Oh how I love markets, and seek them out where ever I travel to. I had been unable to locate a truly local one until this moment in my Bali trip. What a treat it is to explore this covered space to the fullest. Here at the interesting & fun Sindhu Market in Sanur Bali, one will find all sorts of authentic goods.
Location
I’ll put a google maps link here. This market is a gem, for not only is it open before the crack of dawn as a day market, but in the evening, it turns in to a night market, full of ready to eat authentic food.
Best time to come in the morning is between 6am and 8am. Even though it technically stays open until about 12pm, the best day products will be picked over and gone by mid morning. Although I did not return to visit in the evening, I hear one can find a large selection of very local and very spicy food here.
Sindhu market or Pasar Tradisional, is located inside a large open building. The daily vendors are situated on permanent tables in the centre and the edges are surrounded by shops selling a bit of clothing, kitchenware, toiletries and products for religious offerings.
Meat
Always an interest to me, is to see how meat is handled and what is available. At the Sindhu market I found a lot of chicken vendors, a few pork vendors and some fish, but not a huge amount of seafood as one might expect.
All parts of the animals are consumed, so not only can one purchase the meat that we are all familiar with but the organs and carcasses too. Everything is cut to order on a wooden block and sold by weight.
Fresh Produce
Love seeing what new and interesting plant material I can find at authentic markets. This one did not disappoint. I found quite a few products that I have never seen before.
There were loads and loads of bananas and papayas available. Most of the other fruit was fairly sparse either not yet fully in season or exiting. As far as veg, lots of leafy greens and some interesting legumes were found.
Eggs
Always intriguing are the eggs. Not only did I see the regular varieties, but something new for me, were these eggs covered in what looked like salt? I’m thinking it would draw the moisture out through the shell. Luckily, one seller had sliced one open for people to see innards. The yolk has turned soft and dark brown.
Flowers
Not surprisingly, with all of the offerings that the Balinese put out on a daily basis, were the amount of flowers being sold. This was so pretty for me to see. Bags, bushels and wicker baskets full of petals of all shapes and colours. How glorious!
Periwinkle blue hydrangea being sold by weight! And plumeria in tightly sealed bags so as not to wilt in this unrelenting heat.
Straw trays, ornaments and decorative pieces being constructed before my eyes held endless fascination for me. As did the shops directly across from these vendors, who were selling the plethora of other decorative items that accompany these offerings.
Food
Out the back of the building, are a number of vendors, cooking ready to eat food. One young fellow was applying minced chicken onto sticks to be grilled over the open flame. Another older gentleman was tending to pork skewers.
The vendor I gravitated to had a ‘sweet soup’ bubbling away in a pot, a tray of cooked sweet potatoes, and other various small bags of who knows what. Well, I purchased the ‘who knows what’. 😁 Turns out these were chunks of sweet potato, banana and yam, boiled and coated with coconut. Not too bad.
I am thrilled to have found Sindhu market in Sanur. What a treat it was to smile with the locals, see what is on offer and even purchase some interesting food to take home and try. I have found the part of Bali that I was hoping for all along. And this is my bliss.
