Pasar Badung Denpasar Bali

Denpasar is the capitol city of Bali and is a thriving mixture of cultures co existing.

Riding through Denpasar one becomes immediately aware of the abundant food places, including restaurants and food carts. There are not too many what you might call ‘tourist restaurant’ but if you are prepared to ‘go local’ you’re set.

For lunch today I stopped at a place on Jl. Teuku Umar for a grilled fish for 12,000rp.

My reason for going to Denpasar was to visit Pasar Badung, the huge sprawling market where locals shop and people from all over Bali come to sell and buy goods. Pasar Badung is a 4 storey structure which is located on Jl. Sulawesi across the river from the multi storey Pasar Bonbasari.

Parking at Pasar Badung cost 300rp and once inside its a free for all of food vendors and people people selling everything a Balinese person could want. The outside area is where the food vendors congregate. I saw satay vendors, drink vendors and ladies making traditional Balinese snacks. Wayan was grinding up chilis, lime juice, spices and vegetables into a paste which she added vegetables and wrapped in a cone of brown paper ‘bunkus’ (take away). Wayan said her snack cost 3,000rp and told me she had been at the market for 28 years. People get their order and find a place to sit and enjoy it. I was regretting having already eaten.

The lower level of Pasar Badung is for vegetables, fruits and a whole assortment of fresh meat, dried fish and other products. The whole place smells like a farm yard.

The second floor features spices of all kinds and I chatted to a seller who offered this bag of saffron for 65,000rp ($7).

Te third floor is loaded with sarongs and other Balinese ceremonial gear including everything you need for your offerings. One lady told me business was slow. For once they can’t blame this on the tourism. I must admit I didn’t see much I wanted except maybe for the food outside and think that I agree with my guide book that a trip to Pasar Badung is more cultural than for shopping for the average westerner. The general atmosphere in the market is hussle bussle and stall holders are obviously friends and share jokes in typical Indonesian good humored style.

As well as Balinese Hindus I saw Muslim stall holders and customers. This lady asked me to take her photo while she was waiting for her ground (kalapa) coconut.

I gave this begger 200rp on my way out. I usually don’t give but once in a blue moon won’t kill me.

Pasar Badung is open 24 hours a day and is a good place to get a taste of Balinese market life in a big city. The ride from Kuta is about 30 minutes and for tourists I suggest getting a Blue Bird taxi to take you there which should cost no more than 40,000rp.

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• Begger at Pasar Badung market Denpasar Bali
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• Trays of satay sticks at Pasar Badung Bali

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