Bali best place to bag a bargain

Forget fighting for a park at the shopping malls. Bali is the best place to be for shopping, according to some of New Zealand's most seasoned travellers.

A survey of travel agents found that Bali was the best shopping destination for its bargains, bartering and cheap leather goods.

The streetside markets were found to be the best place to head for, where the humble New Zealand dollar can be stretched a long way.

Close behind comes Singapore, for its quality of shopping malls, markets, range of food and value for money.

An added bonus is the ease of parting with your money - many hotels provide free transport to and from the malls, where, in addition to the designer and bargain stores, shoppers can revive themselves in the many cafes, or have a massage to ease the body and mind.

Thailand also received a big thumbs up. One consultant spent less than $500 on six pairs of shoes, five handbags, 20 CDs, handcrafts and "lots of eating and drinking".

Other destinations highly recommended for picking up great deals include Melbourne's Chapel St; the Grand Bazaar in Turkey, the Silk Market in Beijing, and the West Edmonton Mall in Canada, the largest mall in the world, which also has a roller coaster, artificial beach and even a skating rink for when the bargains run dry.