Peddlers, Cabo San Lucas

This is a great place to start. Most prices are negotiable. I purchased 3 medium sized lemon wood boxes, hand turned and carved for us$20.00 each. The man carved the names of the recipients on the boxes while I watched. I put sand, rosaries, and pesos in them. They smell great. You can get your hair braided and beaded. Hat, t-shirts, bracelets, just about anything you’ll find in the stores or at the market. I believe that most of the peddlers work for local shops and go to the beach for extra business. Well, I had all my shopping done before I even found the market at the other end of town.

What to buy: Don't forget the Cabo Wabo Tequila

What to pay: This is a tourist town. Prices are high.

While eating dinner or sitting at a bar outside, little kids will often come up to you selling small toys, sculptures, gum, and other things. (Some of them are pretty good at bargaining for their age)

This is one of the fun things about Cabo - the kids are very serious about their products, and never hesitate to give a demonstration. It is great to see them smile when they make a sale. The hardest part is saying no and seeing the disappointment in their faces, but they don't ask for much to begin with.

"Cheaper than K-Mart, Better than Nordstrom's". This is how one vendor described his stuff. Another described his as "the best Mexican junk on the beach".

As you sit on the beach at El Medano, you will be approached by vendors who will try to sell you things. You can find jewelry, pottery, shirts, hats, bags, blankets, toys, or get your hair braided.

Most of it really is junk, but sometimes you will find better and cheaper things here than in the stores in town.

What to buy: The women really like Paco. Paco sells silver jewelry and is known to have the best jewelry out of all the vendors. He works from November to May and is only on the beach after noon. He is an older man, probably in his 50's, and he wears a white cowboy hat with a Cabo San Lucas scarf tied around it. He is a little more expensive, but he sells quality stuff and is a very nice person. He is the only vendor I have seen who everyone says hello to when they see him on the beach, and he always remembers his customers.

Besides Paco, the vendors selling large colorful dishes have some nice things (if you can get them home), and the blankets aren't bad, either. The women who braid hair are also popular.

What to pay: With Paco, expect to spend a little more.

With the other vendors, you MUST bargain! Do not be afraid to ask them for an item less than half of what they want for it. They will usually go up a dollar or two and you will still get it at a decent price. I have seen people get things 3 for $20 after the initial asking price was 1 for $15. And if they say "no deal", don't worry, they will probably be back later to accept it.

Nice little shop down stairs from Cabo Wabo's dinning area. They had this metal Marlin hand made and welded together. I loved it and knew it would be perfect for my room.

What to buy: Things you can't get at home, or could get cheaper here.

What to pay: I asked the girl how much for it and she said $300 I am sure it was alot of work and not a bad price realy. I just didn't have 300 extra to spend on it. I went back later and asked if she would take less and she said "ok take it for $225" I told her to let me think about it and went back to my Pina Coloda. I then went back about a hour later and asked if she would take $150 and she said "give me $160" and I told her to wrap it up and make it so I could take it back on the plane with me. :) I was right it looks great in my room a perfect addtion to my decore.

I don't know about most people but I am not a big fan of haggling. I do understand trying to get a good price for your stuff and make a fair profit. What I don't like is the game that is played, They start over priced you have to knock the price down or pay to much. Just takes the fun out of it for me and I don't like feeling like I have knocked someone down to low that could use the money.

What to buy: I usualy try to only buy things that I couldn't get back home and things that will last. I have noticed that other things I have brought back don't last long and are made cheaply. I will usualy bring back a shirt for my brothers and with the name of the place I just came from. Usualy something nicer for my Mom. I got her a very nice hand carved bowl with here name carved into it. The guy wanted 25 for it and I got two of them for 35.

What to pay: I would definetely say to shop around a bit first before you buy and see how much the prices change from stor to stor or peddler. I bought some cool shell hand painted inside and the one shop gave me a price of 30 each and later another shop said 10 each for the same thing. I got them for 8 each and didn't have to haggle much at all. Straw Cowboy hat ten dollars, shirts no more than ten each.