Ubud Shopping

it's a huge building on the main street of ubud so it's almost impossible to miss it. inside, you can find all kind of handycrafts. don't forget to bargain for the price before you made a deal.

What to buy: paintings, crafts, jewelries, home decoration, etc

Zen Bali Spa is located in the vicinity of the ARMA Museum. Heading back towards the treatment rooms, there are raised steps in water -- reminiscent of Japan! Massage rooms have massage tables, showers and sunken tubs. The manicure/pedicure room overlooks neighboring rice paddies.

What to buy: I received the cutest manicure/pedicure at Zen Bali Spa. They offer both "with design." Their design is a little flower & leaves, as you can see in the picture.

Of the 3 spas that I went to in Ubud, I received the strongest/hardest massage here at Zen. It was actually painful at times. This may have been due to the fact that my calves & thighs were still suffering from my trek to Gunung Kawi 3 days prior!

What to pay: In May, 2007, their prices were: 1 hr. massage (Rp. 75,000); Exfoliating body scrubs (Rp. 30,000 to Rp. 35,000); Mandi Lulur (Rp. 115,000); Facials (Rp. 75,000 to Rp. 80,000); Creme Hair Bath (Rp. 75,000); Manicure or Pedicure with Design (Rp. 65,000; 45,000 without design); Foot Massage (Rp. 40,000); Waxing (Rp. 50,000 to Rp. 195,000).

This is the tailor recommended by the hotel staff at Artini 2 Cottages. Her shop is located about 200 meters down from Artini 2 on the same side of Hanoman Street.

Made asked me what I had in mind. I wanted two sundresses. She showed me a few styles of dresses that she had already made. I asked if I could draw something up, which was fine with her. I drew two fairly simple sundresses, I picked out the fabric & she measured me. This was a Monday morning; she told me that they would be done on Thursday. She said that normally they might be done earlier, but that her mother had been sick. When I went to see her on Thursday, one dress was done, except for the hemming. She was still putting the other dress together. The reason she was late was because her mother had passed away on Tuesday!! Yet she kept apologizing to ME!! I told her that I completely understood & would still be in town until Saturday morning. However, the dresses were both finished on Friday morning. Balinese people amaze me. Even with a personal tragedy, she was concerned about a promise that she had made to me.

What to buy: Made makes mens' & womens' clothing; pants, dresses, blouses, etc. She has material available, but you could also bring your own.

What to pay: My dresses cost somewhere in the vicinity of $25-$30 apiece, including fabric. You will be asked to provide a deposit before she begins your work.

I went to four spas while in Bali. Of the four, Cendana was the most expensive. The spa is connected to the hotel, which is next to & associated with Lamak Restaurant. To reach the spa, you must go WAAAY back behind Lamak & the hotel.

What to buy: I opted for their five-hour package, which went for Rp. 572,000 (approximately US$65) & included a traditional Balinese massage, body scrub, soak in a flower petal bath, soak in a jacuzzi, facial, manicure, pedicure & hair cream bath. The massage, body scrub, soak in the flower petal bath & soak in a jacuzzi were all good. I slightly preferred the flower petal bath here at Cendana to the one at Eve Spa. They even served ginger tea to me while I sat in the jacuzzi. Another plus (to me) was the sound of the ducks in the rice paddies while I relaxed. Five people worked on me at the same time for my manicure, pedicure & facial. It was relaxing enough that I completely fell asleep. I found the hair cream bath a tad strange, though I was also served more tea & fruit during this. When she attempted to blow dry & "style" my hair afterwards, it was a complete disaster! I was embarrassed to walk out on the street, & immediately tried to re-style my hair in the restaurant bathroom! The manicure & pedicure were also terrible. The polish was half chipped off of my fingers & toes within two days. I do NOT recommend the mani/pedi or the hair cream bath at Cendana.

What to pay: The Rp. 572,000 did NOT include an additional 10% tax (Rp. 57,200) or the additional 4% service (Rp. 62,920), which brought my grand total to Rp. 692,120, or more like US$78.

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The outdoor Ubud Market is a gem, best visited in the morning, a shopping paradise for local crafts.. the vendors encourages you to bargain, the more you buy, the better the price :-)

If you are the first customer, they will try their best to give you the best price, for you to buy, as a goodluck for them. First customer is a charm, it can really get you a best price :-)

What to buy: I bought knick knacks of things, local crafts, that are easy to bring, and very colorful. Magnets, silk bags, and the assortment of jewelry case, adorned with sequins.

What to pay: All payments are in rupiah, the local currency.

Ubud is home to some of the finest painters and artists of Bali... The tourist influx to ubud is not that many, and thus carvings and paintings are on bargain prices...

On my morning walks at Ubud Market, I happen to meet a man that do carvings on horns of animals..I initially dont have plans to buy, but checking the carvings its very intricate, and with the set for only 20,000 rupiah, its really a good deal.

The man dont have a stall in the market, but he carries all his finished products on a small bag, and approach tourists to sell. I really like it, how i wish i bought some more.

A two-storey building, smack right in the heart of the town of Ubud. Small outlets of various wares. A one-stop place for you to pick up all you want/need if you do not have time to go round shopping. Good bargains.

Convenient - as it is near to the bemo (bus) station and very near to Tourist Information.

What to buy: All local art and craft - batik and souveniers
All local foodstuffs

What to pay: Depends on your negotiating skills. Reasonable.
Silk shawl - about 90,00Rp
Tshirts : depending on quality, ranging from 15,000Rp to 20,000Rp
Necklaces : ranging from 7,000Rp to 9,000Rp
Sarongs/batik cloth : ranging from 25,000Rp and higher for better quality ones
Windchimes (bamboo) - medium : abt 15,000Rp

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It's a family run business. A young lady was seen laboriously beading the purse with her skilful hands. Each bead was threaded carefully onto the piece of cloth which will then form into a purse.

What to buy: Handsewn beaded purse.
See another picture attached on the end product - a beautiful beaded purse!

Besides beaded purse, you can also buy beaded bracelets and necklaces - ranging from 15,000Rp to 20,000Rp

What to pay: 80,000Rp to 100,000Rp