Nyepi: the day the whole island goes quiet
On Nyepi, Bali's day of silence, there are no lights, no work and no flights for twenty-four hours. What happens before and after, and how visitors take part.
Once a year Bali stops. On Nyepi, the day of silence that marks the Saka new year, the whole island goes quiet for twenty-four hours, from six in the morning to six the next morning. There are no lights, no work, no entertainment and no travel. The airport closes. Hotels ask their guests to stay inside and keep their voices low.
The night before
The evening before Nyepi is the loudest of the year. Villages carry ogoh-ogoh, huge figures of demons made of bamboo and paper, through the streets with drums and torches, and then burn them. Noise first, then silence.
The day itself
Balinese Hindus keep four restraints on Nyepi: no fire or light, no work, no travel and no entertainment. Many also fast and meditate. At night the sky over Bali is darker than at any other time of year, and the stars are extraordinary.
The date
Nyepi falls in March, on a date set by the Balinese calendar and announced by the government. Check the official date before you plan travel.
Our Inner Peace Nyepi mala is made in dark seed and onyx, for a little of that quiet on an ordinary day. Inner Peace & Calm.
