Kuta shopping and shop guide

Virtually every visitor to Bali gravitates towards Kuta at some point during their stay. Its vibrant and often chaotic atmosphere is not to everyone’s liking but it provides pretty much every amenity a tourist could possibly need. For Bali standards everything is on a grand scale and the opportunities for shopping in Kuta are no different.

There is a wealth of choice for every taste and budget with a great selection of cheap art and craft stalls, chic boutiques and shiny new shopping malls. Each of Kuta’s districts offer their own individual character and specialist stores to explore. Get the most out of a shopping trip in Kuta with this indispensable guide to the best stores and gift ideas.

Legian Street
This is the beating heart of central Kuta and its most vibrant road day and night. It features wall to wall art shops selling colourful sarongs, woodcarvings, artwork and plenty of cheap tacky souvenirs too. It is best to simply shop around as many stores sell identical goods but prices can vary alarmingly. Legian Street is also noted for a plethora of trendy beachwear boutiques and surfing fashions. Major brands such as Billabong (Jalan Legian no56, tel: +61 (0)361 758286, 10:00 – 21:00) and Ripcurl (Jalan Legian no191, Tel: +61 (0)361 754455, 10:00 – 23:00) have large flagship stores here. You will find dozens of shops selling cheap DVDs including yet to be released Hollywood blockbusters for less than a dollar each.

Kuta Square
Kuta Square is a modern marketplace of stylish fashion houses, jewellers and funky street wear labels. It is dominated by the four storey Matahari Department Store (Kuta Square, Jalan Bakung Sari no1, Tel: +61 (0)361 761145, 9:00 – 22:00) which features just about everything a shopper could want. There are complete floors dedicated to Balinese crafts, fashion, home wares and electronics. You will find generally import quality goods but prices are much cheaper elsewhere in Kuta. Kuta Square is notorious for a large number of over enthusiastic and very persuasive timeshare salesmen.

Shopping Malls
There are three large shopping malls in town catering to the more discerning shopper and each has its own distinctive character. Mal Bali Galeria (Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai, Simpang Siur, Tel: +61 (0)361 761945, 10:00 – 20:00) is a classy duty free haven of high end designer concessions such as Gucci, Sogo and Bulgari. Prices are tax free but don’t expect much joy in bargaining, all goods are officially fixed price. Kuta Istana is more of a specialist shopping centre comprising small home ware showrooms, real estate agents and pricey kids’ fashions. A better option is Discovery Mall (Jalan Kartika Plaza, Tuban, Tel: +61 (0)361 755522, Monday-Saturday 10:00 – 21:00, Sunday 11:00 – 20:00) which is located in a lovely spot overlooking glorious Tuban beach. There are three floors of high street names, classy independent boutiques, electronic superstores and some charming European style cafes. It is the perfect place to relax after a hectic day of bargaining hunting and to take in the spectacular ocean sunset.

Markets
There are several small tourist markets in Kuta most notably by the southern end of Kuta beach and at Melasti Street on the border with Legian. Expect to find cheap textiles, ornamental woodcarvings and fake designer labels everywhere. This is the place to really hone your bargaining skills and it has a fascinating atmosphere. Best buys are handbags, sarongs, secondhand books and sunglasses but just don’t expect the highest quality workmanship. Check out Kuta Beach Art Market (Jalan Kartika Plaza, Tuban, 10:00 – 22:00) for a good range of quality souvenirs.

Bargaining
Haggling is expected in most shops and larger stores and is sure to make a shopping trip that more enjoyable. The most effective tools for successful bargaining are a smile and a sense of humour and it pays to keep your cool at all costs. Spend a day shopping around and seeing what others are paying for committing yourself.           

Bali shopping
Costs of holidays in Bali
Kuta activities

Shopping in Phnom Penh
Shopping in Singapore