Bali souvenirs and tourism activities before the pandemic |

For those who vacation in Bali, buying souvenirs is usually an obligation. However, sometimes we go to Bali not for a vacation so buying souvenirs is not something that has been scheduled in advance. Even those who are specifically on vacation are sometimes confused about where to buy souvenirs. That was the first time I experienced it when I went to Bali, several years ago.

I asked for recommendations from some journalist friends in Bali. We have to determine what kind of souvenirs we want. If you want a painting, Ubud is usually the reference.

However, because it is far from Sanur or Kuta or Denpasar, the trip to Ubud demands a long time, around two hours. Not recommended for visitors who have limited time.

I had been to Ubud in 2012 when I got an invitation to join the Ubud Writer and Reader Festival. I prefer Ubud to Sanur, let alone Kuta. Ubud in my opinion is a very inspiring place for writing and other artistic activities.

The page of the Four Points Hotel in Ungasan, Bali.

The swimming pool overlooking nature

Coming back to souvenirs, there are also colleagues who recommend Sukowati. There are many Balinese souvenirs here, including paintings. I have been to Sukowati several times — if I'm not mistaken, two or three times. There, they provide complete souvenirs at affordable prices such as Balinese T-shirts, accessories, bracelets and necklaces, paintings, beach fabrics, and so on.

However, for people like me who are lazy to haggle over prices, Sukowati is not a comfortable place to shop. I see some traders opening prices too high. When I bought a similar item of the same type and quality elsewhere in Denpasar, it turned out to be cheaper. Got it!

Hence, I recommend a more practical place like Khrisna Bali on Jalan Nusa Indah, Denpasar. Apart from being a convenient place to shop, the prices are clear and there is no bargaining. And what's more fun, Krishna is open until 24 hours.

That was my experience before the Covid-19 pandemic. Maybe now it's a little different. The Indonesian government has just planned to restore tourism activities in Bali, including for foreign tourists, starting next June. Let's just wait for what it looks like. []