A Complete Guide to The Ubud Art Market

Ubud, Bali’s cultural capital, is home to some of the most spectacular sights of Bali. Travellers from all over the world come here to learn more about Balinese culture, to awe at the most beautiful rice terraces, to chase waterfalls and of course, to shop. While you will find souvenir shops almost everywhere on the island, there is no better place to go shopping for clothing, accessories, souvenirs and so much more than at the Ubud Art Market. The Ubud Art Market is one of Ubud’s must sees, and after shopping here a couple of times ourselves we thought we would share our tips and tricks, so you can decide for yourself if the Ubud Art Market is something you would want to add to your Bali itinerary. Keep on reading to find out where the Ubud Art Market is located, what you can find here and tips on how to get the best deals!

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Bali Essentials

Psst, before we talk about the Ubud Art Market be sure to check out our favourite Bali essentials and resources:

• Accommodation: If you are looking for those unique accommodations in Bali then be sure to check out Airbnb. Here you will find the most beautiful bamboo huts, tree houses and so much more!
• Airport Transfer: Arrange your airport pickup in advance so there is no need to look for a taxi and haggle for a price after a long flight. The best way to arrange an airport pick up is either through your booked accommodation or through online services such as Klook. And if you sign up for Klook now via this link you will actually get a €5 discount on your first booking, making your airport pickup even more affordable!
• First time traveling to Bali: Be sure to check out our complete guide to Bali for first timers, including 21 things you should know before you go. This way you can be sure you will leave on your trip fully prepared and can enjoy your travels in Bali worry free!
• VPN: And last, but definitely not least, stay protected while browsing the internet by using a VPN. We are currently using ExpressVPN which allows us to access websites, such as Netflix, that have been restricted from time to time during our travels in Indonesia, and helps to protect us from possible cybercrime!

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Where is the Ubud Art Market

The Ubud Art Market isn’t hard to find as it is located right in the centre of Ubud. The Market consists of multiple buildings and one long street where vendors have set up shop for the day. While you will find shops selling similar items all over Bali, it is the Ubud Art Market that is perhaps the best known place for shopping for souvenirs and Balinese handicrafts, perfect to take home for family and friends, or simply for your own personal collection. Check out the map below for the exact location of the Ubud Art Market.

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The Best Time to Visit the Ubud Art Market

The Ubud Art Market is open from 9am to roughly 6pm. You will see vendors starting to set up their shops and opening up their shops around 9am and around 10am you will start to see the crowds at the market getting busier and busier. We would personally avoid the market in the afternoon as between 1pm and 4pm the buses filled with tourists arrive looking to shop at the market.

We would personally recommend to either go early or at the end of the day to get the best deals. At the Ubud Art Market you will often find vendors trying to make a first sale of the day early in the morning, as this will bring them good luck and for this reason they are often willing to drop their prices! However, we have visited the Ubud Art Market around closing time as well, and while busy, we noticed that many vendors will offer their goods at lower prices just to make another couple of sales at the end of the day before going home.

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What You’ll Find at the Ubud Art Market

Now that you know where the Ubud Art Market is located, you might be wondering what they sell here and if this is of any interest to you. The name of the market might slightly deceive you but this market sells a whole lot more than art, and probably has something for everyone’s liking. Here are some of the main items you’ll find at the Ubud Art Market:

Clothes – Didn’t pack enough clothes, or just looking for a new outfit, head over to the Ubud Art Market! Dresses, skirts, tops, shorts, the classic elephant pants, t-shirts, this market truly has it all. The clothes at this market are mainly for girls and women, however, with a bit of browsing you’ll find plenty of clothes for men and kids as well. You’ll find many shops selling the same items, so if that first shop doesn’t have the colour you were looking for, just check a couple of other shops and you’ll be almost guaranteed to find it!

Sarongs – You will also be able to find beautiful and traditional Balinese textiles, such as Batik and Ikat sarongs, at the Ubud Art Market, available in a large amount of styles. From bright colours to darker colours, simple patterns to elaborate patterns and some even decorated with golden lines. You’ll find sarongs in all kinds of price ranges, with the more simple sarongs being at the lower end of the price range and the Ikat sarongs being at the higher end of the price ranges.

Jewellery – Perhaps looking for a slightly smaller souvenir to take home? Look for the jewellery at the Ubud Art Market! Silver bracelets, rings, necklaces, you’ll find several vendors selling a little bit of everything. I personally love the minimalistic jewellery that you’ll find at the Ubud Art Market such as the simple and delicate silver rings, however, with the large amount of different styles of jewellery that is sold here I am sure that there is something here for everyone!

