Bali has a complete day off once a year and it’s called Nyepi. There is nothing quite like it anywhere else around the world and it comes highly recommended to try ‘the day of silence’ at least once in your life time.

This year all lights, noise and movement are kept to a minimum from 6am March 22 till 6am March 23. You have to stay in your house, villa or hotel. Everything is closed. There are no flights in or out, but if there is an emergency you can get assistance from the local banjars pecalang, who are guarding the streets. It’s OK to keep the air con on, though. 

The evening before, March 21, is the street festival-like parade of ogoh-ogoh effigies, made by local banjars and traditionally burnt after being paraded through town (but no longer burnt for safety and environmental reasons). It’s a festive time and basically the Bali calendar’s NYE. It is a great time to be on the island and an experience not to be missed.

Nyepi is a good time for reflection of the past year and the year to come. It was during Nyepi in the year 2000 that I decided to publish the beat magazine. For that reason and many others Nyepi is a time very dear to my heart. Enjoy.

Selamat Hari Raya Nyepi