St. Kitts and Nevis — Shopping
Shopping
Local crafts include carvings, batik, wall hangings, leather art and coconut work. Local textiles and designs are also available. Stamp collectors should note the excellent Philatelic Bureaux in Basseterre and Charlestown. Duty-free shopping is relatively new to St Kitts and, as yet, only a few shops feature imported merchandise at substantial savings. Nevis’ hot pepper sauce, ranked among the Caribbean’s best, is a good take-home item and can be bought at the Main Street grocery in Charlestown. There are shopping malls on St Kitts these include TDC Mall and Pelican Mall. Friday and Saturday are the busy market days, and visitors should not miss the chance to witness this abundance of exotic food stalls, accompanied by lively local chatter.
Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0830-1200 and 1300-1600; some shops close early on Thursday.
Currency
Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD; symbol EC$) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of EC$100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of EC$1, and 25, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents. US Dollars are also legal tender on the islands.
The Eastern Caribbean Dollar is tied to the US Dollar.
Currency Exchange
Most major currencies can be exchanged at banks on the islands.
Credit Cards, Debit Cards, and ATMs
All major cards are widely accepted. ATMs are widely available.
Travelers Checks
To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take traveler's checks in US Dollars.
Currency Restrictions
There are no restrictions on the import or export of local or foreign currency, provided it is declared upon arrival.
Banking Hours
Mon-Thurs 0800-1400, Fri 0800-1600.
Exchange Rate
| 1.00 GBP = 4.32 XCD |
| 1.00 USD = 2.69 XCD |
| 1.00 EUR = 3.79 XCD |
| Currency conversion rates as of 19 July 2011 |
