Colours and Flavors of Samadi Sunday Market Canggu

Samadi Sunday Market is an iconic pop-up market in Canggu that offers a glimpse into the mixture of local culture and the hipster tourist lifestyle for which Canggu is known. I was eager to check the contemporary market and compare it to the traditional markets in Bali I had been to before.

Morning Calm in Samadi Sunday Market

We reached Samadi Sunday Market a little after 10 AM. My first impression was that the market was too small even to be called a market.

Six vendors were at the entrance — two fruit and vegetable, two incense and essential oils, a pop-up bakery, and a knick-knacks stall, each contributing to the diverse cultural offerings.

The main fruit stall in the front was the most crowded. It seemed to be locals’ favourites – as in tourists who live in Bali’s favourite. People stopped by to get something or another or chat, sometimes among themselves but in front of that particular stall.

Meanwhile, I had a lengthy conversation with the hand-made incense seller two stalls down.

She makes most of the incense with hot glue and incense powder, claiming it to be better than essential oils. She also recited the prayers while making the Mantra incense.

Her business was thriving, and she was doing well. She dreamt of supplying to Jakarta once she figured out how to meet local demand. Her English was good (I noticed when she spoke with others — we spoke in Bahasa).

I bought Gayatri Mantra, Spices, and a mixed package of incense from her, with a discount. I guess the Bahasa helped.

My next stop was the knick-knack stall, tended by a Balinese with a super chill vibe. She wasn’t pushy at all, happily answering the random things tourists asked. I got a gecko toy — to commemorate days of disrupted sleep by a living gecko in our Airbnb room. Also, the gecko symbolizes abundance — an ideal remembrance to bring back home.

I also got Dadar Gulung, a sweet coconut pancake, from the same stall for our snack later.

The other fruit stall, much smaller with only a few types of fruit, was busy chitchatting with an elderly white lady as if they were long-time friends for the longest time. And when I left, I saw her deep in conversation with yet another friend. Man, isn’t that life?

My last score from Samadi Sunday Market was the Indonesian spices from the stall in the hallway. This one was out of necessity. After endlessly searching for candlenuts in Asian Grocery stores in West Melbourne, I was so happy to part with IDR25k for a small package of it. I also got Cabe Rawit Powder for another IDR25k. The same thing would cost $28.95 before shipping from an artisan spiced store in Melbourne.

Haggling in Local Market

This brings me to my point — if you are travelling to a third-world country and thinking everything is “cheaper”, please get something. Buy something from the local brands and local markets (please, oh please, don’t just go into the same brands you shop at home while in Bali).

Secondly, if you know the price is acceptable, please don’t haggle! An additional $1 saved in your pocket might mean less than the $1 gain by the locals.

Of course, I say this from a privileged standpoint. Of course, you must beware of tourist traps and ridiculous price points, yada yada yada, but whenever possible, be a reasonably generous tourist, contributing positively to the local culture.

The rest of the stalls in Samadi Sunday Market were located in the compound. Most sell jewellery — the same type one can find in other beach towns. The same goes for the clothes and swimwear sold by others stalls. I made three rounds to see whether anything was interesting — nada.

Samadi Store

If you are after some accessories, check out the Samadi Store (not a stall in the Samadi Sunday Market) near the entrance. The store sells beautiful accessories made by local artists, including Mala beads, yoga wear swimsuits, and other products. The price point is higher than the back stalls at the Samadi Sunday Market, but there were much better options.

Samadi Supermarket

Another place worth checking out is the Samadi Supermarket store beside the Samadi Sunday Market. They sell all kinds of organic hipster-approved stuff here.

I got Karma, a Balinese magazine from here, and when I went to pay the cashier, we started a conversation. She was curious about me being Indonesian and me of her life as a local.

She also told me that Samadi Sunday Market used to be more happening before when the provincial government had to ban the cars on the road in front of the market on Sunday to avoid congestion. “It is not the same anymore these days,” she said, but she was hopeful that more would come next year and the market would return to its glory days. Here’s hoping.

Samadi Address: Jl. Canggu Padang Linjong No.41B, Canggu, Kec. Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80351, Indonesia. The Market only opens on Sundays.

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