Our Insiders Guide to Seminyak & Southern Bali

MELASTI - NYEPI
14 MARCH 2018
Melasti is a purification
ceremony, where the world is
cleansed of sin and bad karma.
Entire communities march to
the sea for purification - an
amazing sight of parasols, flags
and Balinese dressed all in white.
Inland, there are big celebrations
at all the local temples.
OGEH-OGEH
16 MARCH 2018
This incredible sight happens on
Nyepi Eve. Local communities
build very large effigies to scare
the bad spirits away. It is great fun
and, if you drive through the
countryside on the day before
Nyepi, you can see the finishing
touches being put to the statues
in the villages. That night the
monsters are paraded and then
burned at a central point.
NYEPI
17 MARCH 2018
Nyepi must be the world’s most chilled celebration of the New Year.
It is observed as a day of silence where nobody (tourists included), is
allowed to leave their home (or hotel – but you can still use the
facilities). The TV stations are shut down, the airport is closed and
there is a general shutdown from 6am until 6am the next day. Any
outdoor activity is policed and you can be fined quite heavily.
The reason for all this? Firstly, this day of calm gives Mother Earth a
much-needed chance to reboot after 364 days of activity. And
secondly, the evil spirits come down to earth on this day and, when
they see Bali completely deserted, they leave again for another year.