Pasar Badung (Badung Market)

Pasar Badung is the main traditional market of Denpasar, rising in several storeys along Jl. Gajah Mada in Pemecutan, beside the Badung River, in Bali, Indonesia. It is a working market first and a visitor attraction second, supplying the city with fresh produce, spices, meat, fish, flowers and the ceremonial goods that Balinese Hindu households need every day. The ground and lower floors are devoted to food: stalls of vegetables, tropical fruit, chilies, shallots, dried fish, rice and coconut products, and the pre-dawn trade is among the busiest in Bali. Upper floors hold textiles, clothing, kitchenware and offering supplies such as woven palm-leaf trays, incense and flowers, and these floors open later in the morning. The atmosphere is dense and noisy, with porters carrying baskets and sellers calling out prices. Visitors should expect to bargain politely on non-food items, and many stallholders speak a little English. Plan roughly one to one and a half hours to walk the floors. Produce activity peaks from about 3:00 to 10:00, so arriving before 8:00 gives the freshest stock and liveliest scenes, while upper-floor stalls run roughly 8:00 to 17:00. Photo angles are best from the stairwells and from stall level with permission, as portraits of sellers should always be asked for first. The market floors are narrow, wet and crowded; closed shoes or sturdy sandals are sensible. Pickpocketing can occur in tight crowds, so valuables should be kept in front pockets or a small bag. Pasar Badung pairs with Pasar Seni Kumbasari, reached by footbridge across the river, and with a walk to Puputan Badung Square.