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 Traveller's Tales: Shopping suggestions in Bali, Indonesia
Get the best advice on shopping in Bali, Indonesia. You may read about shopping malls, souvenir items and best buys in the area. Also, you might want to read our
Bali city guide,
and Lombok city guide.
Pages (1 of 5):
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| A Lim |
20 July 2005 |
Stayed at Balisani Padma Hotel - Bali, Indonesia.
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The hotel location is strategic as there are many shops around the hotel. It is just few minutes walk to reach the shops and Legian Beach. There are many taxi just outside the hotel. You can easily get taxi to the place you like. At night, you can have dinner at Joni Restaurant, just 5 minutes walk from Balisani Padma Hotel. It is a pool side restaurant and they have a life band. Therefore, you are having dinner and enjoying the performance of life band at the same time. It is very nice!!!!
Tanah Lot Temple and Uluwatu Temple are 2 temples must go to visit. Dreamland beach is nice for surfers. Kintamani Volcano scenery is really really GREAT! Do not forget to try Crispy Duck and Babi Guling (pork). For people who likes to shop, Denpasar and Ubud pasar are a must! Things there are really cheap (don't forget to bargain)!!! The shops along the road on the way to Kintamani have lots of nice and cheap stuff.
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| C Mathis |
01 November 2004 |
Stayed at Puri Bambu Hotel - Bali, Indonesia.
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This was the first time that I ventured outside of Kuta. We took a day trip into Denpasar to the Kumbi Sari market. It was huge, especially the craft market. The cost for a bemo (public bus) from Kuta was about 10,000 rupiah ($1). Apparently this is where many of the locals shop and business owners buy their goods to sell at the local markets. It is well worth a visit.
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| L Westbrook |
03 October 2004 |
Stayed at Bali Hilton International - Bali, Indonesia.
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Bali is really great. I would recommend staying in the Nusa Dua area if you're looking for a clean beach free of people trying to sell you massages, t-shirts, or drugs. Kuta is best for going out at night, resturants and shopping for trinkets, t-shirts, etc. When bargaining I got everything about 1/3 of what their starting price was. I would also recommend taking a tour through Ubud...there are also some lovely shops there.
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| P Greenlaw |
06 August 2004 |
Stayed at Balisani Padma Hotel - Bali, Indonesia.
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Having been to Bali about 40 times now I can recommend a few quick essentials for first timers: Bargaining is a way of life there. Dont get angry: relax, smile and treat it as a game (they do). Starting price also depends on your nationality: if you’re Japanese unfortunately you get to start at a price almost double the starting price offered to an Australian tourist – sorry about that but better you know. Wherever you’re from, start off at 20% of the price offered and work your way up (as they work their way down) to a maximum of about 50% of the starting price. Don’t be afraid to walk slowly away or call their bluff. As a guide, you should pay about RP20,000 for a simple sarong or RP 25,000 for a copy (not good quality) T-shirt. If you buy more than one whatever, that's always another good reason to offer them less.
Any freshly cooked food is fine even at smaller restaurants. Be careful of soup (which may not have been boiled). Peeled fruit is great. Salads are usually washed in the local water - dont go there. Don’t be afraid to try the local dishes if they are FRESHLY cooked and haven't been standing in some bowl for half a day. The local food is often better as it has a higher turnover rate and they know how to prepare and store the ingredients. (unlike Western food)
If you change money at the airport you will end up with a rate about 200-400 RP less than what you can get at the money changers near the hotels (hotel rate is a rip off), but you won’t get ripped off. If you change at the money changers the ones who count out 50,000RP notes and are in dedicated buildings are usually ok. It's the ones with just a small wooden table or offer fantastic rates that you have to watch out for. Common tricks are: leaving one bill missing, the total not equaling what's on the calculator, counting out so many small notes (often repeatedly) you get totally confused or after watching them carefully and they cant find any other way of ripping you off, they tell you the exchange rate has just changed and guess what?: it's much less. You can actually get the correct money even out of the rip off ones but you really have to watch them closely - again treat it like a game.
