Best place to go for shopping in Bali?
Apr 18th, 2012, 08:20 AM
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Best place to go for shopping in Bali?
I would like to find some home Deco to my new house ( painting, wood carving..etc)
Where can i find it in Bali with the cheapest price/reasonable price. How can i transfer back the thing which I purchased to my home?
Where can i find it in Bali with the cheapest price/reasonable price. How can i transfer back the thing which I purchased to my home?
Apr 18th, 2012, 11:55 AM
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There are a lot of cheap paintings that are actually done either in what are called "paint factories" where rows of people knock out dozens in a day or copy painters but not originals. They are colorful but based on your taste you might not call them art for you will see the same painting at 20+ different vendors around Ubud. But if you really like one or two you can get them for $30-$75 based on size. Check if they are on real canvas and not paper or similar which will not stand up. They roll the painting and put it in a tub and can combine more than one in a tube. I suggest if they are layered paint (thick) you only allow them to put one per tub because they can stick together.
As for carvings they are all over the place as well from $20-$2000. You might start at Bali Gong where you will find the higher priced very well made pieces as well as some, not many antiques. The prices are high but it will give you a basis of comparison for your shopping elsewhere. We bought a magnificant piece there but is was $500 USD.There is a very sleek fancy store, but I forgot the name, that you are bound to be taken or directed to. It has marble floors on two levels etc. Their prices for a piece like the one I bought was about $1400. All their pieces are over-priced but very nice to look at for some are like museum pieces and worth viewing. But comparison shop and pay 35-50% of the asking price at the "trinket" type vendors At Bali Gong I was only able to get 10% off and that took a lot of work but it was made by a master carver.Good Luck
As for carvings they are all over the place as well from $20-$2000. You might start at Bali Gong where you will find the higher priced very well made pieces as well as some, not many antiques. The prices are high but it will give you a basis of comparison for your shopping elsewhere. We bought a magnificant piece there but is was $500 USD.There is a very sleek fancy store, but I forgot the name, that you are bound to be taken or directed to. It has marble floors on two levels etc. Their prices for a piece like the one I bought was about $1400. All their pieces are over-priced but very nice to look at for some are like museum pieces and worth viewing. But comparison shop and pay 35-50% of the asking price at the "trinket" type vendors At Bali Gong I was only able to get 10% off and that took a lot of work but it was made by a master carver.Good Luck
Apr 18th, 2012, 12:06 PM
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Each village has its own speciality craft. Ubud is known for paintings, Batubulan is for stone carving, other villages specialize in wood carving, silver work, etc. For best prices and best selection, you'll want to go to the individual villages rather than a big store that carries everything.
Apr 18th, 2012, 07:22 PM
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There are many different areas for home decor things, and it depends a lot on your tastes and quality standards. Each kind of thing you mention (painting, wood carving, stone) has many different vendors, and no one area has the lock on any of these crafts. As Kathie says, many areas do specialize, but again it depends on your own taste and budget, and there will be other areas that also create or stock similar items. In other words, don't let a driver tell you that a certain village is a must for wood carving (usually Mas). Mas is a village that does have famous wood carvers but they have also evolved into the most over-priced, commmission based shopping in Bali. (Bali Gong is a prime example of that practice) That said, don't buy at the first or even second store you stop at...if you have the time. Do a lot of comparison shopping, as many vendors don't have standard pricing.
Batubulan, for example, is famous for stone carving, but only for the white palimanan stone and the porous paras that is usually used for Balinese temples. The volcanic black, green and casting (indoor only) statues are from Java, but many people buy them in Batubulan.
For shpping, if you have heavy items that need to be shipped home, you can contact a cargo company that will handle everything. Cost is per cubic meter, no weight, and it takes usually from 6 - 8 weeks to arrive at your country. Make sure the shipping company quotes you for everything in Indonesia, such as documentation, fumigation, crating, packing, trucking, and courier service for your documents when the shipment arrives.
You will also need to pay at your own country for the customs broker, any taxes that apply and other possible charges. (much depends on your country).
Cargo companies in Indonesia are regulated by the government so most of them should be fine. But do some comparison shopping there, or ask whoever you shop with to help you coordinate putting all your purchases from Bali into ONE shipment.
Make sure you take photos of all your purchases before they are shipped.
Batubulan, for example, is famous for stone carving, but only for the white palimanan stone and the porous paras that is usually used for Balinese temples. The volcanic black, green and casting (indoor only) statues are from Java, but many people buy them in Batubulan.
For shpping, if you have heavy items that need to be shipped home, you can contact a cargo company that will handle everything. Cost is per cubic meter, no weight, and it takes usually from 6 - 8 weeks to arrive at your country. Make sure the shipping company quotes you for everything in Indonesia, such as documentation, fumigation, crating, packing, trucking, and courier service for your documents when the shipment arrives.
You will also need to pay at your own country for the customs broker, any taxes that apply and other possible charges. (much depends on your country).
Cargo companies in Indonesia are regulated by the government so most of them should be fine. But do some comparison shopping there, or ask whoever you shop with to help you coordinate putting all your purchases from Bali into ONE shipment.
Make sure you take photos of all your purchases before they are shipped.
Apr 19th, 2012, 11:40 AM
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kuluk; You may be correct about Bali Gong but I chose it and I saw similar wood princess carvinvings with bronze for 3 times the price and it was actually about 10% smaller. I did confirm at home it was broze which is not that expensive but the carving of the bronze and and the wood were really quite attractive. Maybe I got lucky. As I said that is a place to go because they have some very good pieces though pricey but it gives you a frame of reference for shopping elsewhere.
May 9th, 2012, 07:07 AM
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One of the must-buys in Bali is Batik. One of the finest stores is in the capital Denpasar; and is called "Batik Popiler 2". It is a HUGE store, stocking readymades for ladies and gents in all sizes; plus one-of-a-kind (and probably never repeated) fabrics you buy off the bale. They offer expert tailoring and will even arrange for fittings in your hotel.
There is another shop called "Legong" which isnt quite in the same class but has some nice Batik scarves.
There is another shop called "Legong" which isnt quite in the same class but has some nice Batik scarves.
May 14th, 2012, 05:54 AM
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Youre welcome, Ahmad! If its a general market/mall you are looking for, I would suggest the Discovery mall at Kartika Plaza in Kuta. You get everything at a basic level of quality....but you want something special, you must go to stand-alone shops like Batik Popiler or one of the wood-carvers in Mas, near Ubud.
