For serious shopping, cross over the Paradise Island Bridge into Nassau. However, many of Nassau's major stores also have outlets on Paradise Island.
The Shops at the Atlantis (tel. 242/363-3000) is the largest concentration of shops and boutiques on Paradise Island, rivaling anything else in The Bahamas in terms of size, selection, and style. The boutiques are subdivided into two different sections that include the well-appointed Crystal Court Arcade corridor that meanders between the Royal Tower and the Coral Tower, encompassing 3,252 sq. m (35,004 sq. ft.) of prime high-traffic retail space. The boutiques within the waterfront Marina Village are newer. An additional handful of emporiums is scattered randomly throughout other sections of the resort, as noted below. It's all about flagrantly conspicuous consumption that's sometimes fueled by the gaming frenzy in the nearby casino. So if you want to do more than browse, bring your platinum card and remain alert that in a high-ticket venue like this, maxing out your credit cards might happen sooner than you might ever have believed.
The resort contains two branches of Colombian Emeralds (one in the Marina Village, another within Atlantis Paradise Island's Beach Tower), where the colored gemstones far outnumber the relatively limited selection of diamonds. Individual purveyors include Lalique, the France-based purveyor of fine crystal and fashion accessories for men and women; Cartier; Versace, the late designer to the stars (this boutique also has a particularly charming homeware division); Façonnable, a youthful, sporty label for young and beautiful club-hoppers; Bulgari, producer of some of the world's most enviable jewels, as well as watches, giftware, and perfumes; and Gucci and Ferragamo, in case you forgot your best dancing shoes. For bathing suits, Cole's of Nassau sells swimwear by Gottex, Pucci, and Fernando Sanchez. Finally, John Bull, known for its Bay Street store in Nassau and as a pioneer seller of watches throughout The Bahamas, also has an interesting assortment of timepieces, jewelry, and designer accessories.
One of our favorite shops, Doongalik Studios (tel. 242/394-1886), in Marina Village, doesn't sell the predictably upscale roster of gemstones and fashion that you might have had your fill of by now. At press time, it's still the complex's only art gallery. Owned and operated by Jackson Burnside, the architect and art connoisseur who designed Marina Village, it's a bastion of authentic Bahamian culture within the glittering row of shops otherwise devoted to luxury goods. Come here for insight into who is creating contemporary art in The Bahamas. Oil paintings by locally famous artists (including John Cox, John Paul, Jessica Colebrooke, and Eddie Minnis) range from US$800 to US$2,500 (£400-£1,250) each. Prints -- sometimes of works by the same artists -- are priced between US$15 and US$100 (£7.50-£50) each. Sculptures can be especially interesting, with some crafted from gnarled driftwood.
