Two Classic Indonesian Souvenir Handicrafts

Travelers to Indonesia often bring home these iconic crafts:

1. Batik Fabric – UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Made by wax-resist dyeing on cotton or silk, featuring intricate symbolic patterns. Used for clothing (sarongs, shirts, dresses), wall hangings, and accessories.
2. Wayang Puppets – Flat leather (kulit) or wooden (golek) figures used in traditional shadow-puppet theater (wayang kulit). Exquisitely carved and painted, they depict characters from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Javanese lore. Make striking decorative pieces.

Both are widely available in markets, workshops, and galleries across Java and Bali.