A Day of Silence to Grow Wisdom, Nyepi Day | Bali | Luxe Travel

 Sunday, March 4, 2018

Buddhist believes silence is a critical foundation to grow your wisdom.  In Bali, the day of silence is called Nyepi Day, the Balinese New Year on March 17 in 2018. Sun-kissed Bali will be dimmed and muted for meditation and self-reflection.
Nyepi Day is strictly restricted to be a day of silence, meaning that all activities on Bali are brought to a complete halt. No lighting fires (even electric lights are supposed to dim), no working, no entertainment and no travelling, no transportation service, and for some no talking and eating at all. Not only is the airport be shut down during the celebration, the streets and shopping complexes will lose its usual popularity as most stores and restaurants are temporarily closed for the festival. The only people to be seen outdoors are the Pecalang, known as the traditional security men that patrol the streets to ensure these prohibitions are being followed.
The eve of Nyepi Day is another extreme. It is the day when local people will prepare food as offerings for the evil spirits. And to wake the spirits and scare them away, people will bangs tin cans or anything that creates cacophony on the streets. Fireworks are displayed for several days prior to Nyepi, torches lit and enormous paper-mache monsters (the Ogoh ogoh) are paraded through villages and towns all over the island for Ngrupuk, a Balinese sacred ceremony.
The day after Nyepi is known as Ngembak Geni, when daily activities will get back to normal. On this day, there will be religious rituals among local communities for people to ask for forgiveness for past deed, and pray to start the new year with a clean slate!
For those who want to witness and experience this amazing festival, make sure you arrive Bali before the airport is closed. It would be safe to arrive three to four days before the Nyepi Day. Responsible travellers also respect local customs and stay low during that 24 hours of silence on Nyepi Day.
Luxury properties in Bali such as Amandari usually offer great number of activities such as watching ogoh-ogoh parade and yoga and even special menu on Nyepi Day for clients to enjoy.  Do consult your Luxe Travel Specialsts at +852 2539 0628 for more details.