Puaya Populated Place
Puaya is a traditional craft village near Denpasar where artisans make Balinese leather puppets.
Exploring Puaya#
On the outskirts of Denpasar in the Sukawati area of central Bali, Puaya is one of the island’s traditional craft villages, and one that most tourists sadly overlook. For anyone keen to watch skilled craftsmen at work, it is a real find.
Puaya’s artisans specialise in traditional leather puppets, with some fashioning puppets from old Chinese coins. Visitors are welcome to watch the work up close without the crowds found at busier sites, and a number of shops sell the finished pieces. Between browsing, there are good local restaurants serving hearty portions of Balinese cuisine, plus coffee shops where you can relax over a cup and admire your purchases.
Surrounded by open countryside, Puaya makes an easy and rewarding break. A few modest hotels line the road into the village, offering comfortable rooms at prices well below those in the city, and the ride from Denpasar takes under an hour.
Puaya: Getting There & Need to Know#
- What is it? A traditional Balinese craft village known for leather puppet-making
- Opening hours: Open daily, at any time
- Entrance fee: Free
- Where: The Sukawati area of central Bali, in Central Bali
- Getting there: A taxi from Denpasar takes roughly 45 minutes.
