Bali Shopping

Shopping in Bali at glance

You can go shopping for fine art and handicrafts such as antique and semi-antique furniture, all kinds of paintings, delicately crafted gold and silver jewelry, wood and stone carvings, masks, woven and dyed fabrics, etc. in many shops in the Kuta/Legian area, in Sanur, in various handicraft villages and the Sukawati market on the way to Ubud, and in the town of Ubud.

Bali is the place to practise your bargaining skills. Unless the product is price-tagged, bargaining is the norm. It will prove to be an exciting venture if this is your first time while the experts will find it exhilarating, especially when a good deal was struck. Many come to Bali with a 'shop till you drop' attitude, so you would probably end up buying a few things anyhow. There are numerous western-style department stores and shopping centers in Denpasar, Kuta-Legian, Sanur and Nusa Dua that offer a range of clothing, shoes, leather goods, sports gear, and toys. The service is generally good, and the low value of the rupiah ensures excellent prices. Balinese arts and crafts are the most popular purchases but you can also get value-for-money goods such as clothing, music, musical instruments and watches.

In most of the shops you can and should bargain for the best price. Be especially careful with the vendors near popular tourist attractions such as Tanah Lot or, for instance, the rip-off artists in the Bali Aga village Tenganan who are well-known for selling fake "antique" fabrics (even spray-painted instead of woven cloth) for very high prices.

Popular buys are DVDs featuring even very recent movies. These are illegal copies but they sell for just 10,000 Rupiah per piece or 100,000 Rupiah for 11 and are available everywhere in Bali. Beach wear, T-shirts, pants and other clothing, shoes and leather goods, sea shells, trinkets, etc. are offered at low prices in numerous shops in Kuta and Legian as well as – much more expensive – in many hotels. Popular shopping centers are Geneva, Jalan Raya Kerobokan in Seminyak for cheap handicrafts, Kuta Square with many shops and a branch of the Matahari Department Store and Supermarket offering everything a tourist could be interested in as well as the huge new Kartika Discovery Mall in Jalan Kartika in Tuban.

Avoid the DUTY FREE SHOPPERS outlets by all means! Local products are ridiculously expensive here. As an example, one bottle of the HATTEN Rose wine which is made in Sanur costs at DFS US$11 which is more than in most local restaurants! Even worse – if you look for a beautiful French made blouse, a designer handbag, some jewellry or a dress watch for your partner to wear at a special occasion in Bali, you'll totally waste your time: all imported items, even clothing and accessories, bought at DFS will be delivered to you at the airport and not before you leave Bali.

Shopping at Bedugul Bali

This is known as a farming area and is a great place to buy the choicest fruits, vegetables and flowers. Bedugul Bali is located at the mountain side and the weather is a bit cold and fresh. You may find interesting shopping at the traditional market, its provide various traditional goods (handicarfts), plants for gardening, vegetables and fruits.

Shopping at Celuk Bali

The home of silver and gold artisans, Celuk presents huge stores that house a wide variety of all types of intricately designed pieces. The silver filigree work is quite unbelievable but bargaining is a must.


Shopping at Denpasar Bali

The capital of Bali is not exactly a tourist area but there are a few main areas worth checking out. The Kumbasari market near the river gives an interesting overview of Indonesian markets with household wares and clothing on the third level, spices and goods on the second level, and a traditional market in the basement. Nearby is Jalan Hasanudin, a whole street of gold shops selling 18 to 22 carat gold jewellery. Not far is Jalan Sulawesi where all manner of fabrics are available. The entire street has fabric stores on both sides with a few household ware shops in between. If handicrafts are your aim, then move along to Jalan Gajah Mada where items similar to those sold in Kuta are found, but without the presence of hawkers. It is a good idea to visit the government-run handicraft center in Tohpati, Sanggraha Kriya Asti, which offers a range of handicrafts at fixed prices. You can also shop at department stores such as Matahari, Libi, MA, Tiara Dewata, Tragia, or Ramayana.

Duty Free Shopping

Plaza Bali and DFS have duty free shopping outlets in Kuta, Sanur, Nusa Dua, and the airport in Bali. A wide range of designer label boutiques can be found but bear in mind that some products in Indonesia do not have high duties, such as cigarettes.

(Source: http://www.balispecial.com/bali-shopping.html)

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