South Bali, Indonesia Travel Guide
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South Bali Markets & Handicrafts
Market in Kuta, Bali
Overview: You know you always need to buy something for yourself as a keepsake and some token gesture for your friends and family when you travel somewhere. Surprise! There are many markets and handicraft villages in Bali. If you check out Tanah Lot, you’re going to run into the Tanah Lot Market anyway! Yes, the Bali markets are your garden variety outdoor markets with vendors and stalls crammed tightly, selling almost the exact same things as their neighbors. The Bali markets have some special treasures though. I love the detailed hand-crafted and carved wall art pieces, especially at the Ubud Traditional Market. Many of these items, however, can’t be bargained down too much because they aren’t mass-produced or easy to make. You’ll know when you see them. Bali’s markets demonstrate some serious ingenuity by designing toys and puppets with minimal natural resources. It’s incredible. Because Bali is such an artistic center in Indonesia, you’re likely to find some wonderful art sculptures and paintings at every market.
As for handicraft villages, you’re guaranteed to pass through them on your way to any major tourist attractions. Besides paintings, Bali is known for its serious, artistic handicrafts. The most well-known handicraft villages in Bali are Batubulan Village and Tegallalang. In these villages, you’ll walk or wheel away with at least a wood carving, if not a stone statue of a Hindu god.
Here are some of Bali’s most famous markets and craftsman villages.
KUTA ART MARKET
Overview: Get your Bintang t-shirts and pick up a painting and some towels all at once at the Kuta Art Market, which is ideally situated next to the beach. It is Bali’s main commercial and art market on the southwest coast.
Location: Kuta Art Market is just west of Jalan Kartika Plaza (a main north and south street in Tuban) and at the end of Jalan Singosari. It’s also located across from the new Discovery Mall in the Kuta beach area.
Getting There: Cab if you’re staying near Legian or Seminyak.
MATAHARI KUTA SQUARE
Overview: Don’t confuse Kuta Square with the Kuta Art Market, even though they are near each other. This is an indoor, multi-level department store and supermarket center with souvenir stalls surrounding the building. A supermarket is on the first floor and department stores on the rest of the floors, where you can buy household goods and clothing.
Location: Jalan Bakung Sari No. 1, Kuta, just next to Kuta Art Market
Site: http://baliwww.com/bsg/matahari_ksq.htm
SANUR JALAN TAMBLINGAN & CEMARA
Overview: On Jalan Danau Tamblingan and Jalan Cemara (which Tamblingan turns into at the south end of the street), you’ll find all sorts of shops. There’s marketplace right at the intersection of Jalan Danau Tamblingan and Jalan Cemara.
Location: Jalan Danau Tamblingan and Jalan Cemara, Sanur, Bali
Location: Some stores are wheelchair accessible while a lot are not. But, they are just open-air shops so you can just stay on the sidewalk a lot of the time.
BATUBULAN VILLAGE
Overview: This renown village has gained a reputation of having some of the finest stone carvers and artists in Indonesia. Batubulan Village, which is a little northeast of Denpasar and almost at the same longitude as Sanur, has also made a name for itself via its nightly Barong performances.
Location: About 20 northeast of Denpasar
Getting There: Cab it or hire a driver (as part of a day tour)
TANAH LOT MARKET
(PASAR SENI MARKET)
See Tanah Lot Market
TEGALLALANG
See Ubud Markets & Craftsman Villages
UBUD
See Ubud section
DISCOVERY SHOPPING MALL
Overview: Kuta’s upscale and indoor shopping experience just got a boost from the latest and greatest shopping center, Discovery Shopping Mall. It’s dubbed, “the only beachfront shopping mall.”
Location: Jalan Kartika Plaza, Kuta, Bali 80361
Website: www.discoveryshoppingmall.com
Email: support@discoveryshoppingmall.com
Ph: 0 62 361 755522
Getting There: Cab it
BALI GALLERIA MALL
Location: Jalan Bypas Nguhra Rai, Kuta, Denpasar, Bali
Website: www.dfsgalleria.com/en/bali
Email: support@discoveryshoppingmall.com
Ph: 62 361 761 945
Getting There: Cab it