Balinese Art and Crafts: Which Village Makes What
Published · Updated · 6 min read
Balinese art is not one thing made everywhere. Each village in Gianyar became known for one craft: Mas for woodcarving, Celuk for gold and silver, Batubulan for stone carving, Batuan and Ubud for painting. Most of them sit on the road between Denpasar and Ubud, so you can see several in one day, and you will understand the art markets much better afterwards.
Which Bali crafts villages make what?
The main crafts villages in Bali are Mas, Celuk, Batubulan and Batuan, with a few more along one road.
The standard summary, repeated in the Wikipedia article on Balinese art, is that Ubud and Batuan are known for paintings, Mas for woodcarving, Celuk for gold and silver smithing and Batubulan for stone carving. Add Tenganan in the east for woven cloth and Kamasan near Klungkung for the classical wayang painting style, and you have the map.
| Village | Craft | Where it is |
|---|---|---|
| Batubulan | Stone carving, Barong dance shows | About 11 km north of central Denpasar |
| Celuk | Gold and silver jewelry | On the road toward Ubud, in Sukawati district |
| Batuan | Painting | Sukawati district, a short drive from Ubud |
| Mas | Woodcarving, masks | South of Ubud |
| Ubud | Painting, museums, art market | Centre of Gianyar's art area |
| Tenganan | Geringsing double ikat cloth | Karangasem, east Bali |
| Kamasan | Wayang-style painting | Next to Semarapura, Klungkung |
Wikipedia lists Batubulan, Celuk and Batuan among the villages of Sukawati district, which is why a drive from the south coast to Ubud passes so many workshops without a detour.
Where does Balinese woodcarving come from?
Balinese woodcarving is strongest in Mas, a village south of Ubud that has been known for carving since at least the 1930s. The Nyana and Tilem gallery was started by the family of Ida Bagus Njana and Ida Bagus Tilem, whose work was collected by President Sukarno, and the I.B. Sutarja mask gallery is run by the carver's family. Both are open to visitors.
Wikipedia says Mas artists are known for carved sculptures, dance masks and ceremonial objects. That is the first way to tell real from mass-produced. If a stall in a market has ten identical turtles or frogs at a low price, they came from a production line in a workshop, which is fine if you want a souvenir and the price matches. If you want a real carving, go to Mas, ask who made the piece and expect a higher price.
What is special about Celuk silver jewelry?
Celuk silver jewelry is the reason most visitors stop in the village. It is the village for gold and silver, and the best way to use it is to buy straight from the workshop. Visitors can watch smiths at work along the narrow streets and buy from the people who made the piece, according to travel guides. Celuk is on the road toward Ubud, close to Batubulan and Sukawati.
Two practical points. Ask what the metal is and whether the piece is solid silver or plated, since a low price on a heavy-looking piece is a warning. And visit two or three workshops before you buy. Celuk silver is sold in showrooms and small workshops alike, and comparing them is the only way to learn what is fair.
What is Batubulan known for?
Batubulan is known for stone carving and its Barong and Kecak dance performances. The village is about 11 km north of the centre of Denpasar and is the first craft stop for anyone driving up from the airport side. One of the stages is on Pura Puseh Street, where Barong and Kris dances are held. Stone carving is the main trade, so expect heavy pieces. Check shipping before you fall for a large statue.
How is Batuan painting different from Ubud painting?
Batuan painting is dense and crowded, and Ubud painting is lighter and more influenced by Western training. According to the Neka Art Museum, the Batuan style developed in Batuan village, was less shaped by Western art than the Ubud school and is known for stylised figures and crowded scenes in works by Ida Bagus Togog and Ida Bagus Wija. Later artists such as I Made Budi and I Wayan Bendi are known for caricatures of tourists doing tourist things.
The Ubud style grew after the 1920s, when Western artists including Walter Spies and Rudolf Bonnet settled on the island. To see both in one place, go to a museum, not a market. The Puri Lukisan Museum and the Blanco Museum are both in Ubud, and Wikipedia also lists the Neka Art Museum and the Agung Rai Museum of Art. For the oldest school, Kamasan near Klungkung is where the classical wayang style came from.
Is batik Bali's craft?
Batik is mostly a Javanese craft, and Bali's own traditional textiles are different. Shops selling Bali batik are working in a technique that came from Java. Wikipedia describes batik as a wax-resist dyeing technique that developed most fully in Java. Hand-drawn wax work is called batik tulis, stamped work is batik cap and it is cheaper because it is faster. Anything with a printed pattern is not batik at all.
Bali's own cloth is more interesting to buy. Endek is a weft ikat that was once reserved for high-caste families and is now woven by the yard in workshops in Gianyar, Denpasar, Tabanan and other places. Songket is hand-woven with gold or silver thread, and Wikipedia notes it is also made in Bali. And geringsing, the double ikat cloth, is made in Indonesia only at Tenganan in Karangasem, where the thread is tied before dyeing and a single cloth can take a very long time. According to Wikipedia, the bound threads are sent to the neighbouring village of Bug-Bug to be dyed, since indigo is not permitted in Tenganan. If you want to see it made, visit the Tenganan village, and expect real geringsing to cost far more than a printed sarong.
Where is the Sukawati Art Market and when should you go?
If you want one Bali art market that covers everything, this is it. The Sukawati Art Market, a big stop for Bali handicrafts, is on Jalan Raya Sukawati in Gianyar, about 10 km south of Ubud and about 30 km from Seminyak or Canggu. Allow 45 to 60 minutes from Seminyak or Canggu, and 15 to 20 minutes from Ubud. A travel guide lists official hours of 6:00 to 18:00, but most vendors open between 9:00 and 10:00, so arrive about 10:00. Entry is free.
It is a bulk market. Many shops that sell paintings, carved items and clothes in Ubud buy their stock here, and prices are lower for that reason. It is also where you will find the most mass-produced items. Bring cash, offer about half the first price, and walk away if the number does not move. Our own page on the Sukawati Art Market has the basics.
What about the Ubud Art Market?
The Ubud Art Market sits on Jalan Raya Ubud, opposite the Ubud Palace, in the middle of town. It is more polished and a little more expensive than Sukawati, and some stalls sell the same factory goods. Published hours differ (some say 8:00 to 18:00, some say 9:00 to 17:00), so check on the day. Read more on our Ubud Art Market page, and see our local markets and shopping guide for the rest of the island.
How do I visit the crafts villages in one day?
Go from Denpasar toward Ubud and stop at Batubulan, Celuk, Batuan and Mas in that order, finishing in Ubud. The sequence follows the road, so you do not double back. Start early so you reach Ubud with time left, and bring small cash notes. Say upfront which craft you want to see, so the day is built around it and not around whichever showroom is nearest.
Our private Ubud tour starts from $60 per car, and the Ubud and Kintamani tour from $68 per car. Tell us the villages you want and we will say what fits into the day. For more on the island's festivals and ceremonies that use these crafts, our guide to Bali festivals and events explains where the masks and textiles end up.
Send us the villages you want and the day you are free through balidailytours.com/contact-us, and we will plan the route with a driver.