Bali is a beautiful place. While we cherished the beauty of the Indonesian island known for its forested volcanic mountains, iconic rice paddies, beaches and coral reefs, we could not resist shopping. Bali offers a unique experience for shopaholics too as there are variety of places to shop – from local to brands to designer stores to boutiques. One would find goods like handbags, jewellery, footwear, clothes, lingerie and much more. Foodies, fret not, there is a food market as well. Then you have beautiful crafts like paintings, sculptures, furniture, home décor etc. The paradise offers everything here that is why Bali is the heart of Indonesia like Delhi is the heart of India.
We shopped a lot in Bali and we are putting down a list for you all so that you can make the most when you go to Bali:
1) Toko Emporium-
The first store that we visited in Bali was Toko Emporium located at Seminyak, Bali. The colourful, quirky and fun accessories around added a pop of colour to the pristine white store. The beautiful store sells the most artistic pieces across Art, Belts, Bags, Clutches, Baskets, Sarongs, Throws, Tea Towels, Jewellery, Accessories, Home Décor, Fashion, Men’s Stuff and Pet’s Stuff. I also loved the variety of Pom Pom things spread across shoes to baskets to wall hangings.
We also met the beautiful Janet, the founder of Toko Emporium who was dressed in a white outfit and we immediately got engaged in an interesting conversation with her. With her creativity, the brand has been reaching new heights and attracts tourists from across the globe. Her love and fascination for colours inspire her and she has been solely designing clothes, jewellery, bags, footwear & accessories for over 16 years. She used to be based out of Australia before moving to Bali 6 years back. Be it the quirky tassel accessories or footwear which I also picked up for myself, the lovely bohemian fashion trends is what I could witness across the store. Loved the colour vibes!
There were also printed Cow Hide bags which were really awesome. How interesting and unique each piece was at the shop was especially the leather goods. There were some great gifting options as well. It’s a lifestyle store and everything you can find here is undoubtedly unique, interesting, special, out of the world and classy just like Janet herself.
Location: • Seminyak
2) Capbali-
We headed to Seminyak Village mall and loved the variety at Capbali. There were beautiful kaftans, capes, shirts, tees, caps and jewellery, all made in Balinese style. The brand is inspired by Balinese culture to create something comfortable for every woman keeping in mind Balinese culture and reflection. It shows in the prints, patterns, and styles which are very colorful and stylish.
Both, Shilpa and me bought kaftans in black and gold which were amazingly stylish and beyond comfortable. The one size fits all kaftans have a string attached which could be tied up for the perfect fit. So breathable and unique! All the garments are reasonably priced. Its definitely a must visit and recommended place to shop when one comes in Bali. There have a lot of stores in Bali.
Location: • Nusa Dua • Seminyak • Kuta • Denpasar
3) Skull Bali-
All of us know what a skull is but have you ever seen a skull doing yoga or is covered with buttons or is made of a bowling ball or is made our colour pencils. We saw it all at the fascinating store of Skull Bali located at Seminyak in Bali. Vera Ribeiro from Sao Paulo, Brazil and her partner Rhett Hutchence , an Australian citizen opened an interesting theme shop called ‘Skull Bali’ where they sell skull decorations, men clothes, kids clothes, women clothes, baby clothes, art, furniture, soaps, towels, scarves, jackets, blankets, sarongs and jewellery with skull as the main element across everything. Every article in the shop is so fascinating and unique! In fact, every single thing in the shop has a skull on it!
The whole shop is full of skull art and has different skulls made out of amethysts, buttons, watches, pencils etc. All different and unique skulls in gold, silver, neon, black, colourful, orange & pink! They have a very interesting display across different shelves. There is also funky clothing from jackets to tees which have skulls on them and also lovely small accessories & even paintings. I selected a beautiful funky jacket for myself which was no less than a collector’s edition. I am so glad to check out this shop where I got my skull experience and also met the charming lady Vera. If you plan to come to Bali, you should make it a point to visit here. It is the coolest store I have ever been to!
Apart from Seminyak, they have a store in Canggu too in Bali. I am sure it will be hard to resist picking up a skull either for your wardrobe or for the shelf.
