Where to shop in Cabo San Lucas
Puerto Paraíso on the marina is the big mall, with fashion brands, pharmacies, a cinema and restaurants. Luxury Avenue next door has the designer boutiques, and Ánima Village on the corridor is the newer open-air center. Our shopping in Cabo page covers hours and what's in each.
For souvenirs and crafts, walk the stalls around the marina and the downtown streets behind it. For serious art and design, go to San José del Cabo, a 30 to 45 minute drive, and time it for the Thursday Art Walk, which runs from November to June.
Silver
Mexican silver is the classic buy, and also the most faked. Real sterling is stamped .925, often with a maker's mark and the letters of the town or workshop. Silver sold on the beach or at very low prices is often plated nickel (alpaca). Buy pieces you like at a price you're happy with, from a shop rather than a walking vendor if it's an expensive piece, and assume that a "special price, just for you" is the normal price.
Vanilla, hot sauce and things for the kitchen
Mexican vanilla is a favorite gift, but cheap vanilla sold in big bottles at souvenir stalls has a long history of containing coumarin, a tonka bean extract that's banned in food in the US. Buy from a supermarket or a brand that lists pure vanilla extract, and be suspicious of a liter for a few dollars. Salsas, chile powders, mole pastes and Mexican chocolate from a supermarket like the ones in our grocery guide are cheaper and more reliable than tourist-shop versions.
The Saturday San José organic market is a good place for local honey, coffee and small-batch products, if you're over that way.
Tequila, mezcal and damiana
Look for "100% agave" on the label; anything else is a mixto with other sugars. Every legitimate tequila also carries a NOM number that identifies the distillery. Mezcal has a wider range of agaves and smoky styles, and tasting rooms around the marina let you try before you buy. Damiana, a sweet herbal liqueur sold in a bottle shaped like a woman, is Baja's own and makes a fun gift; it's the original margarita sweetener in some local bars.
Prices at the supermarket are usually lower than in souvenir shops for the same bottle. Check your customs limits before buying a case (see below).
Art, ceramics and textiles
The best art in Los Cabos is in the galleries of San José's Distrito del Arte and in Todos Santos, where painters and sculptors have worked for decades. Galleries can usually ship larger pieces internationally; ask about shipping and paperwork before you pay. For Talavera-style ceramics, embroidered textiles, blankets and blown glass, the marina and downtown stalls are fine for small pieces.
How to bargain
Bargaining is normal at stalls and with walking vendors, and rare in shops with printed prices. Keep it friendly:
- Ask the price, then offer less, and settle somewhere in between.
- Buying several items from one stall gets a better price than one at a time.
- Pesos usually get a better deal than dollars; carry small bills.
- If you're not buying, a smile and "no, gracias" is enough. Don't start a negotiation you don't intend to finish.
What to skip
Skip "Cuban" cigars at bargain prices, "Mexican amber" from beach vendors, anything made from turtle shell, black coral or other protected wildlife (illegal to export and to import at home), and prescription medicines bought without a prescription. Pharmacies are useful for sunscreen and basics, but bringing medicines home has its own rules.
Be careful with "free" gifts attached to shopping. A shop or booth offering a free bottle of tequila or a discounted tour in exchange for a short visit to a resort is usually a timeshare pitch; see how to avoid timeshare presentations.
What you can bring home: customs basics
Rules change, so check the official sites before you fly. As a general guide, US residents returning from Mexico have a duty-free personal exemption of $800 per person, and can bring in one liter of alcohol duty free if they're 21 or older; more alcohol is allowed but may be taxed. Canadian residents' exemptions depend on how long they've been away, with fixed limits on alcohol. Keep receipts for bigger purchases, and declare what you bought. For entry and exit paperwork, see our travel requirements guide.
A shopping afternoon from the villa
From Villa 1, Puerto Paraíso and the marina stalls are about a 20-minute walk along the beach and boardwalk, and a taxi back is easy if you're carrying bags. Many guests pair a shopping afternoon with a sunset drink on the marina and dinner downtown. If you're planning a trip with time for San José and Todos Santos, our day trips from Cabo guide has the routes, and the villa's booking page shows open dates.
