What happens on Nyepi? - it's the start of our New Year and the new year starts with no cars, no motorbikes, the airport is closed, no fire shall be lit, including electricity, no radio or TV station can broadcast for 24 hours, no working; no entertainment or pleasure; no traveling; and, for some Balinese, no talking or eating at all. It’s a time for reflection; many reflect on the past year and meditate and clear the mind for the next year. We have to be very very quiet ssshhh. 

Last year, March 29, 2025 celebrated the start of the New Year in the Saka Calendar; it is now 1947 in the Bali Calendar.

SSHHHHH

In may parts of Bali, the night before however, is extremely loud, where OGOH OGOH's are paraded through streets of most tourist areas (not our village, Kedisan). In previous years some villages had competitions with surrounding villages and they involved some amazing displays of choreographed dance and movement. 

 NYEPI PARADES - If an area does not have the competition between villages (not every year) the Ogoh Ogohs' in each area can still be taken to the nearest boundary of the village (the crossroads where two villages meet, and then brought back to the Bale Banjar (like an open air townhall that every village has). The main streets near the Main Bale Banjars in each village will have the Ogoh Ogohs all displayed there, so its worth going to have a look at them.

What time does the parade start?  Ahh, never think about time, its when they are ready, there will be no set time, it can be anywhere between sundown and 8.00pm.

So, if you are in Bali at this time, we recommend 4 things you must do:

1. Ask the hotel staff where will the Ogoh Ogohs are near you. Go have a look at them. During the day they will be taken out and lined up on the main street, some large villages may have more than one.

2. Later that night you can even walk with them in the procession to carry them up to the crossroads and back (make sure you wear a sarong, a shirt and a sash, and please no bikinis this day). The energy walking in these processions is euphoric. If you just wish to stand on the sidelines and watch, please dress respectfully, this is a religious event. So, cover shoulders down to knees.

If you wish to take photos, do not block the procession in anyway, do not stand in the middle of the road.  You may take videos but out of respect for the Balinese beliefs do not post any videos on Nypei Day, the day of silence should not be used for any entertainment purposes.

3. Go outside on Nyepi Eve, not out of your hotel grounds, but just on the balcony or out the front into the grounds, and look up. You will never see the stars like this again until the next Nyepi.

4. Get out of your hotel the next day and just look at the horizon, you will see further than you have before, you will see the volcano's, you may see as far as other Islands. The air is soooo clean, just take a deep breath, we just saved up to 30,000 tons of carbon emissions the day before.

Many hotels will put on Breakfast, lunch and dinner for you, however smaller hotels and villas may not.  So, you need to stock up the day before (in the morning before). 

If you are in a villa, you can go out to the pool area and swim but do not have any candlelight’s out or any lights on out there after dark.  Once it gets dark you need to close all your curtains, if no curtains you need to regrain from using the lights or block out the windows.  Make sure any automatic lighting in pathways or at your entrance are switched off.

If in hotel, they will ask you to close blinds or curtains and use minimal lighting and keep noise levels down.

If your hotel room does not have a TV, look at hiring one with a with a usb point and stock up on movies for the night/next day.  Get a good book and make use of the quiet time.

And don't forget at night to go out and look up at the stars!!

FLIGHT LOGISTICS
If you have a flight booked to come in on 19 March 2025, contact your airline and have it moved to the day before or the day after. As it is not possible to fly in our out, they may move you to a date you don't want, so get in before they change or simply cancel it on you.  Best to fly in 2 days before or after Nypei Day. 

Or even consider flying into Lombok for a few days instead (they do not have Nyepi). This event is unique to Bali (note: Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan are part of Bali)

NOTE: Airport road access into/out the airport on 18 March, 2025 stops at 5pm. Some traffic will be able to leave before 7pm, but will be diverted away from the Legian/Kuta areas.

TRAFFIC LOGISTICS
If you have an afternoon/evening flight on 18 March 2025, then consider road closures begin at 4pm on 18 March 2025 and do not open again until after midnight, then close again from 5.59am 19 March until 6am on 20 March 2025. (Mandara Toll Road will be closed for a full 36 hours from 11.00pm 18 March 2025).  Although the roads will be open after midnight on 18 March for a few hours, it will be difficult to find anyone willing to drive you as this year we have Idul Fitri starting on 20 March, so non Balinese drivers will leave the Island to go home to their Islands and Balinese drivers will have been partying all night and probably still doing so.

If you have a flight booked for the morning of 20 March 2025, note that you cannot be on the roads until 6.01am, so if you are needing to be there for a 7am flight on that date, that will not work either.

Most main roads (especially at major intersections) in tourist areas will be closed from 4pm on 18 March 2025, so prepare beforehand to get back to your hotel before this time (if you have a tour or a driver booked for the day, or planned to go to a restaurant by taxi etc, you may need to be dropped out on a main road and walk back to your hotel).

BOAT LOGISTICS
No boats will be running from Bali to anywhere, such as Nusa Penida/Lembongan or to Lombok/Gilis either for the 24 hour period.

LOMBOK ISLANDS
Please note that Lombok and the Islands off Lombok (Gili) do not celebrate Nypei.

Please note that there is no sneaking out, down the beach or just up the road to take a photo of the deserted streets.

Pecalang, our local traditional guards will patrol the streets and fines will be given if you are caught or seen.

Some areas also find a hotel that lets you out on the street in front of your hotel to take a sneek peak.

Any obvious disregard of this rule, you will be arrested and taken to the nearest police station, where you will spend the night in lock-up and deported as soon as the airport is open again.

This is an important spiritual day for the Balinese, so please respect their beliefs or plan your trip to come another time, or pop over to Lombok or the Gilis for a few days, as this is only held in Bali.