Visiting Bali for Nyepi Holiday? Here Are Some Recommended Activities to Do

When talking about Bali, the first thing that definitely comes to mind is an island with a plethora of tourist destinations. Blessed with beautiful natural scenery, Bali has countless tourist attractions to visit from beaches, mountains, up to places showcasing its glorious cultural heritage.

Bali is incredibly popular, so many foreign tourists know more about it than the country it belongs to. In 2017, a well-known tourism website called Tripadvisor named Bali The World’s Best Destination with Travelers Choice.

Thus, it is no wonder many people put Bali at the top of their list when planning a domestic holiday. Aside from its countless beautiful destinations, Bali has many special celebrations to look forward to.

One of them is Nyepi (Balinese Day of Silence). Many tourists choose to have a vacation before Nyepi to get a firsthand look at various activities before this holy day for Hindus in Bali.

Balinese usually perform a series of rituals in accordance with their long-standing customs and traditions, including the Melasti Ceremony, Tawur Kesanga, Pengrupukan or Mecaru, and Ngembak Geni.

It may be quiet during Nyepi in Bali, but TRAC Friends should never run out of things to do. There are several activities that you can do while having a vacation during Nyepi in Bali.

5 Activities to Do While on Vacation During Nyepi in Bali

Watching the Ogoh-Ogoh Parade

On the day before Nyepi, the Balinese will hold Pengrupukan or Mecaru, which aims to dispel havoc and badness from the area. This ceremony is usually held in the late afternoon and includes one of the most well-known rituals: the ogoh-ogoh parade.

The ogoh-ogoh is a large statue representing the Bhuta Kala, an evil creature from Balinese mythology. During this parade, the ogoh-ogoh will be carried through several streets and eventually burned.

Ogoh-ogoh parades are held in almost every area in Bali. However, to witness a bigger ogoh-ogoh parade, you can visit Kuta or Ubud areas. Thousands of people gather on the streets hours before the ogoh-ogoh parade begins.

Reading Books and Doing a Movie Marathon

During Nyepi, all activities in Bali are ceased. Tourist attractions will be closed. The airport also stops operating temporarily. As a result, the atmosphere in Bali will be completely peaceful without the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

When not knowing what to do during Nyepi in the hotel, you can read several favorite books that were once forgotten.

You can also watch some favorite movies all day long. Electricity and internet in hotels are still on during Nyepi.

Making Use of the Hotel Facilities

If you get sleepy after reading a book or bored after watching a movie, try doing other things by using various hotel facilities. These include swimming, working out in the gym, and even getting spa treatments to rejuvenate the body.

Stargazing with the Naked Eye

As all activities are ceased during Nyepi, the air in Bali feels fresher and cleaner. Therefore, it is considered the best time to see the twinkling stars at night.

When the air is cleaner, the beauty of the stars can be seen with the naked eye. This is a rare and romantic moment you can enjoy with your loved ones. For a better view, try going up to the hotel rooftop and witnessing the mesmerizing stars twinkling as if they were communicating.

Watching the Omed-Omedan

Balinese hold the Ngembak Geni ceremony to mark the end of the celebration and rituals of Nyepi. During the Ngembak Geni ceremony, there is an interesting tradition called omed-omedan, which means “to pull each other”.

This tradition is performed by young men and women between the ages of 17 and 30 and is usually held in Sesetan Village, Denpasar.

During the process, the young people will pull, splash water, and kiss each other. The origin of this tradition is uncertain, but it is intended to strengthen the affection between the residents.

Those are several activities to do while having a vacation during Nyepi in Bali. Do not forget to list destinations to visit so you can go there as soon as Nyepi is over!

You might consider renting a car to enjoy all these destinations on a safe and comfortable ride. You can rent a car from TRAC to take you around Bali, whether renting one and driving it yourself or having someone drive it for you.

TRAC is more than happy to help you get around Bali to explore all these destinations and all the exciting traditional foods it has.

For an easy booking experience, you can book via the TRACtoGo app. Install TRACtoGo now via Google Play Store or Apple App Store. You can also discover various great deals on the app.

For the latest information, follow TRAC’s social media accounts on Instagram @trac_astra, Facebook TRAC-Astra Rent a Car, and Twitter @TRACastra.