For those who may not knowit, Denpasar and some of the other main tourist destination such as Kuta, Jimbaran, Legian, Seminyak and Nusa Dua are all part of the Badung District. While the produce for this market come mainly from the fertile and cooler lands of Bedugul and Kintamani, some item come from as far away as Malang or Banyuwangi in Java Island.

There is no official time when the night market begins, small trucks packed with different product keep arriving throughout the night. However, I would suggest going after 8 PM, and for those who can stay awake even longer, 1 am would be an even better time , as some of the trucks coming in from Bedugul do not arrivae until late. Some local will do their shopping throughout the night but the majority of them will come at 3 or 4 in the morning.

Those who shop in the night market are buying for their own homes, restaurants, or even for their own warung, where they will resell the goods later in the morning. However if you are vendor’s first customer, you are able to experience what is call “pengarus”, the ritual of tapping their produce with your money to ensure that more buyers will come. This is ritual that I am sure many have experienced while shopping in Bali.

I have admit that the night market , while fascinating, can be a little overwhelming because there is so much there. The best way to approach this type of shopping is to wander around, explore and look at what all different stalls have to offer. Walking around the market almost feels as though you are going on treasure hunt, each fruit and vegetables looking more delicious than the next.

Unlike the sometimes chaotic shopping of Kuta and other main tourist shopping areas where the sellers call out to you, come look at my shop, you are free quietly stroll around and look at what everyone has offer, though it is true that the night market does have its own style of hustle and bustle. There is the occasional motorbike loaded to the brim with yummy vegetables such as kangkung or pakis (ferntips). There are also regular buyers who do not have the time to leisurely wander through, and of course there are the sellers, chatting and gossiping with each other.

There are two ways to entering the market, through Gajah Mada Street or Sulawesi Street. My favorite way is entering from Gajah Mada Street. As you walk in you see the Badung River of your left and almost the perfect view of the night market, spreading out on both side of the river.

Walking down on a little slope, you have your first introduction to some of the vegetable produce, while a little farther down are varieties of bananas that I have never seen before. Next is the fish area and if you are not a fan of the salty fish smell you may prefer to pass through quickly and turn to your left, where you will cross the river and be greeted by baskets and stacks of delicious eggplant, potatoes, leafy green vegetable that you may never have seen before.

Along with vegetables are different are different kinds of chili, the vibrant big red ones as well as the dangerously spicy little green one. And of course there all the wonderful different spices such as ginger, lemongrass and galangal. If you walk toward Sulawesi Street, you will come across all the sweet and tasty fruit that Bali has to offer, such as rambutan, jackfruit and papaya.

However, if for some reason you feel as though you may need more vegetables or fruits than what you see in the stands, there is no need to worry. Next to the fruit stands are where the small trucks are parked, piled high with more garlic, shallots, kangkung, and papayas than you can imagine . In these loaded trucks you can spy a few people catching a little shut-eye and I have to admit, sleeping on a pile of leafy greens, palm or banana leaves has never looked so breathtaking. On the other side of the packed-full trucks are all the flowers that are used in the daily offering. Once you reach this section I suggest walking very slowly, as the smell of all the different and beautifully colored flowers is breathtaking.

Now if you are wondering how you can possibly carry all your newly purchased goodies and still wander through the market, I have just the answer. With the night market are what I call “human shopping carts.” These are women who will carry your purchase for you, carefully balanced on their heads. Though if you are planning to buy a ton of papayas, may I suggest using a few of them and of course tipping well is always appreciated.

As with all shopping in Bali, bargaining is a must, and if you speak Indonesian or go with an Indonesian friend, chances are you will get the best deals. But even if you do not pay a local prices, you will still find that the right market is cheaper than many of the supermarkets and more importantly, the food is fresher. Also, what could be nicer than shopping in the cool and fresh evening air?

Now, I do realize that not everyone may share my love and excitement for the night market. There are those who obsessively buy shoes, while I obsessively buy mangosteens and baby eggplant. But you should plan one night to go to Badung Market and how knows, you may become as hooked as I am.