Shopping along Paraná's Coast
Ilha do Mel
The island is a nature paradise, so do not expect fancy shops or big supermarkets there. You will only find small souvenir shops, t-shirts, hats, some groceries and small markets on the island. Important! On Ilha do Mel you cannot withdraw cash; there are no ATM's on the island. Plan to bring enough cash to spend on the island, as groceries, boats and smaller restaurants might not accept credit cards. The best available banks to withdraw money in Curitiba or Paranaguá are Bradesco and HSBC.
Paranaguá
The city's Craft Market at Paranaguá is a treasure trove of sorts. A wide range of handicrafts of native origin, made of raffia, clay, vegetable fibre and wood are available. Buying a toy, musical instrument, ornament or utensil is like buying a piece of Brazilian culture. The so-called “Arvores da Vida” – Life Trees – made by Indians who live at Ilha d a Cotinga are lovely to take home. These wood carvings represent life by showing a jaguar, a tucan or monkeys on a tree – a very nice gift for someone special! Another typical gift is a bottle of “Mãe ca Filha”, sugar-cane liquor.
At the market you can also find lots of leather goods - shoes, belts, purses, wallets. Clothes are inexpensive but the prices don't mean there is a compromise in quality. The European sizing system is used (36, 38, 40 etc), or P (pequeno = small), M (medio = medium), and G (grande = large) mark the clothes. Clothing and designs linked to the Brazilian soccer team are a hot commodity.
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Morretes
There are several souvenir shops in downtown Morretes. A good tip is to buy cachaça that has traditionally been produced in Morretes since the eighteenth century using the pinga morreteana or the traditional pot or column stills, most of which are located on the Anhaia Road. Aged rum is stored for at least 7 years in wooden barrels. Alcohol in the rum interacts with the wood, which adds subtle colour and aroma and imparts a distinct taste to the rum. JD, aged in oak barrels, and banana pinga are popular varieties. Sugarcane seedlings were first introduced into these coastal regions by John Dias, or JD, a Portuguese explorer. From the islands where cultivation first began, sugarcane was carried to mainland Morretes by resident Indians, where it has since been largely used in the production of rum. Some distilleries are open for visitors and a good place to see the production is Porto Morretes (see list below).
Antonina
The market of Antonina faces the bay and is a good place to buy the famous “Bala de Banana” – banana candy. The original ones are packed in green paper and called “Bala de Antonina”.
Superagui
Shopping opportunities are very limited and you will only find some food and drinking options. Locals go by boat to Paranaguá for shopping, as there are no supermarkets or clothing shops on the island. A very typical thing to take home is a bottle of "cataia". It is sugar-cane spirit with cataia, a plant found only here. It is also called "caiçara whisky" due to its yellow colour (caiçara are the coast natives).
Guaraqueçaba
You will find a nice store where you can buy handicrafts. It is an artisan cooperative that offers a wide range of baskets, hats and decorative goods. Use your time to buy some unique things here and support locals to keep their weaving traditions! In town, you will find some small stores offering clothing and shoes. Locals usually go to Paranaguá for wider options.
Important: In Guaraqueçaba you cannot withdraw cash. There are no ATMs that work with international credit cards there. The best available banks to withdraw money in Curitiba or Paranaguá are Bradesco and HSBC.
