You are visiting the island of Bali: the ocean is everywhere, so you'd like to enjoy some of that salty water bounty.
Looking for the freshest and best deal to satisfy that seafood craving? Look no further; Kedonganan Fish Market has the most options and freshest seafood you can find.
This fish market is located in the Jimbaran, located in the southern region of Bali. It is a convenient detour for lunch or dinner if you're travelling between hotspots such as Uluwatu and Seminyak/Canggu/Kuta.
What is Kedonganan Fish Market ?
Kedonganan is a traditional fish market where fishermen offload their catch of the day and sell it to both the public and restaurants across the island.
The market doubles as a hub for seafood lovers, offering both the sale of fresh seafood and the option to have it cooked on-site; as the market is surrounded by "Jasa Bakar" restaurant which translates to "Grilling Service". Effectively these restaurants have only a couple of dishes on the menu as their main business is cooking the seafood you bring them. So you'll first want to head to the market, buy everything you want to fill your belly, and then bring it to the restaurant of your choosing. If you're familiar with the concept of "farm to table", this will probably be the closest you'll get.
These restaurants will have plenty of fresh drinks for you to select from as well as basic dishes, to accompany your seafood, such as rice and vegetables. Additionally you can also bring your own vegetables, they will prepare them for you and charge you based on weight; same as for the seafood.
You will not find much else other than seafood to eat there, with the exception of the ambulant vendor selling things such as rujak (a fruit based snack) or snack / desert such as "es campur" or "pisang ijo".
Buying your seafood
Before you begin shopping for your seafood, come prepared with some cash on hand as vendors will mostly only accept this form of payment. A few of them will have "QRIS" (Indonesian QR based payment method). But without any Indonesian form of payment, it will be very difficult for you to use.
Vendors typically sell the seafood per weight with often a minimum purchase of 1 kilogram (kg) when it comes to smaller items such as prawns, clams etc. they might also accept to sell you half a kilogram (kg). Larger items such as entire fishes, crabs or lobster are priced based on the exact weight of the item.
The market: its layout and offerings
The market, open every day of the week from morning until evening, is split into 2 main sections:
- Outdoor section: this section, closest to the beach, is the smallest and offers almost exclusively fishes (no shellfish etc.)
- Indoor / covered section: getting into this section might not be for the fainthearted as there is a huge amount of seafood on display. Alleyways between stalls are extremely narrow and soaking wet; But this is where you will find the most variety of food.
While 90% of what you will find in the market is local to Bali and the surrounding islands, you will also find a few vendors selling imported items such as salmon or huge mud crabs coming from further away such as the Papua islands.
Some of the favourite items are:
- Fishes: sea bass, (red) snapper, napoleon fish (a local delicacy), sardines, mackerel etc.
- Squid: coming in diverse shape and sizes
- Prawn: also coming in different sizes. You will typically find 2 types: the grey prawn and the tiger prawn
- Lobster: different variant of the spiny lobster from tiny ones to gigantic ones of several kilos are found in the market
- Crab: from blue crab to giant mud crab
The prices
You will not see any prices displayed anywhere in the market. Sellers have their own pricing, based on season and goods availability.
For your indication here are some, commonly purchased items, price ranges:
- Prawns: depending on size and type - typically 1 kilo goes for a price between 120,000 IDR and 240,000 IDR (~$7.75 - ~$15.15)
- Squid: for a kilo, count between 70,000 IDR and 90,000 (~$4.50 - ~$5.80)
- Lobster: typically between 400,000 IDR and 700,000 IDR (~$26.00 - ~$45.00) per kilo depending on the lobster type
- Red snapper: 1 kilo goes for between 60,000 IDR and 75,000 IDR (~$3.90 - ~$4.85)
- Mackerel: between 20,000 IDR and 30,000 IDR (~$1.30 - ~$1.95) per kilo
- Scallops: between 60,000 IDR and 80,000 IDR (~$3.90 - ~$5.15) per kilo
- Oysters: between 30,000 IDR and 50,000 IDR (~$1.95 - ~$3.20) per kilo
Finally, cooking and eating your seafood at the "jasa bakar" restaurant
On the road leading to the market, as well as surrounding it, you will find several dozen of "jasa bakar" restaurants waiting for you to bring them your fresh seafood and veggies for cooking.
Cooking prices are based on the weight of the products you bring to establishment: typically between 15,000IDR and 25,000IDR (~$1.00 to ~$1.60) per kilo.
While the go to method of cooking is to grill the seafood, restaurants offer different options you can choose from:
- Grilled: you can typically request to have it grilled with several choices of marinade/sauce (garlic sauce is a must-try)
- Deep fried: for things such as calamary ring made from the fresh squid you brought over
- Wok fried: typically for crabs cooked in sauce
- Boiled: you might want to consider this option for clams and other shellfish.
One last word
Going to the Kedonganan market, picking your own fresh seafood is an experience on its own. Try the way the locals do it, haggle for price, but make sure to remain respectful.
Don't hesitate to ask the vendor for recommendation; and try new items you have never had before !
Head to the nearby "jasa bakar" restaurant for a refreshing cold coconut while your food is being prepared and soak the local beach atmosphere.
Looking For More Information and Tips?
If you found these insights helpful and want to explore more about planning your perfect Bali vacation, check out our comprehensive Bali Travel Guide. It’s packed with detailed information, helpful notes on currency equivalents, and stunning graphics and pictures, all designed to make your trip planning effortless.
Also, be sure to explore our other blog posts for additional tips and advice to enhance your Bali experience.
