Bali Shopping by Area

Shopping in Kuta, Nusa Dua, Seminyak, Denpasar

Virtually everybody comes to Bali to shop, and even if shopping wasn't the ultimate aim, you'll still end up with fascinating and irresistible buys. Bali is a treasure trove of fine art and handicrafts, antique and semi-antique furniture, paintings, delicately carved jewellery, wood and stone carvings, masks, woven and dyed fabrics. (What to buy in Bali)

Bargaining in markets, shops and art shops, is normal practice and getting a good price depends largely on one's bargaining prowess. As bargaining forms a large part of the fun of shopping in Bali, remember to carry cash, as not all places accept credit cards - and be good humoured. Shops are usually open from 10am to 11pm.

International labels, local designer clothes plus skillful tailors and dressmakers offer reliable 24-hours services. Shops selling similar items are normally grouped together to make comparing prices easy, and if the shop you're in doesn't have a particular colour or size, why, just pop over next door!

Shopping in Kuta, Legian and Seminyak

Kuta's main road is lined with shops selling everything from swimwear, sarongs, handicrafts and CDs to jewelry, clothing, furniture and leather goods. There are even more street hawkers peddling watches and bracelets. Remember to firmly say no, if you're not interested.

The north of Legian Street, from Seminyak to Kerobokan, is now an enclave of boutiques specializing in local designer clothes, antiques, furniture and lifestyle goods. Stop for a bite to eat at interesting delis and warungs. Hawkers are scarce at this end of this street, so you'll have no need to worry about being harassed.

If you just don't enjoy haggling for the right price, Kuta has a number of department stores and shopping centres with fixed prices. Try Kuta Square and Kuta Centre located very close to each other in Jalan Kartika Plaza. Kuta Square is also popular with local shops and a branch of the Matahari Department Stores & Supermarket. Galena Nusa Dua with over 80 specialty shops is also a hit with the avid shopper, as it has everything a tourist and shopper could be interested in.

Shopping in Denpasar

The island capital is generally not a tourist area but there are still a few places worth checking out. The Kumbasari market near the river is a typical Indonesian market with household goods and clothing, spices and dried goods as well as fresh produce. The nearby Jalan Hasanudin, is a whole street of gold shops, selling 18-22 carat gold jewellery. A stone's throw away from Jalan Hasanudin is Jalan Sulawesi where all types of fabrics are sold. The whole street is lined with fabric stores with a few household ware stores peppered in between.

If you're looking for handicrafts check out the shops in Jalan Gajah Mada. The items are similar to those in Kuta, but without the persistent street hawkers to bother you. Denpasar also boasts of a wide range of department stores. Check out the Matahari, Libi, MA Department Store, New Dewata Ayu, Tiara Dewata, Ramayana or the Tragia.

Nusa Dua Shopping

Nusa Dua has a small charming market, with some neat bargains at its entranceway. If you venture out of the gates there's also the Tragia Supermarket and Department store and some leather shops and tailors close by.

Within the Nusa Dua complex is The Galena, a huge open-air shopping mall with stores selling fixed priced, high quality items. The Kris Gallery is also worth a try for things uniquely Bali. It is also good to know that all hotels have their own shopping areas with fairly exclusive products.

The bypass Ngurah Rai

Along the main highway from Nusa Dua to Sanur, is an endless collection of pottery, wrought iron and furniture stores. You can find some good pieces if you look carefully. You'll need to bargain hard.

Sanur Beach Shopping

Sanur's main shopping street of Jalan Danau Tamblingan has a more relaxed atmosphere and is less crowded than Kuta. This comfortably shaded street, lined by numerous cafes make it a perfect place to shop all day!

There are hawkers in Jalan Danau Tamblingan also, however the hawkers here are pleasantly and thankfully not as aggressively persistent as the ones at Kuta, maybe except for hawkers at the beach market. Sanur has an interesting collection of different shops. You can also find a Pasar Seni or Art Market displaying lovely woodcarvings and other equally fantastic handicrafts.

