Shopping in San Andres

Shopping

By Christopher Minster

San Andres Island is a duty free zone, much like those foofy shops you see in airports, and anything you purchase there is not taxed. Therefore, items that are usually heavily taxed, such as alcohol, perfume, cigarettes, chocolate and electronic items, are generally much cheaper than elsewhere.

The commercial district of San Andres is difficult to miss: it’s right downtown in North End, and bursting with shops and boutiques. A few notes about some of the items for sale:

Perfume: the perfumes for sale come in two categories: genuine and knock-off. The vendors are quite candid about what’s real and what’s imitation: ask around to make sure you’re getting the real deal (or the fake deal, if that’s what you’re looking for).

Alcohol: If you’re buying alcohol, be sure you know your home country’s rules about how much you can bring back with you. Salespeople in some of the better stores might be aware of these limitations. Also, be sure to check out some local Colombian hooch: they make fine rums and coffee liqueurs in Colombia. The better shops will package your purchase in easy-to-carry boxes if you buy more than one bottle.

Chocolate: If you buy chocolate, be sure you get it from one of the air-conditioned stores: otherwise, it may have melted more than a few times, which tends to drastically alter its texture and taste.

Other items: There are other things for sale: designer clothing, scuba and snorkeling gear, a wide variety of flip-flops and water shoes, luggage and more.

Traveler Reviews of Shopping in San Andres

good deals

Rating: 0%

San Andres is fun if you like to shop. The streets are a little grimy, but overall pretty pleasant. You can find some good deals.

By Gideon Welles, Mar 06, 2007