A Local's Guide to the Nassau Straw Market

If you have wandered down Bay Street on a cruise day, you have seen the Nassau Straw Market — rows of colorful stalls, vendors calling out, and tourists clutching straw bags in every size imaginable. But here is what most visitors miss: this market is more than a souvenir stop. It is the living continuation of a craft that Bahamians have practiced for generations.

The History Behind the Stalls

Straw plaiting arrived in the Bahamas with the Loyalists after the American Revolution, who brought enslaved Africans skilled in weaving sweetgrass, palm frond, and sisal. Over two centuries, the craft evolved into something distinctly Bahamian — tighter weaves, bolder patterns, and forms adapted to island life: market baskets for carrying produce, hats for working in the sun, and fans for church services in buildings without air conditioning.

The original market stood on the waterfront until a fire in 1929. It was rebuilt and moved several times before settling into its current building near the cruise terminal. Today you will find roughly four hundred vendors inside, but only a fraction sell genuine hand-woven goods.

How to Spot the Real Thing

This is where most visitors get lost. A huge amount of what you will see in the Straw Market is imported — straw hats from China, mass-produced bags with "Bahamas" stamped on them, shell jewelry from Southeast Asia. There is nothing wrong with buying a cheap souvenir, but if you want authentic Bahamian craft, you need to look closer.

Check the weave

Genuine Bahamian straw work uses plaited construction — thin strips of palm or sisal woven together in geometric patterns, then sewn into shape. Turn a basket over and look at the bottom. Hand-plaited pieces have visible weave patterns running through the base. Machine-made imports have a flat fabric bottom or a glued-on cardboard insert.

Feel the material

Real palm straw is stiff but slightly flexible, with a dry, papery texture. It smells faintly of dried grass. Plastic imitations feel slick, smell like chemicals, and crease permanently when bent.

Look for the artist

The best vendors sit right in their stalls weaving while you browse. If someone is working on a new piece with their hands while they talk to you, you are almost certainly looking at authentic work. Ask them about their technique — a true weaver will explain the difference between sisal and palm, or show you how they start a new basket from the center out.

Inspect the details

Authentic Bahamian straw bags often have hand-carved wooden handles, leather closures sewn with waxed thread, or decorative elements made from local shells. Mass-produced versions use metal clasps and plastic fittings.

Etiquette for the Market

The Straw Market can feel overwhelming if you are not used to it. Vendors are assertive — they have to be, with thousands of cruise passengers walking past every day. But they are also proud craftspeople who have worked these stalls for decades.

• Ask before you photograph. Most vendors are happy to let you take pictures if you ask politely. Some older weavers believe photographing their work brings bad luck — respect that.
• Bargain, but be fair. Start around sixty percent of the asking price and meet in the middle. If something is clearly hand-woven and took real skill, do not haggle down to nothing. You are buying art, not a t-shirt.
• Handle with care. Ask before picking up delicate pieces or anything with shell attachments.
• Take your time. The best finds are usually in the back rows where the veteran vendors sit. The stalls near the entrance tend to carry more imported goods because that is where the cruise traffic moves fastest.

What to Buy

• Market baskets — the classic Bahamian basket with a wooden handle and sisal body. Useful for beach trips and genuinely beautiful.
• Straw hats — look for ones with hand-sewn brims and adjustable sisal bands. A good one lasts decades.
• Fans — small, hand-woven fans used in churches. Inexpensive, pack flat, and make great gifts.
• Placemats and coasters — often overlooked, but some of the finest weaving happens in these smaller pieces.

When to Go

The market opens around 8 a.m. and stays active until early evening on cruise days. For the calmest experience and the most time to talk with vendors, go before 10 a.m. or after 3 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday mornings tend to be quietest.

Avoid major cruise ship days if you can — the market gets packed and vendors have less patience for questions. Check the Nassau cruise schedule online before you plan your visit.

The Bottom Line

The Nassau Straw Market is worth your time, but only if you go in with the right expectations. It is not a curated boutique — it is a working market where real people have sold handmade goods for generations. Buy something authentic, talk to the weavers, and you will leave with more than a souvenir. You will have a piece of Bahamian history that actually supports the people who keep the tradition alive.