Lace, linen and silver: what to buy in Bali, and where

Bali has been a maker’s island for centuries, and it still sends visitors home with things made by hand: lace from a workshop of 1978, kaftans from a label born here, silver from Celuk and carvings from Mas. Where to find them, with the shops and markets in our guide.

Every morning across Bali, small woven trays of flowers and palm leaves appear on doorsteps and shrines, each made by hand. It is a reminder that this is an island of makers, and the best things to bring home are still made the same way: lace, linen, silver and carving.

Made in Bali

Begin with lace. Uluwatu has made its clothes from handmade Balinese lace since 1978, a living craft that supports a few hundred households, in its own words: white cotton dresses, kebaya and kaftans that pack flat and last. You will find its shops on Jalan Monkey Forest in Ubud, Jalan Danau Tamblingan in Sanur, Jalan Laksamana Basangkasa in Seminyak and in Bali Collection at Nusa Dua.

Then the linen. BIASA, a playful take on the Indonesian word for “ordinary”, was founded in Bali in 1994 by the designer and gallerist Susanna Perini, mixing Indonesian heritage with Italian minimalism: kaftans, tunics and loose linen for women, men and children, cut for the heat.

The craft villages

Between Denpasar and Ubud, a string of villages each keeps its own craft: Celuk for silver and gold jewellery, Mas for woodcarving and Batuan for its painting. In Celuk the silversmiths’ workshops and showrooms line the main road; ask to see the work being made before you buy.

In Mas, Tony Raka Art Gallery, at Jalan Raya Mas 86, shows contemporary art beside its art lounge, and opens daily, 8am–10pm: a good place to see what the island’s artists are making now.

Buy one thing made by hand, and you take a piece of the island home.

The art markets

For the classic market, Ubud’s art market stands opposite the palace in the centre of town; haggling is expected, so start well below the first price, and smile. Sukawati’s art market, between Denpasar and Ubud, is a covered warren of textiles, carvings and crafts.

And for the island’s everyday life, Pasar Badung, beside the river in central Denpasar, is Bali’s largest traditional market, selling produce, spices and the flowers and palm leaves for daily offerings.

Seminyak and the malls

Seminyak’s main shopping runs along Jalan Kayu Aya and into Jalan Petitenget, with Indonesian fashion labels, homeware and furniture shops and galleries; Seminyak Village and Seminyak Square gather more under one roof. In Kuta, Discovery Mall Bali sits right on the beach on Jalan Kartika Plaza, open daily 10am–10pm, with a SOGO store, tax refunds and a luggage keeper for your last afternoon before the airport.

Our advice: buy lace and linen in the shops, where the price is the price, and save your bargaining for the art markets; go to the craft villages in the morning, when the workshops are busy; and keep a few hours on your last day for Discovery Mall, a short drive from the airport.