In Reply to: my friend said it was like their xmas posted by didiaust on Wednesday, 2. March 2005 at 17:25 Bali Time:
Nyepi day is a holy day,This is a day of complete stillness its the Balinese New Year, well by my experiences it starts about 1.00 pm on the eve of Nyepi... shops, markets, people,well everybody start to pack up and go home or back to their families in the villages , yes you must say in the compound of your hotel, there is staff there to run the hotels,usually your restuarant will cater for you. Its a very relazing day actually just stock up if your a junk food junkie, at night they come around ( the staff) and cover all the windows in your hotel with newspaper to stop any of the light shinning through, most hotels supply candles, you know you can still enjoy yourself just gotta keep the noise down. The next day all the people from everywhere all head up to kuta beach for a huge market day, the markets stalls are in front of the Art Markets (on the beach) its only allowed once a year, the day after Nyepi.These markets are amazing... apart from just the everyday market gear we buy, you can gamble with the locals, goats are hanging up everywhere being cooked,you name its there go... take the family you will love it, oh yes it gets very crowded. ( I suggest you have a meeting place if you get lost).