Markets are a way of life in Bali and the early morning markets in the village of Sideman, a 15 minute walk from Villa Kropak, are a must. The markets commence before dawn every day, with stall holders setting up at 4am. All over South East Asia, markets have provided the necessities of life to villagers for hundreds of years and the Sidemen market is no exception.

Teeming with life, freshly grown produce and the clucking of chickens, customers jostle with one another as they make their choices for the day. The village compound structure in Bali means that families effectively pool resources when it comes to meals and the markets provide the variety of produce needed to supplement the rice which is a staple at every meal.

For the visitor, the markets offer a cornucopia of colours, textures, and smells; baskets of tiny, red hot chillies, tables lined with fresh fish bought to market by fisherman from the coastal fishing villages, chicken, alive or cut up ready for the cooking pots, freshly picked snake beans and glossy aubergines, exotic fruit, mangosteen and leci (lychee) and ears of golden corn.

The flower stalls are filled with the vibrant hues of hundreds of blooms, picked ready for the daily offerings. Look out for boxes containing fluffy duckling destined to hunt for insects in the rice fields, and the piles of shiny new cooking pots and tools for everything from chopping cabbage to harvesting rice. During the rainy season you can buy a huge leaf for the equivalent of a few cents to us as a “disposable’ umbrella, or you can bargain for a batik sarong, coolie hat or even an ‘I love Bali ‘T shirt!