“Transport” Yes, you’ll hear that a lot. Taxis with a meter are probably going to be cheaper for short trips. For a driver for a day, about 150,000RP FOR THE WHOLE VAN is a reasonable price. For 5 or 6 hrs about 100,000RP is a good price. Be careful whatever price is quoted to you is TOTAL and not per-person. Taxis fares to anywhere from the airport are a set price at the taxi counter outside arrivals. You can bargain with the touts but you'll probably end up only a few dollars cheaper if you're good.
It is normally better for your own piece of mind to have an international driving/motorbike licence if you intend to hire your own transport. The police aren't paid much so stop a tourist instead and "fine" them for not having one. The minimum "fine" which goes directly to their pocket is for a local 10,000RP and for a tourist about 50,000RP. You can always just pay the fines as you go and you may be lucky and not even see any police. When getting petrol, make sure the attendant ZEROS the meter on the bouser before filling up your tank. Remember you’re on holidays: enjoy, relax and don’t stress about all this.
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| L O'neill |
31 March 2004 |
Stayed at Padma Bali, Hotel - Bali, Indonesia.
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The best places we found to eat. PaPa's at Kuta. Padma Cafe is just across the road from the motel and is very good. The tailor across the road in the little shop is very good and does lovely work and will be made on time.
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| W Poerner' |
29 January 2004 |
Stayed at Taman Harum Cottages - Bali, Indonesia.
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In Ubud you should visit the Neka Museum which shows many great paintings from Balinese and other Indonesian artists. Bargaining is a must: reasonable price is maximum 20 % of first quote!
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| E Loh |
29 November 2003 |
Stayed at Green Garden Beach Resort & Spa - Bali, Indonesia.
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Take a trip to Sukawati Market north of Kuta. 45 mins drive. Good for handicrafts, oil paintings, clothes, sarongs and batik. Much cheaper than in Kuta Square.
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| C Mathis |
06 November 2002 |
Stayed at Puri Bambu Hotel - Bali, Indonesia.
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Bali was a very enchanting and mystical place. The people were very warm and friendly and greeted us as if we were friends. They made us feel safe and welcomed.
During our stay, we took a one day trip to see other parts of the island. We visited Ubud were there were many arts and crafts shops. We also saw beautiful rice terraced rice fields and the Baturlake and volcano. Prior to visiting Ubud, we also experienced a Balinese Barong Dance. It was very exciting.
While in Ubud, we had lunch at a restaurant by the name of Indus. It is located on a hill with breathtaking views of a terraced rice field. It offered a reasonably price menu with a variety of American and Balinese dishes. There were also many nice restaurants in Kuta. The one that we frequented the most was Made Warung, which was recommended by the hotel staff. The menu offered a variety of good reasonbaly priced food and beverages served in large proportions. One of their specialties is prawns with sweet and sour sauce. The service was also very good.
There are also many furniture and handicraft shops within walking distance of the Puri Bambu hotel. Many are located along Jl. Bypass Ngurah Rai. All offered reasonably priced teak furniture and local Balineses handicrafts, however, I would recommend Antique Asia, and Kembar Garden Furniture.
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| P Trezza |
09 October 2002 |
Stayed at Ramada Resort, Benoa - Bali, Indonesia.
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Bali has lots of activities and lots of shopping for typical Southeast Asian souveniers. Prices are not to be believed and many try to get as much as they can - need to do some research before buying something - many stores with the same exact stuff. Travelling around the island is slow and tedious - roads are overcrowded and poorly marked. Driving is a bit tense, but does afford more freedom to come and go as you wish.
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| R Mark vine |
12 September 2002 |
Stayed at Melia Bali Villas and Spa Resort - Bali, Indonesia.
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Nusa dua is a quieter place. If you are looking for a romantic place, this is better place to stay specially for honeymooners. There a package tour at the hotel for places you wanted to go. You can choose for half day or whole day tour. We went to ubud and saw how they make paintings, gold and silver, wood sculpture and sarongs, be sure you have money with you, you can't resist buying anything. I rather buy wood sculpting and painting in ubud cause its original and well made. quite pricy but you can always bargain. if you want cheaper but poor qulaity you can always go to any street market.
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