Nassau Straw Market

Bahamas New ProvidenceNassau Straw Market

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Nearby Restaurants Of Nassau Straw Market

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Overview

Phone

+1 242-363-2000

Call

Website

nassauparadiseisland.com

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Deep Dive

A deep dive into Nassau Straw Market

Dive into the vibrant heart of bahamian culture at the Straw Market with @carabraude ! 🌴 👜 Share this post with a friend you would love to visit the Bahamas with!🫶🏻 🎥: @carabraude (On insta and TT) 📍: Straw Market, The Bahamas

tripscouttripscout

340

Dive into the vibrant heart of bahamian culture at the Straw Market with @carabraude !🌴🤩❤️ 👉Share this post with a friend you would love to visit the Bahamas with!🫶🏻 🎥: @carabraude 📍: Straw Market, The Bahamas 🇧🇸

tripscouttripscout

290

The World Famous Bahamas Straw Market in Nassau is a vibrant and iconic destination that captures the heart of Bahamian culture. Located near the cruise ship dock, it’s a popular spot for tourists seeking unique souvenirs, handcrafted items, and a taste of the local way of life. The market is a lively hub filled with colorful stalls offering a wide variety of goods. From intricately woven straw hats, bags, and mats to hand-carved wooden figurines and jewelry made from local materials, the craftsmanship on display is impressive. Many items are made by local artisans, making each piece a one-of-a-kind treasure. Visitors can also find T-shirts, postcards, and other tourist-friendly keepsakes. One of the highlights of the Straw Market is the opportunity to interact with the vendors. They are often friendly, engaging, and willing to share stories about their crafts. Bargaining is an expected part of the shopping experience here, adding an element of fun for those who enjoy haggling for the best price. However, the market can be quite crowded, especially when cruise ships are in port. The bustling atmosphere, while exciting, may feel overwhelming to some visitors. The aisles are narrow, and navigating through them can be a bit challenging during peak times. Additionally, some vendors can be persistent in their sales pitches, which may feel pushy to those who prefer a more relaxed shopping experience. The Straw Market is an open-air facility, so it’s best to visit in comfortable clothing and prepare for warm temperatures. While there are fans and some shaded areas, it can still get quite hot. Hydration and sunscreen are essential. Overall, the Bahamas Straw Market offers a unique and authentic shopping experience that reflects the island's rich culture and traditions. While its lively and sometimes chaotic vibe may not suit everyone, it’s a must-visit for those looking to take home a piece of the Bahamas. Pro Tip: Visit early in the day to avoid the crowds, and don’t hesitate to negotiate prices for a better deal. Make sure to support local artisans by purchasing their handmade creations.

ZIA UL HAQ ABDUL HAQZIA UL HAQ ABDUL HAQ

00

Mostly Non-Local Items sold by Locals. Very little crafted by local Bahamians. Most everything is ordered and imported from places like China, Indonesia, etc. The items themselves do satisfy your desire for souvinirs from the Bahamas because many of the items are ordered with "Bahamas" written on them and most everything fits an "island" or "sea" theme. The entire Straw Market is mostly the same inventory and obviously run as one business whereby locals may rent some territory (their booth) and split all the sales with the Straw Market. You're doing a great thing by buying here because you are supporting the local Bahamian salespersons of their booths directly. But, who knows really where the other portion of the profits goes, maybe to a non-local wealthy business person(s) who has markets like this all around the world, or, perhaps it's a government agency that may be corrupt and not re-distributing proceeds back to the local municipalities to benefit the people. Who knows? 🤷‍♂️ It's not transparent so therefore it's very likely corrupt since it can be. Anyway, not to be negative. The positive is the local salesperson is earning your money. And that is good. Most anything you see in one booth is found in other booths in different colors and styles. So don't get stuck chatting with one local if you'd like to look around more. Just say "I'm going to keep looking but thank you." If you'd like to keep walking when a salesperson greets you just say "I'm just looking thanks" or "just browsing" or "thank you" and keep moving. If you are really experienced with these kinds of tourist markets you may be able to find some items actually hand-made by local craftsmen. Carvings and such. Also some of the ladies can do custom stitching upon request, to put, for example, your name on a clothing item. Be forewarned you will have a mixed experience with different vendors. Some have a polite passive sales style. Most are easy and fun. But a few can be aggressive in their approach. I had one lady stuff the item we were haggling about INTO my bag and then tell me to give her the money. That is pretty forward and aggressive. Some of them will have less patience or good natured attitude. My recommendation: do not stay with a particular vendor for very long at all. Because once their "cheery" facade wears off, if it does, they can adopt an angrier or more emotional tone. You can avoid that by moving and keeping walking away before you are too "time invested" into any one vendor. Again, it's ALL THE SAME inventory the entire Straw Market wide. Some vendors can take credit cards but must charge an extra $5 fee for processing. So save such a transaction for a larger purchase to get your best deal out of it. This is a positive review. The tone of my review is positive. Perhaps it doesn't sound like that, but it actually is. The Straw Market is fun and you should buy what you want. I just feel it's helpful to know more about what it is and how it works and where your money is going. Safe travels! 🛳 🌴 🏖

Evan EvansEvan Evans

60

UPDATE February 2024 - I had the opportunity to stop in Nassau again on another cruise for a friend's birthday. I headed straight to the straw market to find Thelma and get my FAN!! We all purchased fans :-) She is getting ready for spring break and has lots of handmade earrings, bracelets and necklaces to sell as well. Don't miss out seeing Thelma - she is located on WEST SIDE of the straw market. She is a very friendly talented woman. March 2023 - If you have an opportunity to go to Nassau Straw Market, look for THELMA! She makes beautiful handmade jewelry and straw fans along with straw pictures. Also, she is such a sweet woman. I did not see any other fans like hers in the whole market (we looked and then went back). Her prices are reasonable. Thelma learned the art from her mother and she can tell you how much work goes into each piece that SHE creates. We ended up buying a fan as a souvenir for a neighbor (which she personalized on the spot) and looking back I wish I would have bought one for myself or one of the detailed straw framed pictures. If you visit Thelma, I am sure you will love her work as well!

Deanna LawsonDeanna Lawson

10

We love this quirky little tourist trap! Don't overlook a unique experience of locals selling things in booths within the market. They all sell a lot of the same thing, but their sales approaches vary from heavy-handed discounts "just for you my friend," to pleas to buy something to humble craftsmen selling their wares. If you look hard enough, you will find things made locally, and if you are really lucky, you'll find someone who had a hand in making or decorating your souvenirs. Cousin Janice stitched the design on our straw baskets, and while we were there, stitched our granddaughter's names on the baskets. Reggie was painting tiles when we visited his booth & we bought some pretty handpainted tiles and a beautiful lighthouse painting that he painted. When we paid him for our 7 items, he graciously told us we had made his day. We found Sara who was so fun to barter with when we bought a hat and dress (we paid her full price anyway just to see her smile light up the market). Meeting & really talking to the locals was as fun as buying neat mementos & gifts for our trip. We had a great time at the Straw Market!

Steve RobertsSteve Roberts

130