Ciudad del Este has been called the biggest shopping mall in South America, and for better or worse it lives up to the nickname. The heart of it is Avenida San Blas, a kilometre of stalls and arcades selling cheap electronics, imitation designer gear, perfume, alcohol and tobacco, all subject to Paraguay's famously lax import duties. Brazilians and Argentines cross the Friendship Bridge every day to shop here.
Two warnings. First, a lot of the goods are counterfeit or stolen, and real deals on serious electronics are rarer than they used to be. Second, pickpocketing is rampant — keep your passport and most of your cash in the hotel safe, and carry only what you can afford to lose. Leather goods from Paraguay's cattle country are the genuine bargain.