If you’re planning to travel to Bali around 29th March, 2025, this news is for you. The province observes the festival of Nyepi, also known as the Day of Silence. While the New Year is celebrated with a lot of pompous celebration across the globe, the people of Bali celebrate it with silence. The festival is considered to mark the beginning of the Balinese Hindu New Year. This year, the Indonesian Island will introduce a complete ban on flights and internet services in honor of the festival. So, here’s all that you need to know about the travel ban in Bali.
Bali Travel Ban On 29th March On The Occasion
Bali Nyepi Celebrations
Nyepi is a grand festival in the Balinese Hindu Calendar marking the beginning of the Balinese New Year. This day is dedicated to self-reflection, meditation, and silence. Many New Year celebrations across the world are marked with fireworks, celebration, dance, and music, the Balinese Hindu New Year of Nyepi is contrarily celebrated with silence and self-reflection.
On this day, people on the island of Bali stay at their home and Bali comes to a standstill. The roads, streets, shops, and basically everything comes to a halt on this day. People clean their homes and engage in spiritual practices and meditation at home. They observe silence to honor their deities. The island, in a way, hits a pause on this day.
Ban On Flights And Internet Services
This year, the island of Bali will impose restrictions that it has never imposed before. Starting 6:00 AM on 29th March, the Ngurah Rai International Airport will be shut for 24 hours straight. Flights departing from and arriving at the airport will be shut for 24 hours, only to be resumed from 6:00 AM, 30th March.
Not just the airport services, but the island will also observe a complete, temporary shutdown of internet services. The internet shutdown will almost certainly last the entire day, meaning people in Bali will have no access to the internet on the day of Nyepi. The ban on flights as well as internet services has been announced to ensure no disturbance during Nyepi.
What Does This Mean For International Tourists?
If you’re visiting Bali during this time, make sure that you book a flight before 29th March, 6:00 AM. Consider arriving in Bali at least a few days prior to Nyepi so that you have enough time to explore and settle before the Day of Silence. Hotels, tourist attractions, shops, and other services will be closed on this day, so make sure that you’ve booked your accommodation in advance.
While you’re here, you can experience the Ogoh Ogoh Parade, held to welcome Nyepi. The ogoh-ogoh is a sculptural art form in Bali’s culture. These art forms are considered to represent the negative forces inside each human. This is why, after the parade ends, the ogoh-ogoh are burnt down – symbolic of burning down our vices and negative energies.
The day might sound like a boring day without internet and a complete shutdown of major services across Bali, but it will also provide you with a much-needed calm.
Summing Up
Balinese Hindu New Year of Nyepi is about to be observed on 29th March, 2025. Bali is about to make an unprecedented move this year, by having a complete ban on flights and internet. Apart from that, all services on that island like hotels, restaurants, beaches, tourist attractions will also be shut. If you’re planning to visit Bali during this time, make sure to make proper arrangements beforehand to avoid any last minute inconvenience.
