11 Best Places to Shop in Indonesia

Handcrafted pottery is a specialty on Lombok, and you'll find some good examples in the village of Banyumulek, about halfway between Lembar and Mataram. Many houses have studios that you can visit to buy pottery directly from the artists; bargaining is acceptable. For a one-stop shop, try Rismunika Astuti art shop (62/3706–81559), off the main road into Banyumulek; they will even ship purchases abroad. Bring cash as many stores don't take credit cards.

Alongside Surabaya's oldest mosque, Mesjid Ampel, you'll find narrow streets chock-full of stalls proffering flowers, shawls, perfumes, beads, dates, and more. Women should be sure to dress conservatively when exploring this area.

For the best shopping experience, stick with the locals by shopping at one of the many markets in town—other than a sprinkling of shops catering to tourists, you won't find much in the way of international shopping in Sabang. Go in the morning, when the locals do, and look for an island specialty called dodol, a sweet composed of palm sugar, flour, and fruit.

Visit Medan's largest textile market, also called the Old Fish Market, to haggle for colorful fabrics to take home. You can also have garments made from the textiles you select.

This is the city's main open-air site for fresh fruits and vegetables, spices, textiles, and practical items like fans, shoes, and cookware.

A traditional Indonesian market, the always-crowded Pasar Rame is a good place to bargain for clothes and household goods, as well as to buy coffee, tea, candied fruit (manisan), and durian. You can also sample the traditional Medan noodle dish mie kangkung belacan at one of the many food stands.

Just north of Mataram and about half an hour from Senggigi, this art market specializes in traditional handicrafts from Lombok as well as artisan products from regions throughout Indonesia, including the traditional woven cloth called ikat. Wooden products are a particular specialty of Lombok, often decorated with an inlay of mother of pearl known as cukli. This area is also the source of wooden masks and furniture you'll see throughout Indonesia. Be sure to bargain for the best deals.

Pearls are a relatively good deal on Lombok since golden South Sea pearls are cultivated at farms in Lombok's west and southwest. Head 2 km (1.2 miles) south of Mataram, where you'll find rows of shops selling pearls on the main road heading west from where Jalan Gajah Mada meets Jalan Sultan Kaharudin. Most shops are open Monday to Saturday. (You can also buy cheaper freshwater pearls, usually from China, and often touted on the beaches.)

At the city's southern end, this is Semarang's modern shopping venue, an enormous mall complex with trendy boutiques, electronics stores, upscale eateries, and movie theaters.

This is the place to look for the Pulau Weh specialty—souvenirs made from coconut shells, such as necklaces and earrings, often adorned with seashells. It also sells hand-sewn embroidered items and other local products. Like many others in Sabang, the shop, next to PUM Losman, usually closes between noon and 4 or 5 pm.

This is not only largest mall in Surabaya, it's also one of the biggest in all of Southeast Asia, and you'll find Western chain stores here as well as Indonesian brands. It's worth a stop just for the wonderful food options found on the fifth floor, including sushi and dim sum.