Batubulan

Batubulan was famous for its stone carvings. Stone sculptures were traditionally carved from Bali's rich source of soft volcanic rock, or paras, and used to decorate palaces and places of worship.

Bali's skilled craftsmen can make virtually anything from a well-known character in a Balinese story, to a little garden gnome. Items from all over Indonesia can really be found here. Serious buyers will have no problem finding great bargains.

Celuk

Continue on the road to Ubud, and you'll pass through Celuk, the famous home of silver and gold artisans. Items upon items of all types of intricately designed pieces can be found.

The silver filigree work is simply astounding, with days of painstaking work in each piece.

Do remember to bargain when buying works of art from Celuk. Off the main road, in the villages where the craftsmen work and live, better prices and more variety awaits.

Sukawati

Stop at Pasar Seni or Art Market in Sukawati and grab some bargain handicrafts and fabrics. The traditional market of Sukawati is located on the main road and side streets, with a vast variety of woven baskets and Balinese ceremonial items made from colourful "Prada" or gold painted cloth. Don't miss out on the great paintings, at really good prices.

Ubud

Ubud is still very much the artistic centre of Bali, although it has gone through considerable change from the small artist's village it was a decade ago. It is now a centre of activity with a many different Balinese paintings on sale. Well-known and highly regarded galleries like the Neka, Agung Rai and Rudana are worth a visit.

The works of western artists can also be viewed. For example, Antonio Blanco has his collection displayed at his gallery and home, and Hans Snel's paintings are exhibited at his restaurant and hotel just a little off the main road.

Follow the main road and you'll pass many smaller galleries with different styles of paintings, and a collection of stores selling clothing, antiques, jewellery, handicrafts and also a few good bookshops. The central market too sells a variety of goods. Ubud's neighbouring villages of Peliatan, Penestanan and Pengosekan are also home to many artists and galleries.

Tegalalang

This village is home to Bali's woodcarvers. Other nearby villages are famous for the carving of soft wood figures. You'll easily find many knick-knacks of brightly painted flowers, leaping frogs, temptingly real fruits, and lifelike animal figures in abundance.

Gianyar

Gianyar is the source of Bali's many textile factories producing the different types of cloth, ikat and batik. In Gianyar, you can watch the weaving process and, of course, make a purchase!

Tenganan

Tenganan is a small Bali Aga village, unique in that it is the only place in Bali producing "Geringsing" cloth. The making of Geringsing is no easy feat. The threads of the cloth must first be dyed to a final pattern before being woven together. Remarkable skill is needed to weave the threads and make them match exactly. Geringsing is produced only in small quantities and can be quite pricey. Hardly surprising, considering the detailed and painstaking efforts involved.

Other items for sale in Tenganan include woven grass baskets and "Lontars", or palm leaf manuscripts. Lontars are Bali's traditionally made books, which weaves a tale through script and pictures drawn onto dried palm leaves.

Kamasan

Kamamsan is home to traditional Balinese "Kamasan" painting where a line drawing is made in black ink by a master artist, and coloured in with natural pigments. Different items such as banners, paintings, bags and hats beautified with Kamasan paintings are available here. The Kerta Gosa, literally meaning Hall of Justice, at Klungkung features some impressive displays of Kamasan style paintings.

Klungkung

Some of the oldest antique stores in Bali call Klungkung home. You can easily find krises, songket sarongs and some good quality 22 carat gold pieces in Balinese design to take home as precious souvenirs and interesting conversation pieces.

Bona

Bona is a village well known for bamboo growing and items made from bamboo like furniture and mats. Bona's villagers also make interesting and endearing keepsakes from lontar leaves.

Bedugul

Located high in Bali's cooler mountain region, Bedugul is renowned as a farming area. The local market sells fresh fruit and vegetables and locals have the green fingers to make orchids and other plants thrive.

Duty Free Shopping

There a number of duty free shopping outlets in Kuta, Sanur, Nusa Dua and the airport in Bali, carrying a wide range of designer label boutiques. But an important tip is to avoid these outlets if you're on a hunt for anything Balinese. Why? Simply because local products are sold at ridiculously expensive prices at Duty Free Outlets.