Traveling to Bali This October? Mark Your Calendars to Attend This Unique Festival

Wondering what it is!

It is the famed Nusa Penida festival that had ceased during Covid and finally going to be resumed this year!

Bursting with excitement? You should! This is a three-day event and the best way to explore Bali culture beyond the cerulean waters and the pristine beaches.

Be prepared for the entire Bali population to be there as this is the largest event held on the island!

When Will the Festival Happen?

Date: 05th to 07th of October

Day-Wise Events

Day 1

The festival starts with a ceremonial ‘pakelem’ at Batununggul Beach. This is a Balinese Hindu ritual where the priests make a sacrificial offering to the sea. This ceremony is known as larung laut in Java.

The procession includes priests, priestesses, worshippers, and observing visitors.

The pakelem will be followed by Tari Pendet Pasepan, a sacred dance of welcoming the gods on earth, performed by 500 women from Sampalan Village and this is known to be one of the biggest performances of its kind in Bali.

What Can You expect on Day 1?

A glimpse of the Balinese Hindu culture along with incredible live Balinese gamelan orchestral music with hundreds of traditionally dressed people will be in attendance and there will be plenty of cultural wonders to absorb.

Day 2

Day 2 plays out better for tourists as they get to be a part of the large number of activities that are planned for the day. The festival attendees are invited to be a part of the release of turtle hatchings, along with beach cleaning, coral reef planting and much more.

But the highlight of Day 2 remains the magical Kecak performance and a romantic ‘Janger’ dance.

Kecak Dance

Considered among many as the most famous of the Balinese dances, this is more like a dance drama than a dance routine. The series revolves around the theme of the Indian epic Ramayana with the famous figures of Lord Rama, Dewi Sita, Hanuman and Ravana in play. The performance narrates the victory of good over evil with the presence of a fire that wards off the evil spirits.

In case you miss this performance during the Nusa Penida festival, you can always visit these places to attend one.

• Uluwatu Temple

• Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park

• Sahadewa Batubulan

Janger Dance

Believed to have been started by women farmers to entertain and relieve the stress and exhaustion of long days in the field, the dance then evolved as a means to meet young men from other villages. A transition from gratifying oneself through songs to indulging in romantic overtures, this dance routine is now performed by 10 pairs of men and women, accompanied with Janger song that is played along with gamelan batel or gender wayang instruments in the background.

Day 3

The last day is as memorable as the first one and ends with a bang where the attendees are treated to the traditional boat races that get genuinely competitive (exactly like the boat races in Kerala!).

While the beaches are the commercially known attractions, we should also make a conscious effort to attend their festivals to get a glimpse of the rich culture of any destination and Bali should be no exception.

If your trip to Bali is planned during these dates don’t miss the cultural opulence that you will witness at the Nusa Penida festival!

If you find my articles helpful, follow my site for more travel-related info - Wander Alone.

Think we missed out on something? Tell us about it in the comments below. Or write about it here on Tripoto and earn Tripoto Credits!