Where To Shop On Your Solo Trip To Bali? | Solo Female Travel
Even though Eat, Pray, Love is one of the reasons that Bali is so popular today, the island has been a shoppers paradise for a long, long time. To be honest, we all have a shopaholic inside of us. While shopping may not always be the primary reason to visit Bali, it wouldn’t hurt to indulge in a bit of shopping and take back home something to remind you of your wonderful solo trip!
Bali has a lot of street shops, art markets, and shopping malls from where you can shop. This blog is all about where to shop on your solo trip to Bali!
1. Krisna Bali Souvenir Shop, Kuta
Your solo trip to Bali will be incomplete if you do not check out the Krisna Bali Souvenir Shop. Well, these are not my words, it’s the motto of the shop! Although Bali has too many shops for you to select a souvenir to take back home, Krisna Bali Souvenir Shop is probably one of the best on the island!
There are about seven outlets of the Krisna Bali Souvenir Shop in Bali. Out of these seven, the most-visited by the tourists is the Rama Krisna outlet in Tuban Kuta, Bali. The best part about this outlet is its location. Since it is close to the famous Ngurah Rai International Airport, you may not even have to take out a day off of your itinerary to shop for something. If your departure is from this airport, you can leave an hour or two early from your hotel and stop by the shopping outlet to take home some souvenirs with you!
At Krisna Bali Souvenir Shop, you can buy beach fabrics, snacks, handicrafts, sandals, accessories, and a lot more! However, there is just one issue with this outlet. The prices here are fixed, so you won’t get a chance to use your bargaining skills. Nevertheless, the Krisna Bali Souvenir Shop has some really amazing stuff, most of which are at reasonable prices, so you won’t probably lose out on much!
2. Love Anchor, Canggu
Canggu is one of the hippiest places in Bali. And if you take a walk along Jalan Batu Balong in the evening, you will spot this very chic and Instagrammable market that consists of several shops, restaurants, and bars. The best part is that the market is decorated with fairy lights which add to its beauty and make the perfect shopping spot in Bali!
More often, you will see people heading to the market for after-dinner drinks. But the market is equally famous for shopping too.
On Sundays, this area becomes a cool and happening bazaar with many pop-up stalls! The bazaar makes for a perfect place to buy things like trinkets, dreamcatchers, accessories, homeware, and even artwork.
Now, there is one downside to this market—the prices! You may find everything here to be a little overpriced. You can easily purchase similar items for lesser prices from other shops in Bali. But there is no harm in checking out the market once. If not shopping, you can definitely get some Insta-worthy snaps!
3. Discovery Shopping Mall, Kuta
If you have never been to a shopping mall in Bali, then Discovery Shopping Mall might be the best option to check out. The mall is quite famous among tourists and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kuta! Now, you might be wondering what’s so special about this shopping mall? Let me tell you. It is famous because the Discovery Shopping Mall has direct access to the famous Kuta Beach!
The shopping mall has all the famous shopping outlets and restaurants. In addition, the location of the mall is considered quite strategic too. It is at a comfortable distance from all the famous hotels and accommodations in Kuta. So, if you happen to stay in Kuta and need something urgent, you can easily visit the mall!
You can check out some of the restaurants in the mall that offer a direct sunset view. What can get better than having a nice cup of coffee in a comfortable chair and watching the gorgeous sunset?
4. Old Man’s Market, Canggu
Old Man’s Market is one of the most happening weekend markets in Bali. There are about 150 stalls set up in the market, and going through all these would definitely be worth your time. Each stall is better than the other, and they all offer a wide variety of items as souvenirs.
At Old Man’s Market, you get chic boho jewellery (which is perfect to wear at the beach, casual gatherings, or even formal meetings if you pair them up the right way with your outfit), quirky beachwear, and a wide variety of organic food!
But here is the thing that you need to remember before making plans to visit the Old Man’s Market. It opens only once every month. So make sure you check the dates on their official Facebook page. And if this is something that interests you, you can plan your solo trip around the dates!
5. The White Peacock Bali, Seminyak
If you are someone who loves to shop for clothes, then this is probably the best place for you to check out in Bali. The store has an amazing collection of women’s clothing, mainly in floral prints. You might also get some style inspiration from the mannequins set up in the store. Trust me, having been there myself—I can assure you that The White Peacock Bali has some stunning designs!
Most of the time, the clothes in the store are at a discounted rate. So even if you are on a budget, you can still shop as much as you want without having to burn a hole in your pocket!
Here is a tip I would like to give you. Don’t just look at the mannequins or clothes on display to finalise your purchase. Look for clothing items kept on the racks too. As these items are in no particular order, you may even find a hidden treasure there! And, you do not have to worry about colours at The White Peacock Bali, especially when you buy summer dresses. They have a wide range of colours, from pastels to brights, you will get everything here!
