Once you set foot on Bali, the beauty can be overwhelming. Between the sunsets, the temples and the beaches that look too perfect to be real, you can be easily tempted to set up camp at the first hammock you find. My advice is to keep going, especially if you're shopping. The best stuff is almost never up front. If you want to find great deals, you'll have to willing to search far and wide for the ultimate prize. My wife rolls her eyes at what she calls my "Don Quixote moments," but in the end she usually makes out like a bandit.

I found this impressive bag during a trek into the mountain regions of Bali. Inside a remote village, surrounded by green peaks and terraced rice paddies, skilled craftspeople weave for days using "ata," a local reed that grows along the riverbanks. The level of detail is truly remarkable. Each tightly-woven bag is then smoked to bring out its rich, honey color. Finished off with a patterned fabric lining and a pair of hand-woven ata handles, the bag snaps shut with a rustic leather strap.

This sturdy, stylish bag is up for the job, whether that means jetting to the other side of the world or driving down to the shore for a weekend. The perfect stand-in for your high-dollar designer purse when you know you're headed off the beaten path.