Batik, endek, songket, geringsing: what's the difference?
A surprise first: batik is not Balinese, it comes from Java. A few workshops exist in Bali, but most of the batik sold on the island is Javanese. The true Balinese textiles are elsewhere:
- Endek: a weft ikat (the threads are tied, then dyed before weaving, which creates the patterns). Once reserved for aristocratic families, it is now woven in quantity in Gianyar, Denpasar, Tabanan and elsewhere.
- Songket: a brocade woven with gold or silver thread, for ceremonial and wedding outfits.
- Geringsing: a double ikat (both the warp and weft threads are dyed before weaving), woven only in Tenganan, an eastern village home to the Bali Aga, the island's oldest inhabitants. It is a sacred cloth that can take up to five years to make. Legend says the god Indra himself taught the village women how to make it. It is made in only three places in the world.
- Poleng: a black-and-white check, a symbol of the duality of the cosmos (good and evil). You will see it wrapped around statues and sacred trees.
Where to buy:
- Sidemen, at the foot of Agung: endek and songket workshops, with weavers at hand looms.
- The villages around Gianyar, and the Klungkung (Semarapura) market, known for endek.
- The Sukawati and Ubud markets, for basic textiles.
Expect to pay easily $45 to $65 for a good endek or songket. In Seminyak boutiques, the same item can cost up to three times as much.
How to tell real cloth:
- It is woven, not printed: you can see the weave.
- Turn it over: the patterns are visible on both sides (the back is slightly paler).
Verdict: if you want one thing to take home that is truly Balinese, an endek sarong is the best value; songket is for a special occasion, and geringsing is a collector's piece.
Tip: if you want a serious souvenir, go to the source, in Sidemen: it costs more than at the market, but you leave with the weaver, her loom and her story.
Prices checked in October 2026; confirm before you go.