Bermuda Shopping Guide

Bermuda shopping & the best stores

There is no sales tax as you shop in Bermuda. However that doesn't make things any cheaper except for a few items. Why? Because there are import duties on goods and most of the items in Bermuda are imported.

Import duty is a way the government raises funds. Duty varies on the type of goods, but is always included in the price.

So the key to tax free shopping in Bermuda is to go for the locally made quality items which are otherwise not available elsewhere.

The best buys in Bermuda

The main shopping centers and the stores in Bermuda are located in Hamilton City along the Front Street (located centrally), at the Clocktower Mall in Royal Naval Dockyard (at the western end) and Somers Wharf in St. Georges (at the eastern end).

There are lots of Bermuda made articles like cedar items, blown glass, handcrafts, pottery, fashions and paintings by local artists. Sports clothes and sun straws are also good buys. There are excellent books on Bermuda with wide range of titles including travel, history, art & architecture, diving and lot more.

With the military and British colonial legacy of Bermuda, and a natural tendency for most Bermudians not to throw anything away, the island has become a treasure trove of collectibles. Many types of small items can be found that reflect a slice of Bermuda's history. Many of such items have found their way to the island from other countries. Such items include old tins, buttons, bottles, original items of china & brass and lot more.

You’ll find many of these items in the small stalls and shops in the alleys of Hamilton City.

The sea has played an important role in the history of Bermuda, and there is a range of items based on marine theme that you can purchase - displays of propellers, brass plates, and marine knots will remind you of the regatta or ocean yacht race. You can engage yourself for hours searching for that little piece of the past to take home with you.

You also get excellent imported merchandise in Bermuda like French perfumes, English bone china, Swiss watches, Danish silver and jewelry, cameras, Irish linen, Scottish tweeds, Italian silks, cashmere sweaters, leather goods, liquor and liqueurs and many other great products.

My list of unique and best buys in Bermuda

Bermuda cedar Items: The island has abundance of cedar trees and hence so many uniquely designed handcrafted cedar items are available like mugs, book ends, carvings, sculptures, picture frames, trays etc.

Bermuda Gombey Rag Dolls: Gombey is a traditional and treasured dance tradition in Bermuda.

Banana Leaf Dolls: Made of Bermuda banana leafs.

Bermuda Longtail Jewelry: The beautiful white-tailed tropic birds known as Longtails, are seen on Bermuda's coastline during summer. The birds spend the winter at the sea looking for fishes and come back to the island for nesting during the summer. There are many jewelry of gold and silver that are designed on the longtails.

Bermuda Moongate Jewelry: Moongates in Bermuda are arches that bring good luck to the couples who walk through them. This is a very special tradition of Bermuda.

Bermuda Rum Cakes: These cakes are made with Black Seal rum of Bermuda

Books on Bermuda history and travel: There are some great books describing the fascinating history of Bermuda and its colonization. And there are some travel books that explore the nooks & crannies of the island. You will get them only in Bermuda.

If you are leaving by air, then the airport is a good place to buy duty free souvenir items which are cheaper than the stores in the island. Of course the varieties may be less, but you get most of the usual stuff from Bermuda rum cakes to island's Gosling rum.

Store/Shop Hours in Bermuda

In general, you can shop 9am to 5pm, Monday through Saturday. Except for the stores at Clocktower Mall in Dockyard, shops in Bermuda are generally closed on Sundays and other public holidays. However during summer time, stores particularly on Front Street remain open for longer hours (easily up to 6pm). Note that the Supermarkets remain open for much longer (usually from 8am to 10pm Monday-Saturday and 1pm - 5pm on Sundays).

Harbor Nights celebration takes place on every Wednesday in Hamilton city (April through September), when most of the shops and restaurants on Front street remain open till late evening. Many stores & shops on such nights are usually open until 9pm. Same is the case in St George on Tuesdays when Market Nights are celebrated. Also, stores stay open late on Fridays during the Christmas shopping season.

Not sure why I took this photo that you see below. My wife was then busy buying a seahorse crystal which we still proudly hold in one of our glass cabinets back at home. Perhaps I took this picture because this somewhat sums up what shopping in Bermuda is all about.

A Bermuda Shop

Shopping categories and the best Bermuda stores

Following are my Bermuda shopping categories. Click a category to know about the items and find out the best stores in Bermuda selling them.

Art & Craft: Information about art galleries, studios and craft centers in Bermuda exhibiting & selling paintings, drawings, photos, sculptors, models and other artworks from renowned artists.

Bermuda Books: Here I have reviewed a number of outstanding Bermuda books covering diverse subjects. I've also listed the top bookstores in the island.

Bermuda Shorts: Know all about Bermuda shorts - why are they so popular, get a guide to buy the right shorts from the right stores, comments from women & men buyers.

Clothing Stores: A review of the clothing or apparel shopping options in Bermuda and the top stores in the island.

Food Products & Drinks: If you are looking for the best of Bermuda food products, wine or spirits, or even Cuban cigars, check out these great stores.

Glassware and Ceramics: Here you will know about some great Bermuda shops on glassware & ceramics, like the Dockyard Glassworks, Bermuda Clay Works Pottery, Island Shop, Bluck's, Bermuda Glass Bowling Studio and such.

Gifts and Souvenirs: Finding the little gifts & souvenir in Bermuda can be quite puzzling. You may keep searching for hours to get what you want. Know about our favorite stores.

Jewelry and Accessories: In Bermuda, you can find artists selling their handmade jewelry or accessories which often have island themes and are just lovely.

Perfume and Cosmetics: Some great shops on Bermuda perfumes and cosmetics include Bermuda Perfumery, Gibbon's Perfume Shop, A.S Coopers & Sons, Dockyard shops etc.

Kids Stores: Here are the best kids stores in Bermuda selling all sorts of children's items like clothing, art & craft, games, DVDs and lot more.

Thrift Stores: There are several thrift stores in Bermuda where you can get a lot of value buys. These stores are generally attached to charities and provide various kinds of value items in low price. So if you are looking for small local items that are cheap and at the same time serving as excellent gift or souvenir or even as great household items, then explore some of the thrift stores in Bermuda. Most of the items come through donations and can be used ones.

People's Market: This is an open area market where vendors sell all kinds of items in an affordable price and in an atmosphere which is family friendly and inviting. It's a great place to pick up traditional Bermudian items like art & craft, food items, clothes, books including used ones, jewelry items, bags & shoes and lot more. The market is held on every Saturday and more like a community event where you can meet many locals. There is also free live music, dance shows and loads of games for children. The weekly theme changes. There is no entry fee. It is held at Cedar Bridge Academy School campus in Devonshire parish.

Map of Bermuda Shops & Stores

Shopping Map: A map showing the main shops and stores in Hamilton City, Bermuda.

Bermuda Duty Free shopping & allowances

Check out Bermuda Duty Free to find out where can you get duty free items in Bermuda and how much of duty free shopping allowance is given.

Related Articles

1) Visit Bermuda Activities to know about all the popular activities in the island.