Think local. You can find nternational designer clothing and fine imported wares at the island's malls, particularly the new Gulf City Lowlands Mall. But if you’re interested in unique handcrafted items and clothing that reflect the island’s laid-back vibe, Tobago can offer quite an appealing shopping experience.

• Craft: Good buys include wood carvings, jewellery made from natural products, handmade soap, sarongs and beachwear. There are several good craft stores, a craft market at Store Bay, and you’ll also find vendors near tourist sites and the more popular beaches. The larger hotels have in-house boutiques.
• Art: Tobago Fine Art has a selection of paintings of indigenous flora and fauna. At The Art Gallery, owner/artists Martin and Rachael Superville show their own work as well as that of local artists; there’s also a good assortment of prints and postcards. Luise Kimme displays her dramatic, larger-than-life-sized wood sculptures depicting local characters at her atmospheric gallery/atelier in Bethel. Other Tobago artists include Jason Nedd and Earl Manswell, both of whom have small home-based galleries in L’Anse Fourmi that are interesting to visit.
• Foodstuff: Don’t leave Tobago without stocking up on benne balls, the local sesame-seed confection. Other good buys include local preserves like pepper mango, tamarind balls, sugar cake, pawpaw balls, and toolum. The vendors at Crown Point airport offer a good selection.
• More ideas: Around Scarborough you’ll find bookshops, small shopping malls, a fotomart and a variety of other stores including a certified organic vegetable store and a wide selection of herbal medicines and remedies. The Scarborough market is also a good place to shop for herbs and spices.