Straw Market
Place · Bay Street, Rawson Square & the Straw Market
Go in the morning for baskets and hats before the ships fill it; bargain calmly; leave bags at the hotel.
- Straw hats and baskets
- Bargain calmly
- Go before the ships
- Go before 09:30
- Free entry
- Queue: switch at 15 min
- Works with kids
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 11Several islands (Turks and Caicos above all, also the Bah…Downtown pavements are narrow and busy with vendors
- Caribbean ↗Several islands (Turks and Caicos above all, also the Bahamas and Jamaica) jail visitors for a single stray bullet or cartridge in their luggage; empty every bag and pocket before you pack.
- Caribbean ↗From August to October keep a free last day before your flight home and check the national hurricane centre daily; airports close when a named storm approaches.
- Caribbean ↗Wearing camouflage clothing is illegal for civilians in several islands, including Barbados, Antigua, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Grenada, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica; leave it at home, children's clothes included.
- The Bahamas ↗Check entry rules for your passport on the official Bahamas government sources before you fly; requirements differ by nationality.
- The Bahamas ↗Respect marine protected areas: fishing, collecting shells or coral and anchoring rules are enforced in national parks such as the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park.
- The Bahamas ↗Do not bring firearms or ammunition; even a single forgotten round in a bag can lead to arrest.
- The Bahamas ↗Water-sports operators on Nassau and Paradise Island beaches are poorly regulated: use tour companies booked through your hotel and wear a life jacket.
- New Providence ↗Hurricane season (Jun–Nov, peak Aug–Oct): buy flexible fares and keep a buffer night in Nassau.
- Nassau ↗Downtown pavements are narrow and busy with vendors: bags go from the car to the door, never on a walk.
- Nassau ↗After dark, take a licensed taxi door to door; do not walk between clusters.
- Nassau ↗On days when several cruise ships are in port, Bay Street and the Straw Market are crowded from mid-morning: go before 09:30.
More
Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, best time to go, opening hours
Go now?
hours and prices: check on the day- Open
- Usually 09:00–17:00Usually 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
- Crowds
Quietest around 09:00 · go before 09:30
MonTueWedThuFriSatSunQuietest Sun · busiest Thu–Sat · desk estimate
- Tickets
- Adult: Free
- Time to spend
- 45–60 min · up to 90 min if you linger
Best time to go
Crowded when several ships are in port; quiet on ship-free days.
Queue rule: switch if the queue passes 15 min; come back when under 5.
By weekday: quietest Sun, busiest Thu–Sat.
Opening hours
- Hours
- 09:00–17:00 (typical, check)
- Note
- Trading hours vary by stall and by cruise days; not printed until verified.
- Hours note
- Stalls set hours; longer on cruise days.
Which month is quietest
- Janheavy
- Febheavy
- Marpacked
- Aprheavy
- Maybusy
- Junbusy
- Julbusy
- Augbusy
- Sepbusy
- Octbusy
- Novheavy
- Decpacked
Quietest May–Oct · busiest Mar · Dec.
Estimate: desk reasoning from season, weekend and school-holiday patterns; not counted. Holidays and events move these weeks.
Weather here, next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
Getting in, access, sensory load, what to bring, and where to go if it does not work
Getting in
- Stop
- Taxi or walk to Bay Street
- Ticket
- free · official site
- Stairs
- market: none
- Shoes
- Shoes on.
Accessibility
- YesStep-free entrance · market: none
- NoLifts
- Check firstAccessible toilet
- PartialWheelchair
- PartialStroller · caution
Sensory load
- Sensory load3/5 Medium
- Peak crowd5/5 Very high
Exposure: medium
What to bring and the rules
- Clothing that meets the dress rule · Cover up in town; beachwear stays at the beach.
- A small bag · Keep bags in front.
- Cover up in town; beachwear stays at the beach.
- Keep bags in front.
- Ask before photographing vendors and goods.
Rules and prices change: check the official site before you go.
Bailouts
- heat: Café (AC)
Nearest rescue anchor: B — Straw Market covered stalls (field-verify)
Problem
Red lines
- Check that goods are made in the Bahamas if that matters: look for the official tag.
- Agree a price before a braiding or photo.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where it is, how to get there from your hotel or from where you stand, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Nearby places
Eat nearby
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
Tickets, prices and entry
Know before you go
- Go before 09:30 when few ships are in port.Go before 9:30 AM when few ships are in port.
- Say hello and ask the price; agree it before you pick up an item.
- Carry small US bills; change is often in Bahamian dollars.
- Do not accept braiding or henna until the price is agreed.
Best time of day
Go before 09:30. Plan 45–60 min inside.
quietlightbusyheavypacked· desk estimate for an ordinary weekday; weekends and holidays run one level higher
Tickets & entry
- Where to buy
- No ticket needed.
- Dress code
- Cover up in town; beachwear stays at the beach.
- Bags & lockers
- Keep bags in front.
- Photos
- Ask before photographing vendors and goods.
- What's closed
- Sundays and public holidayscheckMany stalls shut; check.
- Cruise-free dayscheckFewer stalls open.
“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.
| Ticket | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Free | — |
| Straw hats and baskets | US$10–40 depending on bargaining (2026 estimate) | — |
| Hair braiding | agree a price first, US$20–60 (check) | — |
How to do it well
- 1Walk from Bay Street and go early.
- 2Buy after a first lap; prices differ between stalls.
Time on site, inside and your plan
Time on site
Minimum
30min
Worthwhile
45min
Typical
60min
p95
90min
How much time do you have?
Enough for a typical visit (60 min).
Nothing else in our notes is a short enough walk from here for the time that is left.
Visit times are typical figures, not promises; queues and closing times can change them.
Step-free check, who it suits, facilities
Step-free check
- Step-free entrance: yes · yesmarket: none
- Lifts: no · no
- Accessible toilet: check · check
- Wheelchair: partly · partly
- Stroller: partly · partlycaution
Level floor; aisles are narrow at busy times.
Who it suits
| Traveler | Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Souvenir shoppers | good | Hats and baskets in one hall. |
| Photographers | caution | Ask first. |
| Anyone who dislikes crowds | poor | Packed on cruise days. |
Skip it if
- Three or more ships are in port and you cannot go before 09:30.Three or more ships are in port and you cannot go before 9:30 AM.
Rules on site
- silence
- None.
With kids
- with kids
- Bright goods, but crowded on cruise days.
- child price
- free
Combine with
Combine with
- 3 minCafé on Bay Street (AC)
- 5 minRawson Square
- 8 minChrist Church Cathedral
Walk the Bay Street, Rawson Square & the Straw Market area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes
Best photo time
Best photo time today
Sun times for today load in your browser.
Deep dive
Questions, photos, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
How do I know it is made in the Bahamas?
Look for the official Bahamas-made tag and ask where a piece was made; many goods are imported.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Should I bargain?
Yes, politely; a smile and a modest counter-offer work better than a hard bargain.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Is it open every day?
Most days; check on Sundays and holidays.
Can I pay by card?
Some stalls take cards; cash is easiest.
Photos
Photos
Straw Market Photo: Bluerasberry, CC BY 4.0
Deep dive
Sources
- officialBahamas Ministry of Tourism (official)
- secondaryWikivoyage — Nassau
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Source: Price
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
Prices are 2026 estimates. The official site has the current price.
Source: Opening hours
Source: Best hour
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The quietest window written into this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.
Source: Bag rating
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Rated for the whole walking cluster, from desk research, not for this entrance.