Cairns
has a large range of shopping available. The CBD hosts everything
from small souvenir type shops to large shopping arcades and everything
in between. It is generally accepted that buying virtually any goods
in Australia represents excellent value for visitors due to the
currency exchange rates.
Most
of the well known international brand name items can be found in
the City, normally in the shopping complexes or arcades. There are
plenty of bargains to be found, it is simply a matter of spending
some time exploring the city to find exactly the items that you
are looking for.
There
are a lot of souvenir type shops, opal shops and aboriginal shops.
These items are all popular with visitors to Cairns. From our experience
it is always worth shopping around to compare prices and to make
sure that you are getting exactly the items that you want.
Most
retail traders are open seven days. This does vary slightly but
generally they are open to about 8pm. Once again if you are looking
for something in particular it is best to check with the hotel concierge
or guest relations and they can point you in the right direction.
The
Pier Marketplace - Sunday Mud Markets
Most
shops accept traveller's cheques and credit cards and some will
even take foreign currencies however you should check this point
before making a purchase if you intend to use a currency other than
Australian dollars. Some will deliver your purchases directly to
your hotel if requested.
Due
to the large number of international visitors to North Queensland
it is not unusual to find bilingual people working in retail shops.
Shops will often have signs in their front windows to advise of
this feature.
Bartering
is not usually done in most retail outlets in Cairns however it
is acceptable in markets and more casual shopping venues, particularly
for bulk purchases. Our opinion on this is if you are not sure you
can always ask the question. The person behind the cash register
will soon tell you whether the prices are fixed or negotiable.
|