Ubud Art Market: A worth to visit market in Ubud
As you travel around Bali, you can find various art markets scattered around the island. Whether you are into silver jewelry, wooden or stone carvings, Balinese linen, women accessories, or painting, Bali is the answer to find these captivating goods made by local craftsmen. One of the markets that worth to visit is the Ubud Art Market, located in Central Ubud.
Ubud Art Markets are a central attraction for holidaymakers as well as acting as a hub for locals to fulfill their daily necessities. Hop on a unique shopping experience where you can discover a treasure of local artworks and handicrafts at bargain prices while staying around Ubud. The famous Ubud art markets are always congested with domestic and international shoppers looking for souvenirs with the best deals on ubud art market.
Photo by: Ashish Reddy
The Story of Ubud Art Market
According to Ubudcenter, Ida Tjokorde Kandel founded Ubud Market in the 1800s to improve the lives of the people in Ubud. It was a place where locals could trade goods using a barter system, showing off the area’s strong community feel and rich culture.
With the arrival of tourists, led by Tjokorde Agung Sukawati, Ubud Market began to change. This small town in Bali started to attract visitors, and gradually, the market shifted from a traditional trading spot to a lively art market. Now, it’s a place where people from all over can find beautiful handmade items. These crafts are more than just keepsakes; they link the artistic talent and traditional crafts of Ubud with the rest of the world. This has made Ubud Market an important spot for Bali’s culture and economy Ubud traditional market.
Glimpse of Items in Ubud Art Market
Ubud Art Market locally referred to as ‘Pasar Seni Ubud,’ it is one of the most visited markets in Bali and forms one of Ubud’s focal landmarks. The Ubud Art Market also plays an essential role in the district’s socio-economic life. Here’s a glimpse of what item that you can find within Ubud Art Markets:
Photo by: Swapnil Desai
Rattan Bags
You can easily spot this bag hanging in front of every stall within the market. The price is around IDR 250K for the medium size. Usually, the price varies on the decoration, styles, size, and what kind of straps that used. No need to worry about bargaining, it’s common in every market.
You will get a lower price when you buy in bulk. Most of the people here are experienced in sending some rattan bags outside of Bali. So, if you want to start your rattan bags business, you might find the right partner when walking around here.
Photo by: Eee Song
Dreamcatcher
Who wants to get their holiday spoiled because of having a nightmare? To prevent that happens to our lovely guest, some of our villas are decorated with Dreamcatcher. This beautiful hanging thread – sometimes with a feather – is believed to help you receive a good dream.
If you would like to bring this home, you can also find this item in Ubud Art Market. Dreamcatcher is made of threads, and it’s supposed to – as the name said – catch bad dreams.
Since Ubud is known as village of art you can find various styles and sizes of Dreamcatcher here. There’s no scientific proof regarding the size, though. But, some people believe that the bigger the Dreamcatcher, the more it can catch bad dreams effectively.
Photo by: Sunil Khamkar
Paintings
What’s Ubud without the local street artist? Although most of the artisans in Ubud have their own galleries such as Tonyraka, Museum Neka, and others, there’s a gem in the market as well!
You can find paintings in some of the stalls here. It’s original, authentic, and they can give you a better price. The price usually varies because of the complexity, size of the painting, or either the artisan taste. Expect to pay a minimum of IDR 500K for a painting.
There are also local painting class around Ubud. You can ask your villa butler to find the nearest one to your villa.
Photo by: Likang Liu
Wooden Mask and Balinese Mask
You can find a unique wooden mask and a traditional Balinese barong mask here in the art market. Although considered safe to bring it as a souvenir, the barong mask also has it’s own value within the Balinese people.
When paying a visit to some of the temples in Bali, you will spot the barong mask. It’s a common decoration in some of the temples in Bali. But, be careful if you would like to touch them or taking a picture of them. Since they are mostly representing the ancestors, the guardian, or God itself.
Photo by: Vincent Quan
Wooden Utensils and Decoration at Ubud Art Market
If you visit a cafe or a restaurant in Ubud and you fall in love with their wooden spoon, plate or glass, rest assured. You can find all of that in the Ubud Art Market. Yes, you read that right. You can find utensils such as wooden bowls, wooden plates that are uniquely shaped, some sexual toys, a highly entertaining quotes, and many other hand-crafted goods!
You can also find some decoration statues, wooden puppet, and wall decoration such as sculpted head of a deer. It’s not a genuine one, though.
Photo by: Andre Alim
Shopping at Ubud Art Market
Shopping at the Ubud Art Market is a unique experience, distinct from conventional retail shopping, as there are no set prices for items. To discover the cost of an item, you must ask the vendor, who will likely inform you of the price once they notice your interest. Prepare to engage in negotiation, as it is a typical expectation in this market. Vendors often quote higher initial prices, anticipating that customers will haggle. If the initial price seems negotiable within your budget, then you are ready to begin the bargaining process.
Initiate negotiations with a lower offer and gradually increase it until you and the vendor reach a mutually acceptable price. Negotiate respectfully and earnestly, showing genuine interest in the purchase. Finalizing a price usually means you are expected to proceed with the purchase; further haggling after agreeing on a price or retracting your intent to buy is viewed unfavorably.
Before making any purchases, take your time to explore the market. You may find that many shops offer similar items in different colors or sizes, possibly discovering an item more to your liking just a few stalls over. Additionally, buying multiple items from the same stall often results in more favorable deals. This approach is particularly beneficial for those aiming to bring back souvenirs for friends and family, ensuring you get the best value while shopping at the Ubud Art Market.
Tips to get to Ubud Art Market
Since it’s located in the central area, you can expect some traffic while going here. It’s effortless to spot the market since it’s located exactly across the Ubud Palace.
Ubud Art Market is open every day from 06.00 am to 06.00 pm. Our tips for you are you need to go there early in the morning. It’s because the market is less crowd and you will be more likely to find a better price.
Click here to get the destination point.
If you are an adventurous type, you can go there with your scooter. It is undoubtedly the easiest way to get anywhere around Ubud. But, if you’re a shopping type, you may consider renting a driver or ask your villa butler to drive with you.
Since the parking place is not so spacious, it might be not very easy for you to find a place to park. By bringing the locals, they surely know where they can park the car or wait while you enjoy your shopping.
If you happen to be hungry after doing some shopping, check our blog on best Balinese dishes that you should try while in Ubud!
Conclusion
Shopping at the Ubud Art Market is a unique experience, distinct from conventional retail shopping, as there are no set prices for items. Ubud Art Markets sell many unique handmade art merchandise such as; rattan bags, where you can find it easily, many unique hand-crafted wooden utensils and decorations, various kinds of wooden masks from looking to funny looking mask, dreamcatchers, colorful local artist paintings, and many other items that we can’t list here. Before making any purchases, take your time to explore the market. You may find that many shops offer similar items in different colors or sizes. Possibly discovering an item more to your liking just a few stalls over.
Don’t forget to stay in one of our hand-picked and high-quality villas in Ubud. Ubud Villas Rental by Red Lotus Property is one of the leading exclusive management in Ubud We will be more than happy to help you choose the right villas during your holiday in Ubud. Our experienced team will ensure that your stay with us is a memorable one.
