Shopping in Canaima National Park
If you're a shopaholic, Venezuela will be one big happy hunting ground for you. If you aren't, you'd still find it is hard to escape the fact that shopping is now an intrinsic part of the country's social fabric, particularly the urban areas. For Canaima shopping you will find a variety of souvenirs to take home with you, but we also recommend you extend your shopping experience to surrounding destinations in Venezuela.
For everything fashionable and contemporary, there are the gleaming, ubiquitous malls; stocking antiques, mementoes, sports goods and trendy clothing, all under one, convenient roof. Hard to resist!
Below is our guide to shopping in Canaima. A more complete shopper's guide to shopping in Venezuela is also available. While out checking the Canaima shops it would also be a convenient time to try some local food and cuisine in Canaima.
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Canaima National Park Shopping Guide
What to look for
Handmade products and artefacts produced by Venezuela's indigenous peoples are bound to figure on top of any visitor's shopping list. The Ye'Kuana of the Orinoco Basin make colourful woven baskets. Chinchorros are palm-fibre hammocks made by the Wayúu (also known as the Guajiros) and then there are devil masks to decorate your living space from San Francisco de Yare. Look out for woodwork and blankets from Tintorero village in the north-western state of Lara and harps, maracas and small guitars or cuatros from neighbouring Cojedes. Gold, silver and precious stone jewelry are also good buys. Ideally, you should shop for any item at its place of manufacture. If that's not possible, consider making a trip to Hannsi, a huge department store specialising in crafts at El Hatillo, just outside Caracas, the town from where most visitors head to Canaima.
Handicrafts
If you're on a short trip, do check out Venezuela's local markets too for handicrafts. Mats, pipes, bows and arrows and traditional, simply styled footwear made by native Indians make for interesting souvenirs. Carvings made of dark wood are another tempting option. Venezuela's Falcón State is famed for its superb glazed pottery and ceramic products.
Jewelry
Jewelry from Venezuela comes in an extraordinary variety of materials. Pick up reed necklaces, cacique coins and bracelets, splurge on gold jewellery and ornaments studded with pearls. Even junk jewelry comes in eye-catching designs. Look out for the fascinating designs of handmade jewelry; fashioned by indigenous tribes, these will make for great conversation pieces back home.
Apparels
Venezuela abounds in exclusive fashion outlets and boutiques. International brand names in clothing and accessories, for both sexes, all have a presence in Caracas, Venezuela's capital. A half-day spent in a shopping mall can be an enjoyable experience. Apart from shopping, you can try out the various eateries here, besides checking out sundry other entertainment options.
Accessories
Look out for locally made accessories to add a colourful, distinctive touch to your wardrobe. Some items worth picking up are shoes and handbags. Around Canaima, there are small markets stocking sports accessories and kits, which may come in handy for your exploration of the park. If you're looking to pick up a souvenir for someone back home, take a look at the Venezuelan hats, woven with locally available chunky, natural fibre.
Foodstuffs
If you have a sweet tooth, don't miss out on savouring Venezuelan chocolate. You can also pick up cigars and rum at shops close to the airport.
At Venezuela's colourful outdoor markets, bargaining is very much a part of the shopping experience. From exclusive stores and designer boutiques to one-roof-fits-all department stores and traditional market zones, shopping in Venezuela has something for everyone.
Shopping destinations
Caracas
Caracas is where all the action is. Venezuela's marvellous range of indigenous handicrafts, pottery, woven goods, wool tapestries, clothing, jewelry and footwear are all available here. El Hatillo is a charmingly restored colonial village, south of the city, known for its fine handicraft collection. Mercadito de Chacao and Mercado Guacaipuro are traditional markets where you can browse through authentic local products.
Canaima
For shops in Canaima, if you can tear yourself away from the spectacular sight of the lake and its three waterfalls, there's an Indian village, a hop-step away from the airport, where visitors can shop for groceries and a reasonably large variety of souvenirs.
Santa Elena
Santa Elena is a 20-minute drive from Canaima, a little longer if you plan to trek down. Several native Indian groups live here. Being close to the Brazilian border, Santa Elena is a fairly busy hub for trade, importing products from Brazil and exporting oil from Venezuela. Here too, there are small souvenir shops catering to tourists.
Shopping hours
Shops in Venezuela are open Monday through Saturday, from 9:30 AM to 7:00 PM. Malls are open daily from 11:00 AM to 10:00 AM.
