Shopping

Part of Bali's traditional culture is a heavy emphasis on arts and crafts, so along side the expectable t-shirt and beachwear shops you'll find places selling fine woodcarvings, barong masks and silver jewelry. Kuta, as the center of the tourist trade, naturally has a high concentration of shops, but for higher quality and greater variety, take a stroll down Monkey Forest Road in Ubud. Also check out Ubud's central art market where you'll find paintings and other crafts.

While there are plenty of shops selling cheap beach wear, as you'd expect, you may be surprised at the number of major brands represented. Bali is a big part of the genesis of brands like Quicksilver and Billabong, and Indonesia is one of the primary production bases for these products that are heavily identified with the surfing culture. Prices at the many shops selling these products are quite reasonable, although the styles may actually be from previous seasons.

Speaking of clothes, another surprise may be the number of small shops stacked with clothing, especially jeans, and sporting names such as Versace or D & G. You would be excused for assuming that these are knock-offs. In fact, they're quite genuine. The clothes are made in Indonesia, and what's on sale in these shops is remaindered or sometimes slightly irregular stock. The prices are quite competitive if you're not one to worry about being seen in last year's style.

Shopping Malls

While most seem to prefer shopping the markets, or the boutiques of Legian Street and Kuta Square, there are a couple of western style shopping centers where you can go to escape the heat.

Bali Galleria

Bali Galleria is the oldest shopping center on Bali. There is a cineplex as well as a large duty free shop, but not much else. There's very little you'll find here that you won't find outside the Galleria. The location is well away from the beach, so a trip here is not really recommended.

Discovery Mall

Opened in 2005, this large mall dominates Kartika Plaza Road, south of Kuta Square. The fully air conditioned mall can make a comfortable escape from the heat of the road, especially in the hot season around March and April. In addition to the many shops and boutiques, there are also a number of restaurants to choose from. Fast food is found in the front of the mall, while nicer full service restaurants are at the back. The restaurants in the back, facing the ocean, are very popular around sunset.