BAHAMAS: SHOPPING

Bay Street is the Fifth Avenue of the Bahamas, a boulevard lined with shops stocked with names like Gucci, Lalique, Cartier, and Baccarat. Inside, display cases gleam with gold, diamonds, and emeralds, and travelers look for duty-free bargains.

Perfume prices are regulated by the government, so you will find the same prices at any of the "perfume bars" which are frequent in Nassau. Everything from French to American perfumes, colognes and aftershaves are sold in the perfume bars, as well as in many clothing stores.

For authentic Bahamian souvenirs, head down Bay Street to the frenzied, open-air Straw Market. Every imaginable straw good is sold here, and if you don't see it, the nimble-fingered women will make it for you. Expect to haggle over prices here, but overall, prices and goods vary only slightly from booth to booth. Upstairs, wood carvers chip away at logs to produce sculptures of animals, birds, and anything else you might request.