If you want to shop for Bahamian art and crafts but don't have a lot of time to go prowling through the city streets to look for the perfect item, this is the place to go! In one centralized location you'll find dozens of booths where local vendors offer up the very best (and sometimes the very worst) of regional art and crafts. Expertly made fine straw baskets, blown glass, colorful Junkanoo masks, batik clothing and vibrant paintings are just some of the great items here, along with plenty of unique items fashioned from seashells.

After a devastating fire in 2001, Nassau's Straw Market moved up the street to temporary quarters. Whether a new permanent location will ever be built remains to be seen, but in the meantime the bustling market continues to thrive, with dozens of vendors selling handmade wares that range from straw hats and baskets to wood carvings and seashell jewelry. T-shirts are here in abundance, often at bargain basement prices, but be aware that some vendors try to sell cheap imported goods as "authentic Bahamian" crafts ­ look for tiny stickers that say things like "Made in Taiwan."