Location: • Canggu • Seminyak
4) Tujuan 71:
The 4th shop we visited in Bali was Tujuan:71 – a popular male fashion boutique located at Seminyak. The funky store was full of interesting props and artefacts which stocked men’s shirt in different designs and patterns. The shop window had animal mannequins dressed in shirts which caught my fancy. Interestingly, placed there was also a funky Zebra stripe animal mannequin sitting on a becak (traditional transport used in many part of Java) while another mannequin was a lion. The mannequins were the centre of attraction which caught a lot of attention. They looked very creative and attractive wearing Tujuan:71 shirts and funky accessories.
The owner had a dream to open one and always thought that men’s shirt are always hidden in women’s shops & boutiques. He wanted it to be only in a men’s shop so he designed a special shop based on a street layout pattern in Melbourne and opened up here in Bali where all the frontages and windows are quirky and this vision of his or this fusion of local culture, art and panorama eventually became a success. His idea worked and now he has a shop with his scintillating, exhilarating and exciting ideas running through and making his journey as a boutique owner a credible and remarkable one.
The patterns spread across Men’s Casual Collared Shirts, Men’s Tailored Shorts and Male Fashion Accessories are so interesting, nice and colourful that even as a woman I don’t mind wearing the interesting creations.
Location: • Seminyak
5) Bali Tees:
Bali is indeed beautiful and mesmerizing and once you are in the beautiful island you don’t wanna go back! Love Bali Tees ensures that wherever you are, your Bali memories stay with you through the form of their merchandise which are available for men, women and kids. Inspired by the love of the Island Bali, the daily life, the cultural elements are reflected on clothes expressed in witty and funky ideas and designs. You really want to own and wear those pieces…don’t you?
Bali Tees range includes tees, caps, bags, towels, bikini bags, pouches & funky beach wear with Bali captions. Designed with love, these are like mementos or remembrances to take home from Bali with lots of love and feeling of warmth. I took a sleeveless black Bintang print logo tee while Shilpa took a Black Tee which had a golden Heart in which Bali was inscribed. I wore my funky Tee at Nusa Lembongan and got lots of compliments for it. Perfect for the hot and Humid weather, the t-shirt gave me a cool Bali feel and made me look beautiful in a black and red combination.
Owing to its love for Bali, Love Bali Tees donates 1% of every single t-shirt sale to “BWP” Bali Fresh Water Protection Project. Bali faces serious groundwater shortages and saltwater intrusion due to unsustainable water use. So by buying the merchandise you contribute to good to protect the island Bali and if you want you can also contribute and become actively involved in their programs. The products are locally produced with fair labour standards, environmental awareness and an authentic deep rooted love for Bali. Bali Tees merchandise is available only in Bali with their incentive being to promote local economic empowerment, reduce the carbon footprint and give back to the island of Bali by sharing its beauty in the form of designs for us, the society. With multiple stores in Bali, this one is a must visit!
Location: • Ubud • Seminyak • Kuta • Denpasar
6) Several Needs at The Way:
With several needs we have, the brand ‘Several Needs’ at Bali does cater to a lot of them. An assortment of products which I found from the brand at The Way store in Berawa, Bali is known for ‘Unique designs made with love in Bali by really really nice people’.
I found everything to be handmade here by the local people in Bali. The range includes kaftans, beach towels, bikini bags, tote bags, tops, shirts. Made using good quality fabrics, the main aim of the brand is to make people happy by their products. Both Shilpa and me got ourselves bikini bags which had unique design in colourful patterns. We also loved the huge collection of beach towels and I selected an orange towel for myself while Shilpa selected a blue one. The soft towels were of really good quality with pompoms towards the end. The leaf print kaftan that I selected also had pompoms and a knot to tie. This one is totally worth visiting as it would cater to almost everything you need. The quality being made handmade by Bali people and the memories we take home of the Bali island as Bali visitors.
