At long last, Negril has a shopping mall to equal the ones found in Mo Bay or Ocho Rios. It's the Time Square Mall (tel. 876/957-9263), lying on Norman Manley Boulevard across from the much-frequented nightclub Bourbon Beach. More than five duty-free shops and souvenir stores await you, including a courtyard cafe.
This mall offers Negril's best selection of watches (from Chaumet to Patek Philippe), jewelry (including some from the collections of Chopard and Mikimoto), and gifts and accessories such as a wide assortment of pens and writing instruments. Crafts are sold here, along with perfumes, books, cigarettes, cigars, film, liquor, dresses, and Blue Mountain coffee. The first and only cigar store (Cigar World) in Negril is also here, with a walk-in humidor, selling genuine Habanos or Cuban cigars. Jamaican cigars are also sold.
If you're staying in a housekeeping or self-catering apartment, you can pick up groceries at the Hi-Lo Grocery Store in the Hi-Lo Shopping Centre on West End Road. Here's your chance to enjoy Blue Mountain coffee, Jamaican spices, and locally grown fruits and vegetables.
Just off Norman Manley Boulevard, as you head south into Negril Village, you come upon the Negril Crafts Market. A collection of shacks, this is the largest center for crafts in the area, though they're sold virtually everywhere, including along the beach. Woodcarvings, beds, jewelry, and other items fill the market. Haggling is expected; begin by offering half the price you're quoted.
The worst shopping is at the overpriced boutiques found at first-class hotels, especially the all-inclusives. But they come in handy when you're seeking postcards, souvenirs, suntan lotion, or swimwear in a pinch.
Other vendors can be found at Fi Wi Plaza on West End Road, between a traffic circle and "Sunshine Village." The most expensive (but not always best) crafts are sold at Rutland Point Market in the north of Negril.
