Souvenirs! An Updated Walk Through the San Pedro Artisan Market

Located on the Back Street in San Pedro – just across from the “Old Football Field” is the San Pedro Artisan Market.  A spot for local folks to sell crafts and souvenirs – many made in Belize and some in Guatemala – so many of them are really beautiful.

Plus, everyone who has a shop there is friendly and low-key.  It may sound odd to point this out – I mean…why wouldn’t they be friendly and low-key…that’s the San Pedro vibe?  But if you have been near craft markets in many other places – think Cancun or a cruise ship port or by the vendors at the major Maya site of Chichen Itza – the sales can be intense.  So relentless that they get my adrenaline pumping and kick my fight-or-flight (FLIGHT!) response into high gear.

Stop in at San Pedro’s Artisan market for a more breezy laid back shopping experience.  And chat to some of the vendors… everyone I talked with was just lovely.

A few notes before I start:

Note 1:  Ask questions!  I got a little lesson in weaving in Jippi Jappa…and learning about “jungle zericote” vs. local zericote.  The zericote tree that grows on the mainland produces a dark and beautiful wood like the free-form bowls I saw in this stall.

Note 2:  I asked two vendors if they were open to negotiation and they both said Yes.  Just information for your back pocket.

Here are Stephanie and Alice (mom) posing for me by their shop.

Note 3:  Many of the items are made in Belize (like baskets, wood carvings, conch shell work and art), and some in Guatemala.  (See my post from Jan 2017 about some of the crafts in Guatemala…WOW)  The vendors were glad to tell me where the items are from.  If only Belize will do for you…ask!

Also see my post:  The Best Souvenirs on Ambergris Caye and Where to Get Them

On to the pictures.

Just next door to the market is the relatively new Tourism Information center.

If you find yourself lost and in need of direction, or just looking for advice, stop in!

The San Pedro House of Culture (in coral next door) is closed – for now.

And in the area between – the tortilleria and a very cute ramen shop.  The tortilleria – where many people buy their fresh pound of corn tortillas each day – is always busy.  They smell so good…

And I had to stop to see the baby guinea pigs for sale.  Not exactly babies…3 months old and finding their new homes.  I held one of these cuties for quite a while…

When I was little we had one named Billy Jean (the Thriller album was big!) and it would graze on our front lawn in the summer and make the cutest noises.

Let’s start across the street at the vendors in the little pastel huts.

And quite a few poeple selling fruit – summer is fruit season.  Right now – kinep (on the right) and craboo.  Kinep is delicious – craboo…it’s not my fave.  Kinda mealy and sweet but try a bag and let me know what you think.

Sometimes at these shops, you can find some cool old stuff – like these beautiful old bottles.

And license plates – I hang the bicycle plates on our Christmas tree with green ribbons.

Beautiful conch shells.  Trumpet conch and helmet conch I was told.

And then across the street.

I just love the jippi jappa baskets and placemats and turtle boxes!

Lots of great bags and beads…

And art…

Don’t forget pretty conch shells!

And earrings made from the conch…

Take a walk around, chat with some folks and enjoy.  No pressure at the San Pedro Artisan Market…it’s my favorite part!