6. Jalan Legian, Kuta
Jalan Legian is a pretty long street, measuring approximately 2.9 kilometres. So if you are planning on checking out the Street, you can get around on a moped or motorbike. Luckily, it is very easy to rent a bike or car in Bali! However, I would suggest that you only rent a moped if you are confident in your riding skills!
Here, you will see a row of shops and stalls offering a variety of items for you to check out. A majority of stalls offer traditional Balinese stuff, like artwork, merchandise, accessories, handicraft, and a lot more. You can also check out the imported stuff at the shopping street as they are quite good in quality.
Jalan Legian is also quite famous for its nightlife. You can easily find bars, cafes, and restaurants open till the early morning hours!
7. Kuta Art Market
Talking about the top places to shop in Bali and not mentioning the famous Kuta Art Market would leave the list incomplete. Kuta Art Market is one such place where you can find pretty much everything, be it traditional clothes, carpets, footwear, handicrafts, artwork, or even organic items!
Usually, the market is quite crowded as most tourists shop from here to take back home souvenirs. But you can’t really blame them either because the art market is one of the best in Bali. And it is famous for all the right reasons! You will not regret going here, even though you may find it to be a bit crowded most of the time.
8. Sukawati Art Market
Existing since 1980, Sukawati Art Market has some stunning items for you to check out and take back home. Sukawati Art Market is just opposite the Sukawati Traditional Market. The difference between the two is that the art market is the ideal choice if you want to buy some souvenirs for yourself and your loved ones. On the other hand, the traditional market is the place to go if you want to buy some daily necessities. You can find the residents at the traditional market for their everyday shopping.
Sukawati Art Market is famous for traditional Balinese crafts such as jewellery, paintings, antiques, beach fabrics, wooden sculptures, and a lot more. One of the most famous Balinese items, which happens to be my personal favourite too, is aromatherapy products, like natural oils, incense, and candles.
My experience at Sukawati Art Market
When I had visited Sukawati Art Market on my solo trip to Bali, I was amazed at the wide variety of items in the shops. While I walked around the market to check out as many things as I could, I had already decided to purchase aromatherapy products. One of the reasons behind it is that these Balinese aromatherapy products are quite different from what you get in other countries. The fragrance of these products is just so magical. And interestingly, most of the spas use these natural oils for traditional Balinese massages too!
9. Ubud Art Market
Did you know that one of the scenes from the famous movie ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ was shot in the Ubud Art Market? Well, this is not the only reason that makes the art market popular and one of the favourites among the tourists. Compared to other art markets in Bali, Ubud Art Market has quality goods at a much cheaper rate.
You get some really good quality stuff here like traditional jewellery, bags, shirts, beachwear, silk scarves, t-shirts, baskets, carpets, candles, wooden crafts, and much more. While you can easily buy these things at any local store, the quality and price at Ubud Art are top-notch!
Ubud Art Market is located in the central Ubud region, so it is close to many tourist places in Bali. This will make it convenient for you to go shopping here after exploring the island for the day!
The art market remains open from 6 AM to 6 PM every day, so keep in mind to check out the market before sunset.
I did most of my souvenir shopping at Ubud Art Market. Since I’m an Indian, I was already exceptionally good at bargaining skills! It is one of the hidden skills that most Indians possess lol.
10. Thaikila Bikini Bali, Ubud
If you are a beach bum, you can never go wrong with purchasing a bikini from Bali. Thaikila, a French brand, offers its visitors an amazing collection of swimwear. And the best part is there is a bikini that perfectly fits any size!
From cotton fabrics to hand-sewn stone embellishments, there is a wide variety of bikinis and swimwear for you to choose from. The price is quite reasonable, too, considering the quality of the material, design, and style you get!
If you have made plans to visit the famous beaches in Bali, then you must definitely check out Thaikila Bikini to get your hands on some stunning designs and styles!
So, which is your favourite place to shop in Bali?
Phew! So these are some of the famous art markets, street shops, and shopping malls in Bali. While you will get pretty much the same items in every place, be it a shopping mall or a local street shop, the difference lies in the quality and price.
Don’t be surprised if you come across poor-quality products with cheaper price tags at street shopping and extremely good ones with higher fixed prices at shopping malls.
I prefer shopping in street shops and art markets since they are quite popular in Bali. It’s just that you need to briefly become a part of the “quality assurance” team when you purchase a product lol. Check the quality, material used, and price.
Do let me know in the comments section below which shopping place you visited in Bali and what you purchased! I would love to know about your experiences.