Shopping? Did you say shopping in St. Maarten? What a fine idea. There are tons of shopping opportunities in St. Maarten. More than one visitor has had to purchase additional luggage to get all the goodies home.

But if you’re headed to St. Maarten, knowing a bit about the shopping climate will help you on your excursions to the stores.

Shopping in St. Maarten is plentiful. You might hunt for one-of-a-kind fashions, spectacular jewelry, artwork or even home décor items.

Your primary shopping area is Philipsburg, where you’ll find jewelry stores, gift shops and specialty items. Here is where you can get the famous “blooming bags” featured on “Oprah”. You can purchase perfume from a store that features some versions not available in the States yet. You can find one-of-a-kind handcrafted items not seen anywhere else.

If you’re going to do some shopping, walk the Front Street area more than once. You might miss a little store on your first trip through and on your second, you might need another look at something you passed up the first time. Bring a list of upcoming gift-giving occasions and plan well. You’ll likely find many things you want to bring home.

If you’re staying in St. Maarten and want to go shopping, pay attention to the cruise ship schedule and stay away if a ship is in port. You might want to wait until the following day when traffic returns to normal.