Trinidad / Shopping

By Stephen Thorpe

Trinidad’s increasing attraction as a major regional commercial and shopping hub continues apace with customers increasingly drawn from Venezuela, Panama, Margarita and all points north in the Caribbean. Its enduring appeal is founded on choice and diversity with cheap imports from Brazil, the US, China and India alongside top end designer wares. Large-scale, American-style malls like The Falls at Westmall, Long Circular, Valpark and Trincity have parking, security and stay open longer than the regular 8am -5pm, and are usually child friendly with good food outlets. Trincity in Arouca is the largest in the Caribbean, fully air-conditioned, complete with multiplex cinema, bars, and restaurants, an all-in-one consumer heaven.

Suburban shopping plazas like Ellerslie and Maraval in the capital can often reveal the occasional specialist surprise items, while downtown Port of Spain, Frederick Street is the main shopping thoroughfare. The towns of San Fernando, Chaguanas and Arima all have large stocks of bargain goods. Fabrics are a good buy in Trinidad, thriving on a vast variety of imports and good local designers, creative jewellery and ethnic craftwork too. Music shops are fairly commonplace as you’d expect but Crosby’s at 54 Western Main Road and Rhytner’s at 54 Prince Street are a cut above the rest.