Location: • Berawa
7) By Rayline-
Located at Ubud, we visited this cute little boutique called ‘By Rayline’ owned by women entrepreneur Ray who loves fashion. Ray had been a part of the fashion industry for 10 years as a sales promotion girl and she got her inspiration from happy customers who wore the clothes.
With Ray’s love for fashion, she learnt the process of how clothes are made step-by-step and finally started her own entrepreneurial journey with her own label “by rayline”.
She makes her customers feel happy with her creations and works with small garment factories in villages for production. From choosing fabric to colours to making pattern for clothes and then sewing the clothes….everything is done in the process. The beautiful sustainable fashion label is known for simple style, free flow attire, effortless, forever wearable designs which never go out of fashion.
The store stocks dresses, women wear, accessories in different colours and patterns which were high quality and very fashionable & trendy. With different trends from stripes to florals to polkas, the variety had something for everyone supporting beauty and defining everything that surrounds it. By Rayline believes in being honest to its customers and respect to the employees. The pieces are made from 100% rayon and hand printing fabric; each individual colour has been created to bring out the beauty in every skin tone.
Shilpa bought 2 dresses from the store. One was a black and white striped dress which was unique and available in multiple colours. The other one she picked was a beautiful strappy floral maxi dress in a neutral colour tone. The dresses looked beautiful and she loved them.
Location: • Ubud
8) Kewangan-
Whether you are skinny or curvy, you can’t resist Kewangen, a brand founded in 2010 in Bali. ‘Kewangen’ is inspired from Balinese ritual paraphernalia made of coconut leaves, banana leaves and various flowers. Kewangen being a symbol of beauty, shows bohemian culture displaying feminine pieces of detailing, natural materials and the selection of royal & colourful colors.
With a philosophy of one size fits all, the store has a variety of woman tops and dresses across different colors. They have free sizes so even if a person is on a little curvier side then also, the dresses can also fit the individual easily. I took a free-size fuschia pink maxi dress which was frilly and beautiful with laces and knots. I loved wearing it as it was comfortable too. The other one I took was a royal blue dress with white laces which was again a beautiful and unique piece. Shilpa took a beautiful red dress with flowers on it and a green one with front buttons which was again class apart.
It’s a store worth shopping for clothes while in Bali as the clothes here are unique and the quality is very amazing. The moment you try them you look extremely beautiful and stand out in the lovely colors of the colorful store as they had dresses in almost every color -red, blue, black & white gracing different styles.
Location: • Ubud
9) Panama Bali-
In an Island full of beautiful beaches how can we stay away from getting the perfect beach slippers. And hence we headed to Panama Bali.
The brand was founded in 2016 and the products are designed in Jakarta making everyday walking experience better. Panama Bali deals in all kinds of best, imported and high quality flip flops and beach slippers offering a wide range, which are very funky and classy with rubber grips. The range includes some limited edition pieces and some come with anti-breakage protection rings inside them. Very Indonesian and Bali at heart which makes every customer happy and proud! The footwear is simple, stylish, functional for everyday use and yes affordable too.
I could not resist myself and bought really cool & stylish High Life golden coloured beach footwear as well as classic rubber grip flip flops for myself. The footwear I bought were extremely comfortable, had 100% grip and wouldn’t break easily. Their designs are stylish, affordable, cool, trendy and available in a many colour options. Much recommended!
Location: • Ubud • Legian • Denpasar • Level21 Mall • Park23 Mall • Raya Sesetan • Singaraja • Kesiman • Dalung
10) Whilegray:
Who says ‘Fashion does not exist for men’? At Whilegray & Co, I witnessed amazing patterns and styles which I was awestruck with. The brand has been ‘Making wardrobe essentials for man since 2011’ and has a variety catering to different needs of men. Whether it is everyday wear or occasion wear, a man would be spoilt for choices. They have some of the coolest shirts with different patterns – check, floral, jungle, leaf, wildlife, prints and single color shirts also.
They also have smart casual jackets and T-shirts as well as cool accessories. I loved the variety of wrist gears too. They emphasize on quality and comfort and not just follow trends. Being a successful lifestyle brand, their journey led to a destination with millions of dreams to follow. Anything is possible as they supply to a wide range to countries like Australia, Denmark, Austria, Japan and India too. The store located at Bali was started in 2011. The shirts are beautiful and the fabric is of high quality and it’s a great store to shop from in Bali to buy shirts.
