If you’re lucky enough to be experiencing Nyepi in Bali this year, you’re in for a treat. One of the most magical dates on the Balinese calendar, this year, Bali’s “Day of Silence” starts at sunrise on Wednesday, 22nd March and finishes 24 hours later at 6 am on Thursday, 23rd March.
What is Nyepi?
Nyepi is a Hindu celebration that marks the start of the Saka New Year with a day of silence, meditation and for some, fasting. The island comes to a standstill with no lights, noise, or traffic (imagine that!), and everyone – including tourists, must stay off the streets. Symbolism is at the heart of Balinese culture, and the locals see Nyepi as a day to cleanse the island and establish a positive start to the New Year – and we’re here for it.
What happens during Nyepi?
Three or four days beforehand, on Melasti, the Balinese embark on a pilgrimage to the beaches for one of the biggest purification rituals of the year. During this ceremony, the locals will dress up in white clothing and walk in a huge colourful procession – accompanied by the sounds of traditional gamelan music.
On the night before Nyepi, the streets come alive with parades of Ogoh-Ogoh – tall papier-mache sculptures with loud music, fire, thousands of people and plenty of community spirit. The most famous parades can be seen in the streets of Kuta, Legian and Seminyak, but every village has its own starting around sunset, so be sure to check out your local area. Be mindful when travelling, as it’s likely you’ll need to walk home due to the road closures and out-of-office taxi drivers.
On Nyepi day, the Balinese will be busy at home praying, meditating and spending time with family. For tourists, the rules are more relaxed – but be warned – if you do sneak out, you will quickly be escorted back to your hotel by a less-than-impressed pecalang (village police officer). If you’re staying in a hotel, there’ll often be plenty of activities to keep you busy, lights will often be left on but dimmed at nighttime, and you’ll just need to keep your curtains closed and soak in the silence.
How to ‘survive’ Nyepi
If you’re staying in a private villa rather than a hotel, you’ll want to stock up on plenty of supplies well ahead of Nyepi. The supermarket shelves often clear pretty quickly in the lead-up, and most of the roads will close at around 4 pm to make way for the Ogoh-Ogoh parades that begin at 6 pm. With nothing else to do other than kick back and relax, there’s no better time to soak in the luxuries of a hotel or resort. We’d recommend booking a 2-night stay as most have 24-hour room service and special activities to keep you busy – which is a real win for this time of year. If you’d prefer to stay in a villa, get back to basics and take advantage of the chance to wind down and enjoy some time out from the daily grind. Just make sure to add stargazing to your list and take a minute to check out the year’s most immersive night sky. Taking ‘Earth Hour’ to the next level with a rare moment of no light pollution, soak in the stars as they shine their brightest over Bali. Sounds dreamy, right?
