Tag Archives: Nyepi

Celebrating Nyepi the Balinese Day of Silence: What it is like to experience the unique Balinese holiday of Nyepi, how the Balinese prepare, and how travelers to Bali need to prepare if they are on the island during Nyepi.

Nyepi is the Balinese New Year, and one of the most important holidays of the year. For weeks before, we saw the neighborhood boys creating their ogoh ogoh, large styrofoam monsters and demons which would be paraded through the village. During the afternoons, younger boys were working on a blue monster with wild hair. In the evenings, the older guys were at work on a large frog, with tiger stripes, and a blue monster sitting atop, while listening to music, and probably drinking a little Arak. Each day as I drove by, the monsters took shape and looked more like the ogoh ogoh I have seen before.

The first time we heard of Nyepi was back in 2010, when we spent the last month of our round the world trip in Bali.  We attempted to see a parade of ogoh ogoh, but failed as we had no idea what we were even looking for and what time things happened.  After, we were locked inside a hotel, with awful food, and a bunch of strangers.  For 24 hours.  We were barricaded, with the front entrance enclosed by plywood.  It was a strange holiday, and I knew we were missing something.  

This Nyepi, we were living in Ubud.  In our own house.  In a village we love.  I knew it would be different than the last.  We had local friends who explained more about the traditions, and the rules, of how to experience Nyepi, and more importantly, the night before Nyepi.