What do you think about this lovely black shirt with leaves & flower print from Whilegray which I found to be soothing & comforting? It kept me calm & cool in the Bali climate. I wore it over a sleeveless T-shirt to give it a stylish edge at the beach and enjoyed the breeze & pleasant climate.
Location: • Denpasar
11) Bali Buda-
From the brand known for Real Food by Real People, we shopped for some food products from Bali Buda. The health food shop sells a wide range of local & imported organic foods, as well as natural household, skincare & alternative products.
Their food products are yummy, amazing, exotic and also handmade. The food items which I enjoyed having were Bagel Chips, Sweet Sambal Sauce, Honey Oat Walnut Cookies, Spirulina Bars, Raw Energy Bars etc. Bali Buda is a family owned business been in existence since 1994 making fresh organic handmade and homemade products. The ethical and environment friendly brand’s main aim makes zero wastage its sole practice.
Bali Buda also makes big varieties of products like nut butters, jams, coconut oils, baked goods, snacks, cookies and cakes. Not to be missed is a range of self care products – soaps, cotton pads, wooden stick ear buds, and many more stuff. So what’s the wait? Just come here and enjoy the goodness of Bali flavours, all natural and homemade!
We also picked up products of P’URE Papaya from Bali Buda. Absolutely loved the Papaya Ointment (paw paw with calendula) which restores, soothes and protects. The other product I took was Vapour Balm with eucalyptus and lemon myrtle with paw paw which clears, warms and soothes. They are 100% natural with no petroleum and no preservatives. They do not have any harsh chemicals and are genuinely very effective on the skin. The whole of papaya is used in the products- skin, fruit and seeds so that there is no wastage of this wonderful fruit.
Location: • Ubud • Batubulan • Sanur • Bukit • Kerobokan • Canggu
12) Balizen:
Balizen started by Andrea and Nyoman is known for colourful and quirky home décor. Andrea hails from California while Nyoman is from Bali, the beautiful couple creates a unique line of products for home, garden and body. Their designs are inspired by nature and the zen traditions of craftsmanship, simplicity, harmony and the use of natural materials.
We headed to their store at Seminyak and saw a wide range of quirky products from temple umbrellas, table mats, runners, aprons, kids collection (clothes), women clothes, crochet pillows and shawls, salad bowls with ladles, windchimes, soaps, toys, bed sheets, lamps, home décor stuff and many more artistic things.
Balizen products are inspired by nature, art, harmony, hope & joy with the idea of conservation of sustainable materials. They use ecologically sustainable natural materials like bamboo, vetiver, capic shell and organic cotton to make their products. They try to recycle as much as possible. Everything is made in Balizen Fair Trade workshops or by the village artisans who have been with them for years. They utilize, sustain, support & encourage village handicrafts. Also the 5R’s- Reduce, Re-use, Recycle, Refuse and Repair for steady improvisation and growth. They also encourage a fair living wage and good working conditions for their employees along with training and empowerment plans for women.
Interestingly, Andrea has been a costume designer in films and plays. Nyoman manages the Fair Trade workshop and also looks after facilitating organic farming programs working with government officials and village communities to preserve the Balinese culture into a green and sustainable future by organic farming, reforestation projects etc.
Balizen also has a small healthy food café in Seminyak and Ubud which has Balizen elixir, healthy snacks and organic coffees. All Indonesian traditional herbal remedies farm fresh being churned out and poured in form of vegan soups, juices, coffees and snacks to give you health benefits like the Balizen elixir {jamu). All gifts of Mother Earth to make you hearty and hale only in Bali served with all the love of the island and love from Balizen and the lovely Andrea and Nyoman.
Location: • Ubud • Seminyak
So just hurry up, pack your bags now and leave for Bali. It is a paradise and a heaven that you will definitely love to explore and that’s my promise. Thank me later!
With inputs from Shilpa Arora
Photography by: Shubham Arora
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