Handbags – You might have been wondering if this market also sells the famous Bali round rattan bags… don’t worry almost every vendor at the Ubud Art Market sells them! Square, round, white, black, with patterns or simply the traditional bag, this market has it all. Besides the traditional round rattan bags you will also be able to find plenty of other rattan, bamboo and fabric design handbags, all perfect souvenirs to take home from your Bali trip!

Homeware – Besides the clothing and accessories you will also find some of the most stunning homeware at the Ubud Art Market! Wooden plates, coconut bowls, woven baskets, macrame dream catchers and plant hangers, bamboo straws, pillow covers, and a whole lot more. There is so much to choose from that I could honestly think I could fill up a whole suitcase to take back home!

Balinese Handicrafts – If you are looking for a more traditional souvenir you might want to have a look at the beautiful Balinese handicrafts.  You’ll find beautiful handmade wood and stone carvings including statues small and large, and wooden masks at the Ubud Art Market. Besides the wood and stone carvings you will also be able to find paintings at the market and of course not to forget about the beautiful Balinese textiles as mentioned above!

Typical souvenirs – And lastly, besides all the beautiful Balinese handicrafts, homeware and clothing you will also be able to find the typical souvenirs at the Ubud Art Market. Keychains, toys, brightly coloured statues, and beer openers in all kinds of shape and sizes, we didn’t lie when we said this market has it all!

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Shopping at the Ubud Art Market

Shopping at the Ubud Art Market is a bit different from visiting stores as there are no price tags here. To get a price you will simply have to ask, or well often the vendor will give the price to you as soon as they will see that you have a slight interest. To get a good deal here be sure to bring your bargaining game as the vendors will expect you to bargain and as such have raised their prices, this is all part of shopping at the Ubud Art Market. If the vendor gives you a price you think you can work with and you will be able to afford then the bargaining game can begin.

Start with a counter offer and slowly make your way up to the price that both you and the vendor are happy with. Be sure not to lowball the vendors and to only bargain if you are interested in buying the product. And in the end if you have agreed on a price it is kind of expected of you to buy the product, not doing so, or trying to bargain even more will be considered quite rude.

Shopping tip: have a look around before you buy anything. You will see that many shops sell the same products just in different colours or sizes. This way you won’t have bought something only to realise you found a similar product, perhaps something you would have liked more, a couple of stores down the road. Also, buying multiple items at the same store will often result in a better price as well, perfect for those who are looking to bring some souvenirs home for family and friends!

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Our Purchases

While we didn’t go shopping at the Ubud Art Market on our current trip due to limited space in our backpack, we did make some purchases during our trip to Ubud in 2018. We thought it would be interesting to share some of the items we bought back then and the prices we paid for it, so here we go:

• 4 Beach style sarongs purchased at IDR 25,000 – 35,000 each.
• 2 Batik sarongs with golden lining at IDR 100,000 each.
• 2 Bali round rattan bags at IDR 150,000 each.
• A skirt + top for IDR 100,000 together.

We bought some other items such as an ikat sarong and another woven-style hand bag but we honestly can’t remember the prices anymore. In the end we don’t know if what we paid was the “right” price, all we know is that both we and the vendor were happy with the prices, and in the end that was all that mattered to us!

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Where to stay in Ubud

With Ubud being one of the most popular destinations of Bali you won’t have to worry about finding accommodation to your liking. From homestays and local guesthouses to luxury villas, Ubud truly has it all. However, as Ubud can get quite busy in the centre we prefer to stay a bit outside of the centre, just so we can enjoy some of the peace and quiet that surrounds Ubud! We have personally stayed at Kapu Kapu Ubud, which is located a 10 min scooter ride from the Ubud Art Market, and we absolutely loved our stay here. Quiet nights, a beautiful view over rice fields and palm trees and it is owned by some of the friendliest people we have met in Bali. We would consider this a great option for those who are traveling on bit more of a budget, and have a scooter, without this it would be a bit too far. If you are looking for something a bit more central though just check out the map below to find something that would suit your style better!

Booking.com

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And there you have it, everything you need to know about visiting the Ubud Art Market! How about you, have you made any good purchases at the Ubud Art Market? Be sure to share it with us in the comment section down below. If you are planning on seeing other sights in Ubud, or perhaps even the rest of Bali, be sure to check out some of our other Bali articles filled with tips, tricks and beautiful sights:

• A complete guide to Ubud’s most beautiful rice fields
• The ultimate Bali waterfalls guide – Bali’s best waterfalls
• Bali temple guide – the 7 most beautiful temples of Bali
• 7 Unforgettable day trips from Ubud

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