Tag Archives: Nyepi
6 Months in Indonesia Posted by sasha on Mar 15, 2017
How would you like to spend enam bulan (six months) in Indonesia? That’s right – setengah tahun (half a year). Imagine how many pantai (beaches) you can relax on, how many beautiful matahari terbenam (sunsets) you can see, and of course, how many delicious plates of nasi campur (mixed rice) you can eat. I was fortunate enough…
A Guide to Nyepi Posted by sasha on Mar 6, 2017
Once a year, the entire island of Bali shuts down for a day. The airport is closed, the roads are free of motorbikes, and even Kuta Beach is devoid of action. What’s the occasion? It’s Hari Raya Nyepi, or the Balinese New Year. It occurs on the first new moon of March, which falls on the…
Best Culture and Travel Posts of 2016 Posted by sasha on Dec 27, 2016
2016 was a big year here, as we had tons of great posts about Indonesia and its language and culture. We’ve already put together a list of the best language posts from this year, so go back and check that out to build your vocabulary and learn lots of useful grammar. This blog is also…
Ogoh-Ogoh Competition – Sanur 2016 Posted by sasha on Mar 16, 2016
The day before Nyepi (Balinese New Year) is the ogoh-ogoh festival. Villages across the island create their own ogoh-ogoh statue, a mythological being or demon that help to rid the island of bad spirits. See highlights from this year’s celebration in Sanur, where twenty-three villages got together for a big competition.
Ogoh-Ogoh Festival in Bali Posted by sasha on Mar 14, 2016
The day before Bali’s New Year and Day of Silence, the island is full of terrifying ogoh-ogoh statues. These beasts are paraded through the streets and destroyed or burned to rid the island of bad spirits. Check some of them out in this short video.
Balinese Culture – Melasti Ceremony Posted by sasha on Mar 10, 2016
A few days before Nyepi – the Balinese New Year – villages all over the island perform the melasti purification ceremony. See highlights from Sanur in this short video:
Experiencing Nyepi in Bali Posted by sasha on Mar 9, 2016
Today is the Balinese New Year, known as Hari Raya Nyepi in Indonesian. On this holiday, the Island of the Gods observes a day of silence – the airport is closed, no cars are allowed on the road aside for emergency vehicles, and local village police known as pecalang patrol the streets to ensure nobody…