San Juan, the island's shopping mecca, isn't a free port, so you won't find bargains on electronics and perfumes. You can, however, find excellent prices on china, crystal, fashions, and jewelry. Shopping for local crafts can also be gratifying: you'll run across a lot that's tacky, but you can also find treasures, and in many cases you can watch the artisans at work.

Popular items include santos (small carved figures of saints or religious scenes), hand-rolled cigars, handmade mundillo lace from Aguadilla, vejigantes (colorful masks used during Carnival and local festivals) from Loíza and Ponce, and fancy men's shirts called guayaberas.