market square

The Market is very picturesque and has a lot of things to offer, that you might not even know. Always worth a look. The vendours are friendly and always up for a talk. Just be prepared to pay 3 times as much as a local for whatever you buy - be it cinnamon bark, or nutmeg. Still cheaper than at home, and a trip to the market is always worth it. Just stay away from bargaining -- this is not the Orient.

Definitely a local experience. Not too keen on the overly enthusiastic vendors selling 'chichi' - a tiny silver fish - which can get a bit messy, especially when it's raining. Nice, colourful display of produce...what you see in most Caribbean islands.

Our family came to the market after the Nine Mornings Christmas festivities, and the place was bustling and full of energy. Our kids was enthralled - they loved The Egg Man and the great barrows used to move bulk buy goods for customers.There was a wide of range of fascinating goods on display - so different from our generic UK supermarket experience. It was also humbling to see people selling their own produce on the pavement next to the emote formal stalls, and a reminder that making a living can be hard even in this paradise.We loved the architecture, the people and history of the old town - and it was a nice change to the resort where we stayed.

Many of the markets in the Caribbean seem to be about the same, however if you have never visited a real market then Kingston might be a good choice. There are stalls along the sidewalks all throughout downtown plus a large fish market. While you probably will not buy anything from these markets it is interesting to see all that has been brought in for the day for sale. These are very small business people trying o make a living from the sale of produce and a few odds and ends like tourist items they hope to sell to tourist. You can get a great bunch of great photos while walking through the area.

We drove through downtown Kingstown on our way to explore the Western side of the island. It was Saturday morning and the street market was in full swing with the streets filled with vendors and locals doing their weekend market and shopping. So festive and busy with pedestrians walking in the road.Our taxi driver stopped on Bay Street so we had some time to walk around and visit some of the stores and to admire some of the old government buildings like the old Police Station. Kingstown is a lovely little capital city with historic architecture and charm. Some of the buildings are dilapidated and falling down and definitely in need of some care. This place should be a World heritage site! Hope steps can be taken to preserve and restore the old buildings before they become only a memory!

I have to be honest. I am a native and I don't like this place. I avoid it at all costs. There's a level of shouting chaos that does not go well with me. (then again, it's a market so expect nothing else) It's not a matter of "visiting", once you're in the capital city you're likely to come upon this area. Friday and Saturday are "market days" and most of the street is completely blocked from vehicular traffic. If you're like me and hate crowds it's a nightmare. You would find an array of ground provisions, and fruits and other commodities. Sometimes there are fish vendors. I don't suggest you purchase fish that has been exposed to the heat of the sun for God knows how long. (The government advised us not to do so) The fish market is around the corner 2mins walk. Ask several vendors for the price of the item you are interested in to have a general idea of 'fair price', as extortion exists according to who is shopping. However if this type of thing excites you, you can drop by and get some culture.

I went there every few days for my fresh fruit and veggies. When they know u u can bargain. One lady told me how to make calaloo (hope that's spelling is right) it was superb wish she could have tasted it.they got everything there

Not the place to travel by yourself. Many locals just standing around or trying to sell you spices/trinkets you don't really need. Grenada is a beautiful island but the economy has stalled leaving idle hands.

This is a typical Caribbean market selling the usual fruit and veg and spicesKingston itself is a nice enough little town although the better places are out the windward highwayGreat shopping here for jewellery

These are traditional market days in St Vincent. The meat market is Thurs, but I haven't got there yet. Goat and blackbelly sheep are absolutely delicious, but there are a lot of cattle and chickens as well. I have found the grocery supermarkets tend to carry imported food, and the local markets are all locally grown food. Why they don't sell more local food in the groceries is a mystery to me, but for fresh fruits and vegetables you pretty much have to go to the local market. Many times my landlady, Lucelle would stop on the highway to ask people how much they wanted for what they were carrying. For example, "silk figs" are a smaller banana with a thin skin, that tastes better than a regular banana. Plantains which look like bananas are great sliced and fried. I never liked breadfruit very much, but breadfruit and salt cod, which isn't even local, is a national dish of sorts. There are a lot of fruits and root vegetables. St Vincent is very fertile. I think a lot of the local produce goes to waste, and it goes for very little money in the market. You will pay the same price almost anywhere in the market. They are very honest. On the road though you might find people selling stuff they stole from somebody else that wasn't ripe yet. Mangos are hard to come by in Jan and Feb. But in their season outside the tourist season, many rot on the ground. The soil is so fertile but all agriculture is by hand. There are no tractors on St Vincent. The fields are always a very steep slope. When I reflect on how inexpensive the fruit and vegetables are in the market I think about the labour that is involved in tending to their fields. I never haggle a price. You almost need a guide to the market in Kingstown, to explain to you how each item is cooked. After 5 visits to St Vincent, I still haven't sorted out all their rootcrops, Edos, sweet potatoes, none of it is very familiar to me. There is also a very good fish market downtown. In Tourist season the catch is usually King fish and Mahi-mahi, which they call Dolphinfish, and yellowfin Tuna. There are other smaller fish as well. They usually cut steaks, but you can get a fillet if you ask for it. Bring your own bags for the fish, maybe your own ice if you are taking the dollar bus home. The fish market was donated by the Japenese governtment. It is state of the art. Everything is on ice. Fish deteriorate very quickly once they are caught. If you travel the roads you may come across local fisherman selling fish on the highway. Traditionally fishermen blow a conch shell to announce that fish are for sale right now. Lucelle, my landlady, eats a lot of fish. In the country you pay less for everything. In Kingstown you pay a little more but nowhere near the actual value of the item. They will not rip you off because you are a tourist. I buy bananas, mangos, carrots, sweet potatos, plantains. I have to take the dollar buses and only what I can stuff in my pack and carry on my knee. You can take more and be charged a double fare and I have done that before. There is a lot of traffic into Kingstown on market day. It is not a good day to travel unless you are going againgst the stream. It's a very old tradition in St Vincent and I hope you enjoy as much as I do. You can actually walk into the market from Tranquility, and Mark, Lucelle's neighbor does that every Sat.

I find the market a very intersting place due the vast array of wonderful fruits and vegetablesfor sale. It has more of a buzz on a Friday and Saturday.

More modern architectural enhancement required ...drainage also needs to be enhanced and a central cafeteria upstairs of the roof deck may say wonders for tourism in Kingstown SVG.

It is more interesting on friday & Saturday when it is very busy. Very good for local vegetables & fruits. Near the fish market.

The city of Kingstown consists of twelve small blocks that are easy to walk and perfect for browsing. Like many Caribbean capitals, much of the colour and bustle of the island can be found in the Market Square at the corner of Bay and Bedford Streets. This is especially true on Fridays and Saturdays when the vendors bring in the loads of fresh fruits and vegetables. Right across from this market is also the meat and fish market, right by the docking area.You can buy tomatoes, carrots, onions, lettuce, pumpkins, breadfruit, hot sauce, eggs, plants, flowers, fresh spices like cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg, curry and many other things. Make sure you ask the price to several vendors for the same item before buying it to ensure you do not overpay. For instance, tomatoes are normally sold $6/pound. So if you are told 8 or $10/pound, keep walking towards the next vendor... It is a pleasant experience, a great place to take photos, shop and kill time, depending on your interest.

Market square is a great place to experience the many fruits and veggies that St. Vincent has to offer. A very stimulating atmosphere.