Fall in love with Indonesian culture in Ubud art market

The Ubud Art Market, locally referred to as 'Pasar Seni Ubud' is located opposite the the Puri Saren Royal Ubud Palace and is open daily. Here you can find beautiful silk scarves, lightweight shirts, handmade woven bags, baskets or hats; statues, kites and many other hand-crafted goods.

Bali art markets in general are always on itinerary lists especially as the various items sold are typically Balinese, unique and some unavailable elsewhere.

Most of the goods found at the Ubud Market are made in the neighbouring villages of Pengosekan, Tegallalang, Payangan and Peliatan. The location of the Ubud Art Market which is centred among the art producing villages, and being just opposite the royal palace which is a centre point to Ubud itself, make it a strategic shopping place for Balinese handicrafts and souvenirs.

The Ubud market also serves as a setting for the Hollywood movie Eat Pray Love, which shows a scene where actress Julia Roberts opposite a male character strolling through the A holiday in Bali always calls for some sort of shopping for souvenirs or memorabilia of the trip, and the best place to make the search would be in the artistic central region of the island, namely Ubud and its Ubud Art Market.

Bali art markets in general are always on itinerary lists especially as the various items sold are typically Balinese, unique and some unavailable elsewhere. In Ubud’s case, most visitors’ favourite leisure includes easy strolls to the heart of the town, made possible by footpaths that virtually pass every aspect of Balinese culture and life. Ubud Art Market is one among the laid-back strolls, reachable from the Wanara Wana Monkey Forest Sanctuary just down south, an approximate kilometre from the market. ‘Shopping’ here is not always about an actual purchase. Viewing the various items on display from one stall to another is a highlight on its own, showing the craftsmanship and the artistry of the Balinese.

Admiring all the shops and stalls usually cannot be accomplished in one day. So if you spot an item of your interest, you might come back another day to bargain or settle the deal. Compared to art markets in Bali’s other main tourism destinations such as Kuta, the Ubud Art Market can be considered to feature higher quality items and a larger mixture.

The market is open daily from 08:00 to 18:00, and some of the stalls are even open until late at night.

Although beach cloths and shirts printer with “Bali” on them, and ikat woven skirts, Balinese style paintings, woodcarvings and woven baskets can be found almost everywhere on the island, items ranging from quadruple-coloured bohemian skirts of satin, Moroccan-style oil lamps, quilt-stitched batik camisoles and brass Buddha statuettes, are somewhat the staple, typical Ubud Art Market curios. Good to Know about Ubud Market The Ubud market offers not only exemplary Balinese items, but rather a universal and international assortment, catering to visitors of all tastes. The items found here also tend to of a higher artistic value compared to other art markets such as Kuta.

Prices vary, depending on your bargaining skills. Haggling is expected and indeed encouraged as part of the fun of shopping, but do so politely and with a smile. It is often helpful to decide upon the most you want to pay for an item before you start bargaining. Unlike the various shops aligning the Monkey Forest Road, most stalls at the Ubud Art Market bear no barcode or set price, so start bargaining which is a customary. Start at about half the asking price and go up till a compromise is reached.

Refrain from buying anything if it is the first day of your holiday. Do a little survey while you’re enjoying your first day and get accustomed with the prices. The market is open daily from 08:00 to 18:00, and some of the stalls are even open until late at night. The market is pided into two main allotments. The western block is the main art market, and an eastern block is a traditional market serving daily groceries and necessities./.

( VNF/ Bali-Indonesia )