I found the scene typical of many port areas. The vendors all want your business and some are more aggressive than others. Our table mates [two women] walked towards the shops through Coxen Hole, but decided it was further than they wanted to walk. I guess it just depends on what your mom's comfort range is.

You could always choose to hire someone to drive you around to shop, but then you would have the extra expense of a guide [well worth it to me- you will get a wonderful history and scenic tour combined with shopping]. But you will also have the chance to shop in different areas. The West End area is much different than Coxen Hole, it is very touristy and not intimidating at all.

My mom would like to know how scary the walk is to get to those stores.

Name--I've been to Cleveland and to Roatan, and it's a lot LESS scary to walk down the street in Coxen's Hole to Yaba Ding Ding than it was in most of Cleveland that I'd seen.:eek: English is spoken by many or most of the locals, and we had a pleasant guide in a young (8-year old?) lad who we hired, after a bit of negotiation, for $5 for the day. We only took a small tour of the town, but he was pleasant company, showed us his school, and a few of the other places of interest (Yaba Ding Ding contributes a portion of their profit to the school, so we bought a few items there) and places to shop. We met some very nice folks there on our little shopping walk. It's a cash-poor place, but its inhabitants are rich in spirit. Go meet some before the place gets touristified (is that a word? I guess it is now.).

Stone Castle Cameo factory is about a mile or two to the left/west of the Coxen's Hole cruise dock. It is apparently operating but its website has been down for several months for reasons unknown. Exquisite pieces all made on premises by Franco's artists-in-training, and you can see them at work while you're there to see the pieces on display in the showcases.

Aw man, you must have been on the east side of Cleveland or the very edge of the west side near downtown. We wouldn't walk in those neighborhoods either! :eek: We live in a safer area. ;)

Shopping on Roatan is not quite like many of your other cruise spots- you aren't going to find any Rolex, Tanzanite or designer stuff anywhere! There are lots of little places by the dock. Many places sell imports from Mexico or Bali but you will also find coffee and hot sauce (both cheaper at the grocery store in Coxen Hole), shells, jewelry (mostly inexpensive beaded shells and carved local jade). The bigger stores in Coxen Hole (Yabba Ding Ding and the one right across from the grocery store) have a nice selection of carved woods and pottery (my favorite is the Lenca pottery). You will get a much nicer selection in West End alond with Guatamalan weaving (and some they do right there), hammocks, and Waves of Art is a gallery with beautiful local artwork and fused glass items. To the left of the dock Cameo Castle is interesting to visit and watch them make cameos- they are not cheap, but they are something special with lots to chose from if that is what you are interested in.

AS for walking into Coxen Hole- it is safe, and the people are friendly, but occassionaly can be aggresive. Walking to the grocery store and Yabba Ding Ding is a bit of a walk and it can be hot- bring water! If you prefer the beach area of West Bay Beach there is several island vendors there with a variety of items so you can still shop- many sellers have the same or similar items so I would suggest heading to West End or West Bay to enjoy the beach and do your shopping there- remember you can bargain almost everywhere, and they will all take US dollars.

Shopping on Roatan is not quite like many of your other cruise spots- you aren't going to find any Rolex, Tanzanite or designer stuff anywhere!

Unfortunately, Roatan is catching up with the rest of the Caribbean. The cruiselines have added some new stores right on the dock and of course there is your typical DI stores.

Although I'll admit to have spent some money in these shops, in Roatan, I really enjoy the local culture and shops to the port stores that you can shop at anywhere else.

Here's a shot of the new stores at the dock:

The native dancers right in front of a new port store:

The port area has really changed in the past few years.

I understand the new Carnival port will have plenty of your typical shops too.

And some of these shops will be up in Mahagoney Bay where Carnival will be docking starting in November. But I'd expect at first it'll be the typical DI outlet and T shirt shops. Doesn't appear to be much else up there. Sand Diver, MD Sue or USF may know some places in French Harbor which is close by.

anyone ever buy any hammocks in Roatan? Whats the quality and pricing like on these things there?