First comes the noise and the bang, then complete silence.
The Balinese Day of Silence is to begin, but first, demons have to be chased away.
Anno Domini 2018.
We lived our nomadic years and once again returned to one of our favorite destinations, Bali, and in the heart of it, Ubud.
We soon realized our perfect timing. We could take part in the Balinese New Year celebration.
If you prefer to read in Finnish, continue here / Jos luet mieluummin suomeksi, jatka tänne:
Nyepi – Balin hiljaisuuden päivä
The Balinese celebration of the New Year is unique even from a global perspective, so we were eager to experience Bali’s biggest festival.
A significant part of the New Year celebration is Nyepi, the Balinese Day of Silence.
Nyepi takes place during the first new moon of March.
Balinese prepare well in advance for this community-oriented festival.
We prepared by stocking up on food for our homestay’s kitchen in Ubud, knowing that we must cook our meals at home for a couple of nights and stay one full day strictly within the accommodation.
If the embedded video about the Balinese New Year’s parade isn’t visible, you can watch it here.
Balinese Keep the Evil Spirits at Bay
During Nyepi, it is believed that evil spirits try to approach Bali from the sea.
Therefore, no lights can be lit, and no noise can be made throughout New Year’s Day. That is to prevent the spirits from finding the islands.
People must stay at home. Only guardian patrols walk the streets to ensure the rules are followed.
Additionally, internet connections are cut off for the day.
Some travelers are aware of these customs but don’t feel comfortable about them. In Facebook groups, people ask where other Westerners plan to escape during Nyepi.
For reals, people come here to relax and unwind but cannot spend a day without internet access and being by themselves? On the contrary, we are looking forward to a great opportunity to only stay, eat, rest, and read when nothing else can be done.
Preparations for the New Year celebration include Melasti, a ritual in which sacred items from temples are carried to the sea or lake for ritual purification.
On the eve of Nyepi, the preparations are complete, and the celebration can begin.
In the morning, our hosts walk around their property. They clink wooden sticks to drive away evil spirits, also in front of our terrace.
Incense is burned, and daily offerings are made to the spirits of the house and the family.
New Year Eve’s Parade you can only experience in Bali
As night falls, people begin to gather along the main streets, waiting for the procession. We are not quite sure what to expect, but the scene that unfolds before us surpasses all expectations.
Statues begin to approach along the street. These statues, made of paper pulp and wood, are called ogoh ogoh and represent spirits and gods.
Their purpose is the same as the clinking of sticks – to drive away evil spirits once and for all.
The statues are not small.
They look scary.
They have been built over a long time with dedication by the village people, workgroups, schools, and various other communities.
The creators push several-meter-high, wheeled creations. The tallest ones have guides ahead of them whose job is to use wooden sticks to lift the street’s overhead power lines out of the statue’s path.
The most impressive statues have lamps inside that make their eyes blaze and their mouths glow.
The streets are packed with people, and the best spots are claimed well in advance.
All the foreigners in Ubud are present, but the Balinese New Year is not a tourist show, it’s the most important event for the Balinese.
Ubud Restaurants in Celebration Mode
The Balinese continue their procession, and the magnificent statues of gods are ultimately set to be burned. In the light of the flames, people eat, drink, and have fun. We head out to see if we can find an open bar to have a couple of drinks in celebration of New Year’s Eve.
The search doesn’t seem to yield results, as although the evening is still quite young, most restaurant owners and their staff are either celebrating themselves or have already settled into the anticipated silence.
We have no worries regarding food, as we have plenty at home. However, it’s a pity for the tourists who have just arrived on the island, wandering confusedly down the streets, pulling their suitcases behind them, trying to spot an open place to eat and wondering what exactly is going on here.
Eventually, we find one restaurant and try to peek out the door to see if any of the hungry tourists wandering the streets are still around, as they could get food there. No luck, so we go ahead and have a couple of wines and Bali Hai beers ourselves.
Nyepi – The Balinese Day of Silence
It’s quiet the next morning, as supposed.
We’ve been wondering if the breakfast included in the room price will be served on such a special day.
It is indeed. Our host brings the food and coffee to our terrace table as usual.
At the same time, he announces that lunch will be served around 2 PM and dinner at 5 PM!
So the house offers three meals instead of one, as the guests by no means can’t be left hungry.
The host also mentions that he is a trained chef, which is easy to believe based on the taste of the food.
The host also promises that we can keep the light on in our room once darkness falls, as it won’t be visible from the street.
However, we are not allowed to turn on the terrace light, which doesn’t bother us anyway.
The Russian women who have recently moved into the room opposite ask the host if they can rent a car and go sightseeing.
That won’t be possible, the host apologizes.
That’s okay, the women say, we can just walk around and explore the town.
Well, how should we put this…
The women are somewhat stunned but accept their fate without complaining. We on the other hand are firmly holding books in our hands.
The internet is indeed shut down, so working is hardly possible for digital nomads, except writing.
We dedicate this holy day as a holiday.
The starry sky is perfectly visible
Almost complete silence is a unique feeling.
Although our homestay is always quiet despite its very central location, now there isn’t even the hum of traffic.
What’s most unusual is that the island’s airport is also closed.
Just over a year ago, at the end of December, we watched planes landing every three minutes on Sanur Beach, bringing Australians to Bali to celebrate the Western New Year. Now, no planes are coming or going.
The day passes with reading, afternoon naps, and eating.
Then evening comes, darkness falls, and the stars rise.
And that’s when we see the incomprehensibly magnificent sight before us. Hundreds, thousands, millions of stars— in other words, the entire southern hemisphere’s sky is right in front of us, with no light pollution to interfere with the view.
We stare at the sky, mesmerized, and the Russian neighbors join us, equally astonished.
We take the terrace chairs to the center of the yard and sit down, trying to identify constellations, although without success.
At least we know the Southern Cross, as we watched it rise for the first time in the sky in Australia a year earlier.
Silence ends eventually
After the Day of Silence, another celebration follows, Ngembak Geni, during which people ask for and grant forgiveness for the past year’s sins. Today, especially the youth celebrate. Although the Day of Silence has been a holiday since 1983, Ngembak Geni is not, and life returns to its normal course. The internet works again, scooters roar and puff smoke, and people are back to their everyday activities.
If you’re traveling to Bali for only a two-week vacation, the idea of a retreat day in the middle of it might seem strange. However, I highly recommend trying it if possible.
The New Year’s Eve parade is an experience in itself, so don’t rush to escape to the neighboring islands on Silent Day. Instead, make the most of it.
The date of New Year’s Day varies each year. In 2025, New Year’s Eve is celebrated on Saturday, March 29th.
Read next: How to homestay in Bali