What is Duty Free?

Because the U.S. government allows its citizens to take (or send) home more duty-free goods from the U.S. Virgins than from other ports of call, the islands remain the shopping bazaar of the Caribbean. U.S. citizens may carry home $1,400 worth of goods untaxed, as opposed to only $400 to $600 worth of goods from most other islands in the Caribbean.

• Art: Its paintings may never rival those of the finest Haitian artists, but Jamaica is at least the second-best center for art in the Caribbean. Prices are still reasonable, too, even when the artist has a certain renown.

• Handicrafts: Crafts come in many forms, ranging from alabaster and woodcarvings to weavings.

• Fashions: Many artisans in Jamaica produce quality resort wear; Jamaican women are known as good seamstresses, and they often make quite passable copies of the works of top designers at a fraction of the original’s price.

• Jewelry and Watches: Some watches at various outlets in Jamaica sell for 20% to 40% off stateside prices.