Mas Village, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
It was part of tours, and a recommended place to visit. And being someone who's always interested in local arts, I patterned a tour to visit the sculpture village (Mas), painting village, and silversmithing village. Together with a few temples such as the Mengwi Temple and Tanah Lot.
Mas is a village about six km south of Ubud, Bali, Indonesia – known for their woodcarvings. Mas is the home of the renowned Nyana & Tilem Gallery. The area also is the birthplace of the famous Mask Carver Ida Bagus Sutarja. Wikipedia
I arranged this via a private car driver that we met while walking around Ubud (see story here. We highly recommend him!)
Anyway, we went to Mas village, stopped by a huge souvenir shop of wood carved items, met a few carvers, and learned that the sculptors usually do their works at home and send them to shops such as this one.
We looked around and hoped to find something that we like. We found a beautiful chess set, with the board a little bigger than 1x1 foot, and we were told that the price was "400". We computed. 400,000 IDR is about 30 USD or 1,500 PHP. A very good price for a souvenir this nice. I even thought it's cheap. But I also thought it's probably inexpensive because the wood seemed soft (compared to hardwood) so it's easier to carve, and because we were in the village where hundreds of these sculptures are made, the prices are probably fair.
We were happy to buy it. Smiles from ear to ear!
We were about to go to the pay counter when I said "400 thousand, right?" And the staff said "No, no. Dollars." I said what again?! "400 Dollars. US." In my brain, you've got to be kidding me. That's almost 21,000 PHP or the cost of two round trip tickets to Bali from Manila!
I was so surprised I thought who were they kidding? Wasn't it too expensive for a chess piece set this small? Yes, it was beautifully carved, no doubt about it. But 400 USD?! I'd probably go for a hundred to two hundred USD but that's already stretching it. I know we have to pay a premium to artists. As a designer myself, I understand that the value of our work are usually underestimated. But 400 USD for a 14 x 14 inches soft and light wood chess board set. I don't know.
I could not believe what I heard but declined politely and the staff was also nice enough to send us back to our car, even opened the door for us. No hard feelings, obviously. I felt a little awkward though because when we left, there was a family of American-sounding people ready to buy a few overpriced small items chosen by their small kids. I heard the "discounted" price of the small elephant mask was 75 USD about 1.1 million IDR. Where I was able to buy one large Barong Mask from the Ubud Market for 150,000 IDR (or about 11 USD).
Yes, they are polished and really beautifully made. But they are overpriced. I even found a chess set the same as this one but bigger in one of the shops in Tanah Lot. It was so much cheaper costing only 200,000 IDR or about 15 USD, too cheap this time! It's not as pretty or polished but it's also hand carved. I did not have the time to look for more, but I believe that somewhere, there is one in between -- a chess set that's polished but not as expensive as the one in Mas Village.
Anyway, I am hoping that not all their products are overpriced. But a word of advise -- think before you buy anything. Tourist spots commonly overprice their goods. It's just the way it is. It's up to you to be careful.
Here's more Bali Travel tips.
Mas is a village about six km south of Ubud, Bali, Indonesia – known for their woodcarvings. Mas is the home of the renowned Nyana & Tilem Gallery. The area also is the birthplace of the famous Mask Carver Ida Bagus Sutarja. Wikipedia
I arranged this via a private car driver that we met while walking around Ubud (see story here. We highly recommend him!)
Anyway, we went to Mas village, stopped by a huge souvenir shop of wood carved items, met a few carvers, and learned that the sculptors usually do their works at home and send them to shops such as this one.
We looked around and hoped to find something that we like. We found a beautiful chess set, with the board a little bigger than 1x1 foot, and we were told that the price was "400". We computed. 400,000 IDR is about 30 USD or 1,500 PHP. A very good price for a souvenir this nice. I even thought it's cheap. But I also thought it's probably inexpensive because the wood seemed soft (compared to hardwood) so it's easier to carve, and because we were in the village where hundreds of these sculptures are made, the prices are probably fair.
We were happy to buy it. Smiles from ear to ear!
We were about to go to the pay counter when I said "400 thousand, right?" And the staff said "No, no. Dollars." I said what again?! "400 Dollars. US." In my brain, you've got to be kidding me. That's almost 21,000 PHP or the cost of two round trip tickets to Bali from Manila!
I was so surprised I thought who were they kidding? Wasn't it too expensive for a chess piece set this small? Yes, it was beautifully carved, no doubt about it. But 400 USD?! I'd probably go for a hundred to two hundred USD but that's already stretching it. I know we have to pay a premium to artists. As a designer myself, I understand that the value of our work are usually underestimated. But 400 USD for a 14 x 14 inches soft and light wood chess board set. I don't know.
I could not believe what I heard but declined politely and the staff was also nice enough to send us back to our car, even opened the door for us. No hard feelings, obviously. I felt a little awkward though because when we left, there was a family of American-sounding people ready to buy a few overpriced small items chosen by their small kids. I heard the "discounted" price of the small elephant mask was 75 USD about 1.1 million IDR. Where I was able to buy one large Barong Mask from the Ubud Market for 150,000 IDR (or about 11 USD).
Yes, they are polished and really beautifully made. But they are overpriced. I even found a chess set the same as this one but bigger in one of the shops in Tanah Lot. It was so much cheaper costing only 200,000 IDR or about 15 USD, too cheap this time! It's not as pretty or polished but it's also hand carved. I did not have the time to look for more, but I believe that somewhere, there is one in between -- a chess set that's polished but not as expensive as the one in Mas Village.
Anyway, I am hoping that not all their products are overpriced. But a word of advise -- think before you buy anything. Tourist spots commonly overprice their goods. It's just the way it is. It's up to you to be careful.
Here's more Bali Travel tips.
