Silence! The day of silence in Bali: 19th March.
Once a year, Bali stops. No traffic, no music, no lights, just silence. Nyepi, the Balinese Hindu New Year, is unlike any holiday you'll experience anywhere else in the world. For locals it's a sacred day of contemplation. For travellers caught off guard, it can be genuinely confusing. Can you leave your hotel? Is anything open? Will you even have power? If you're going to be in Bali around Nyepi, here's everything you need to know before the island goes dark.
Every year, for 24 hours, between 6am and 6am the following day, Nyepi Day is observed. It is dedicated to self-reflection, fasting, and meditation. During this time, many activities that interfere with this are banned, including; work, travel and entertainment/leisure activities.
Bali becomes a 'ghost town' and therefore beaches are closed, shops and restaurant close down too.
If you want to experience one of the most unique cultural events in the world, being in Bali during Nyepi is a must. If you can't skip on being at the beach, leaving your hotel etc for a day, plan your travels around being in Bali during this time.
Whilst Nyepi is celebrated mainly by the Hindu community, it affects everyone on the island.
During Nyepi, everyone in Bali must remain within their accommodation. You should keep lights and noise to a minimum, and adhere to the island-wide mobile internet shutdown as part of the reflection. Wi-fi may work in many places where connected and not operated by mobile data.
No. The day that Nyepi falls on each year changes based on the Balinese calendar system. It mainly falls in the month of March but it is possible to fall in April.
