A lot of tourists fly to Bali to get a glimpse of Balinese culture, to marvel at Balinese Temples and to enjoy the sand, sea and sun in Kuta, Legian, Seminyak and other beaches. I just came from Kuta a couple of weeks ago and I never imagined that it can also be a good shopping destination as well for those who loves local handicrafts, sarong and of course swimwear and surfing boards and accessories.
Here's my list of the places you might want to check out when you're in Kuta.
Poppies Lane 1 and 2
If you're travelling on a tight budget, you'll probably find yourself staying in Poppies Lane 1 or 2 where most of the budget accommodations are located. Aside from hotels, hostels and guesthouses, Poppies Lane 1 and 2 are also filled with bars, restaurants, convenience stores, surf shops and clothing boutiques. When you walk towards the beach, you'll also find more shops selling a variety of stuff including artworks, handicrafts, more clothes and clothing accessories.
Legian Street
Legian Street is where you'll find a lot of bars and clubs that caters to the partyphiles and a lot of big name brands for surf clothing such as Billabong, Quiksilver and Ripcurl. If you're lucky enough, you might be able to score a huge discount as well. I just bought my new backpack because of the 40% discount promo that they have.
Kuta Square
Kuta Square is a huge complex with a variety of shops on both sides. You'll find surf clothing and swimwear and also local products being sold at Matahari Department store. If you're looking for hand-woven products, Bali Coffee and fine batik then this is the place for you.
Kuta Arts Market
Kuta Arts Market is just a 5-minute walk away from Kuta Square. You'll find a lot of artworks as well as clothing and accessories here. Make sure to bargain hard but politely to arrive at your accepted price. Adjacent to this market (if you're on the roadside) is Wake Bali Art Market where you'll find a lot of souvenir items that you can take home. They also sell a lot of organic beauty and skin care products made locally.
Discovery Mall
Just a stone throw away from Kuta Arts Market is Discovery mall. This is a western style airconditioned shopping mall and you'll find a lot of big name brands in clothing and other items. There're also restaurants and coffee shops in this mall.
Kuta Bex
Fronting the beach is a mid-size shopping mall located in front of Poppies Lane 1. You'll find an electronic shop selling Apple products and quite a handful of restaurants as well.
Kuta Traditional Market
Just a couple of minutes walk from the roundabout in Legian Street is Kuta Traditional market where you can find a lot of cheap swimwears and sarong.
These are just some of the shopping places you could visit when you're in Kuta. If you have ample time to explore this area of Bali, you could also walk towards Legian and Seminyak and you'll find a lot more shops. Be wary though of some shops selling counterfeit items. I noticed that there seems to be a lot of counterfeit designer pieces being sold at a fraction of the price. Best buys in Kuta includes jewellery pieces, local handicrafts and surfing and swim wears and accessories. Enjoy shopping in Kuta!
