Bali... An Exotic Island

Bali is an exotic island, lots of tourist come to Bali for many reasons. For example they come for doing business, for holiday, for honeymoon, and for studying the culture. Bali such a small island surrounded by the ocean, make Bali have a lot of beautiful white sand beach and that is the reason why Bali become one of the most romantic island in the world. But not only beautiful beaches makes Bali so famous in all over the world, but the Balinese culture also like a magnet that attract the people to come visit Bali. Talking about culture, it will blow our mind, especially about cremation ceremony, Balinese dance, or about the "Nyepi" tradition.

Talking about Bali and the Balinese people, we will also talk about Hindu, because most of the Balinese people r Hindu and cremation ceremony is one of the Hindu tradition. The insight about cremation ceremony is not as easy as the people think. It is not only about tradition, but also it is about the Religion. Cremation ceremony have an objective, to help the spirit to reach "MOKSA". Moksa is the highest level that the Hindu people can reach after they passed away. Because all the Hindu people in Bali wants to reach it, that is give an explanation how the they live, especially about the "Karma Phala" rule that is mostly affected their action every day. Karma Phala or most of people called it as Karma, is like a guidance for the Hindu People to help them reach Moksa.

Now, I will talk about the Balinese dance. Balinese dance always mesmerize the people all over the world. The dynamic dance mix with the sounds of "Gamelan" will blow our mind. If you want to learn Balinese dance, you can start it as soon as possible. the youngest age to learn Balinese dance is around 4 or 5 years old. and the oldest age to start learning is around 18 years old. Why 18 years old? because to learn Balinese dance, you must have a flexible body gesture, and after 18 years old, your body will not so flexible. Learning Balinese dance will takes few years for you to make you become expert on it and to make you have a beautiful dancer body gesture. But if you have no passion about the dance, maybe you can try to play "Gamelan". Gamelan is the traditional music set from Bali and become the distinctive culture of Bali, beside the dance.

Cendrawasih Dance

The Balinese People Playing Gamelan Bali

Next, I will discuss about "Nyepi" tradition. what is Nyepi? Nyepi day or Silence day is the Sacral day in Bali and become the part of Balinese tradition that still exist until now. In Bali, they will celebrate Nyepi every year in the end of the Month on March, or in the beginning of the month on April. Nyepi or the Balinese people called it as Caka New Year is the day for all Hindu in Indonesia to make their self closer to the Creator. Many ceremonies that Hindu people will di before Nyepi day. "Melasti" or "Melis" is the ceremony to clean the island from any kind of negative things in macro cosmos and in micro cosmos. Macro cosmos means the universe and micro cosmos means the human body. They do that ceremony on the beach or on the lake. Not only that, they also will clean their body from any kind of dirt, for the whole year, as a human they realized that they did a lot of mistakes. Mistakes what I talk about are the mistakes because of our thought, our remark, and our action. One day before the Nyepi day, Hindu People will make a ceremony to neutralized the negative spirit, like devil or ghost that will disturb them in Nyepi day, they called it "Pengerupukan". They will make "Ogoh-Ogoh", the symbolism of negative spirit and it will one of the biggest festival in Bali. Many tourists all over the world come to Bali every year just to watch that festival. 

One day after Pengerupukan, will start the Nyepi day for 24 hours. It will start at 6 AM and will finish at 6 AM in the next day. On Nyepi day, the Hindu people will folow the Catur Brata Penyepian. They not allowed to cook or turn on the lamp, not allowed to go working, not allowed to go hang out, and not allowed to feast or make a party. During the Nyepi day, there are no activities all over Bali. No vehicles on the street, no television broadcast, the public area like airport, mall, Kuta beach, waterpark are closed for a day except hospitals. And emergency landing in airport are available.

Melasti Ceremony on The Lake

Melasti Ceremony on The Beach

Ogoh-Ogoh Festival in "Pengerupukan Day".

One Day Before Nyepi

No Activity at Ngurah Rai Airport
during the "Nyepi day" 

Well, still a lot of thing that you can explore in Bali. Bali will amaze you with the beautiful nature (beach, lake, rice field, the beauty of the underwater, mountain, and many more), with the hospitality of Balinese people, with the traditional arts, etc. You can come to Bali for Holiday, try to refresh your body and mind or you can come for studying Balinese culture. One thing that you should try in Bali. What Is That? Yup, the answer is "Balinese Food". You know, many tourists like to eat Balinese food and I guarantee you, the food will taste so delicious, especially if you like spicy food. So... take your suitcase to enjoy the luxury trip, or maybe you are an adventurer, you can come to Bali as a backpacker. What you waiting for? Get ready to visit Bali, one of the most romantic island in the world. And don't forget to share your experience too.