Which craft villages are covered here, and what does each make?
Each of the four villages has a clear trade. Treat this list as a starting point, and check what a yard is making on the day you go.
Mas: woodcarving
Mas sits on the outskirts of Ubud and is the traditional centre of Balinese woodcarving. Many of the most celebrated carvers in Balinese history came from the village, and their families still carve there. Because so many carvers work in one place, a morning in Mas lets you compare several makers’ styles side by side.
Batubulan: stone sculpture
Batubulan, in the Sukawati sub-district of Gianyar Regency, is where craftsmen make the stone sculptures. Batubulan is known for stone carving, so this is the village to see how a rough block turns into a finished figure.
Celuk: gold and silver jewellery
Celuk, in Gianyar Regency, has been known for gold and silver jewellery craftsmanship for a long time. Its trade covers both metals, so ask which one a piece is made from. Compare two pieces side by side if you can, because the weight and finish of a well-made piece tell you more than a display does.
Batuan: densely painted scenes
Batuan, in Gianyar Regency, is the village that gives its name to the painting it is known for. A studio visit here is about the making rather than the look of the work. Ask the painter how long a canvas took, whether the work is painted by hand, and how the surface was prepared before the first mark went on.
How does a working yard differ from a shop?
In a working yard the piece in front of you may still be in progress. You can see the tools, the offcuts, the half-finished pieces and the person at the bench. A showroom usually has finished stock and little else. The trade-off is that a working yard is not set up for a rushed visit, because the maker is working while you look. Arrive with time to spare, keep your questions specific, and accept it if the maker asks you to come back when the work is quieter.
What should you ask a maker before you buy?
Ask who made the piece and whether they work in this yard or buy in finished work. A carver or jeweller who knows the craft answers in detail, and a vague answer tells you something too. For silver, ask about the metal content and whether the piece is stamped. A stamp is the maker’s claim until you have checked it, so ask even when a mark is visible. For painting, ask whether the work is painted by hand and whether the artist signs it. Ask the price first, then raise any question about it calmly, because some sellers expect discussion and some do not.
How do you plan one morning of village visits?
Start with one or two villages rather than the whole area. Choose the village whose trade you most want to understand, arrive while the work is underway, and keep the last stop for when you have seen the first two. If you want to speak with a particular maker, confirm they will be there before you set out. A morning that leaves space between stops is easier to enjoy than one that tries to cover every village on the map. For the rest of the day, see our guide to building a day around Ubud.
What should you know before buying a large stone or wood piece?
Plan transport before anything else, since the size and weight of a stone piece decide how it moves. Ask how a piece will be packed, who handles the shipping, and what the agreed price includes before you commit. Measure the space you have before you go, because a large figure that does not fit is hard to change. Wood pieces raise the same questions about packing and space. For a wider list of what to see around Ubud, our Ubud guide to things to do is the next place to read.
Where to go next
- For the cloth you are likely to be offered, read the textiles page.
- To tell the painting styles apart before you visit a studio, read how the painting styles compare.
- For a place where finished pieces from many villages are gathered in one spot, the markets page explains what to expect.
- Carvers and silversmiths each have their own guide, in woodcarving in Bali and silver jewellery in Bali.