Bali and the Nyepi festival

Once I was asked why I'm so often traveling to Bali. Mostly I'm disappointed when I return to a place in the world where I've been travelling before.
Not so on Bali which always was and is a remarkable destination with new experiences I made every time I came to this island.
This time we were guests by a Balinese family we met 10 years ago and enjoyed their great hospitality. We got the opportunity to join an odalan (temple celebration) so close like we were members from a Balinese community.
And we experienced the Balinese New Year Nyepi and were fascinated about the colorful parade the night before the 24 hours silence.

Nyepi, or the Hindu New Year, also known as the day of absolute silence, this year in 2011 it was hold on the 5th of March.
We were on Bali on this days preceding Nyepi, and saw amazing colorful giants (Ogoh Ogoh) being created by every Balinese community of the banjar people. On the eve of Nyepi, the Ogoh Ogoh were paraded through the streets, an amazing sight which nobody should not to be missed (the days before and after the Nyepi).
But there are good reasons to avoid Nyepi as well, for many visitors these will have outweighed by the privilege of experiencing such a unique festival.
On the Nyepi day itself absolutely everything on the island is shut down between 6am on the day of the new year and 6am the following morning - 24 hours. Tourists are confined to their hotels and asked to be as quiet as possible for the day. After dark, light must be kept to a bare minimum. No one is allowed onto the beaches or streets. The only exceptions granted are for real emergency cases. The airport remains closed for the entire day, which means no flights into or out of Bali for 24 hr. Ferry harbours are closed as well.
How we'd like to have a Nyepi once a year in Bangkok - wow it would be nice!!!

Once I was asked why I'm so often traveling to Bali. Mostly I'm disappointed when I return to a place in the world where I've been travelling before. Not so on Bali which always was and is a remarkable destination with new experiences I made every time I came to this island. This time we were guests by a Balinese family we met 10 years ago and enjoyed their great hospitality. We got the opportunit…  (read more)