Here are great Bali souvenirs worth bringing home, which in many ways can serve as better alternatives to the usual ‘stupid things’ people buy while holidaying on the island. We aren’t talking about those colourful and kitsch stuff you find too often at roadside art shops, or those fake watches, sunglasses and other crummy fashion accessories that usually get pushed in your face by roaming peddlers on the beach.
Nope, these are the real things – good as personal keepsakes and mementos of your last Bali holiday; perfect as décor for your living room, or simply as truly special gifts for folks back home. From majestic masterpieces created by skilled Balinese artisans, which are hard to imitate (but can be knocked down to fit in your suitcase or extra luggage), to gold or silver jewellery that double as ‘unmistakably Bali’ souvenirs – and great investments, too!
1.Silken Batiks and Rare.Traditional textiles
While those highly colourful beach sarongs sold by peddlers on the beach can be tempting and even useful for sunbathing at the beach, they’re mostly low quality prints. For authentic silk batiks that look good for your upholstery back home, you can invest some time browsing fine batik showrooms and manufacturers around the Batubulan area, such as Popiler Batik. You can even enrol for a fun batik course to make your own piece! Other Balinese fabrics to look out for are ikat, Bali’s own legendary Geringsing, Endek and the elaborate Songket – all traditionally produced in villages in East Bali.
2.Bali Spa Stuff
Bring a bit of that Bali spa sensation back home with you, be it a vial of essential oil or incense sticks (including pretty ceramic burners), aromatherapy massage oils or organic soaps. Certain tropical flower fragrances, such as frangipani and jasmine, can be found in just about any BodyShop outlet or in other Southeast Asian spa destinations, but the Indonesian herbal ‘jamu’ and Bali’s own spicy ‘boreh’ body scrub are quite unique.
3.Wooden or woven homeware
Balinese woodcarvers can sculpt such intricate statues,wod so it’s no wonder they can produce much simpler but equally wonderfully crafted wooden homeware and utensils as well. These range from bowls and spoons – smoothly shaped from jackfruit wood, teakwood roots or coconut shells – to coasters, place mats and reed baskets in many different sizes. They are all available in single colours or vibrant rainbow patterns.
4.Spices
The secret behind the flavours and aromas of local Balinese and Indonesian cuisine lie in its use of rich and exotic herbs and spices, grown in the island’s beautiful tropical climate. Fact: the spice trade had colonists fighting over the islands in the Indonesian archipelago for centuries. Fortunately, in this day and age, there’s no reason for warring over chillies anymore. You can easily bring some of that spiciness home with you, with the many different spices sold in nifty packets at traditional markets and modern supermarkets. There are even ready-made sambal dips, bottled fresh and easy to pack in your bag.
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