Tips for tourists to overcome 'Silent Day' in Bali

Balinese New Year - Day of Silence 2024 falls on March 11, when all activities will stop, causing possible trouble for tourists .

Nyepi Day, also known as the Day of Silence in the Hindu calendar, marks the start of the new year in Bali. This is the day when all activities on the tourist island will stop, with the aim of tricking and driving away evil spirits. This year's Day of Silence begins at 6am on March 11, lasting 24 hours and everyone must strictly follow.

Tips for Travelers to Survive the Day of Silence in Bali — **Effigy parade to ward off evil spirits in Bali.** Photo: Bali Tour

If you plan or happen to be in Bali on this day, you need to prepare in advance to avoid falling into "tragicomedy" situations when public transport, ATMs, shops, restaurants, hotels are all closed. No one sings, no one dances or listens to music. Ngurah Rai International Airport also stops operating, making it the only airport in the world to close for a day for religious reasons.

New Year’s is often noisy around the world, but Nyepi Day is the complete opposite. Aside from a procession of giant papier-mâché figures representing evil spirits, all you can hear are barking dogs and buzzing insects. Except in emergencies, failure to comply within 24 hours will result in fines.

What should tourists do?

In Bali, while the devout will meditate and fast, others can still eat, drink, listen to music and watch movies in private. The same goes for tourists.

The key to a smooth Nyeoi Day is planning ahead. Make sure you have enough food and water. If you buy on the spot, do it at least two days in advance, as the night before Nyeoi, there will be huge queues. Have a good book and a yoga mat, download movies to your laptop, and withdraw cash in advance.

Tourists can book rooms at high-end resorts with many services to comfortably experience all day without getting bored. Still have to stay on the premises, but if staying at large resorts, you can move more freely, swim, exercise , have fun and eat according to the menu prepared in advance (staff does not cook or clean the room on this day). There will be no noisy entertainment programs.

Visitors can book a stay in a village with more relaxed rules. Some communities, like those in Muslim Bali, are more tolerant. But it is important to determine in advance what is acceptable and what is not.

You can also take a ferry to a nearby island. In 2021, more than 1,000 foreigners traveled to Gili Trawangan, Lombok, avoiding the restrictions in Bali. There, the beaches and shops are open, the lights are on, the internet is still working, and TV stations are still broadcasting. Of course, you have to leave the day before, as no ferries run on Nyepi Day.

You may think that as a non-Hindu tourist the rules don’t apply to you, but community officials have the right to detain rule breakers, regardless of where they come from. Offenders may even be required to attend a ceremony to cleanse themselves of evil spirits, and will likely have to pay a fee.

For many, it’s a great day to escape the hustle and bustle of modern life. Tourists have long paid big bucks to get away to a quiet place to refresh their souls, so Nyepi Day is considered a free vacation. “Just think of it as a day during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said one Balinese.

In 2025, Nyepi Day will fall on March 29.

According to vnexpress.net

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