Nyepi Celebration in Bali : Seminyak & Ubud - 10 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Seminyak

Welcome to Bali! You'll arrive at Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS), and a driver will be waiting to take you to your hotel in Seminyak. After a 30-minute drive, you'll check in at your hotel and have time to settle in. You'll have the rest of the evening free, and you can take some time to walk around the animated streets filled with restaurants, bars, dance clubs, and colorful shops. You won't want to miss watching the sunset on the beach and relaxing on an oversized bean bag with a drink in hand. 

Day 2: Tanah Lot & Sengeh Monkey Forest

After breakfast, a guide will take you on a tour of some of Bali's most beautiful temples. 

Your first stop will be Tanah Lot, a unique rock formation and temple dedicated to the sea and commissioned by a Brahman known as Nirartha during the 16th century.

Then, you'll move on to visit the striking Taman Ayun Temple, which means "beautiful garden." Built in 1634 with multitiered shrines, this temple is generally regarded as being one of the most attractive in Bali.

Your last stop will be Sangeh Monkey Forest, where many curious monkeys live. They are said to be the guardians of Pura Bukit Sari Temple and are often found wandering around the temple grounds. 

At the end of your tour, your guide will return you to your hotel in Seminyak.

Day 3: Day-Trip to Uluwatu

This morning a guide will take you south to discover the beaches of Bukit, such as Padang Padang Beach, Thomas Beach, Green Bowl Beach, or Pandawa Beach.

After some swimming, relaxing, and exploring, you'll head to the Pura Luhur Uluwatu Temple. Perched on a cliff with turquoise sea beating the rocks and forest below, this temple also has plenty of monkeys on its grounds. At sunset, you'll be able to attend a traditional Kecak (pronounced "ketchak") Balinese dance show, which is based on the story of the Ramayana, at the temple.

When you're ready to rest, your guide will return you to your hotel in Seminyak.

Day 4: Nusa Lembongan Island

You'll have an early morning today as you'll pack up and sail off to Nusa Lembongan Island for a snorkeling adventure in paradise.

The island is still part of Bali, and it's only 30 minutes from Sanur Harbor by fast boat or 2.5 hours away by ferry. You'll take a tour of the tiny island and discover its famous mangrove trees before going snorkeling in Crystal Bay, Manta Bay, and Gamat Bay. During your explorations, you'll see beautiful coral reefs, colorful fish, and manta rays.

At the end of the day, you'll take a boat back to your hotel in Seminyak.

Day 5: Free Day in Seminyak

You'll have the entire day free to relax and enjoy the beach in Seminyak.

If you'd like to visit a temple, you can take a 10-minute cab ride to see the centuries-old Pura Petitenget, which was built to ward off evil spirits.

If you'd like to enjoy the beach, you can advantage of the numerous beach outposts—some of which are outfitted with oversized bean bags and colorful umbrellas—book a snorkeling or scuba diving expedition, go horseback riding on the shore, take a surfing lesson, or go on a swim.

There are also a number of excellent restaurants and cafes you can try. Seminyak comes alive at night as the town has an abundance of nightclubs, or you can venture to the nearby town of Kuta for more themed clubs and bars. 

Day 6: Cultural Exchange - Transfer to Ubud

After breakfast, your driver will take you 12 miles (20 km) north to a small village near Mengwi, where you'll meet a Balinese family with whom you will spend the day in a cultural exchange. 

First, your host will teach you about the Hindu holiday of Nyepi and take you to a market where you can taste and learn about local produce, spices, and dishes. Then, you'll make a stop at a local school before reaching your host's home where you'll join your family in making offerings, eating a traditional Balinese lunch, and roasting coffee. 

After lunch, you'll your guide will drive you to a small temple. There, you'll participate in a blessing ceremony before continuing deeper into rice fields where your host will explain the rice field system and invite you to plant a paddy and try a traditional plowing tool.

At the end of the day, you'll meet your driver to continue on to Ubud, where you'll spend the night.

Day 7: Free Morning in Ubud - Ogoh-Ogoh Parade

You'll have the morning free to explore Ubud on your own today. You can ask your specialist for assistance in scheduling a spa treatment, going to a traditional yoga class, or book a cooking class with a local chef. 

In the late afternoon, you can head to the main road and get a good spot to watch the Ogoh-Ogoh parade, which starts in the early evening. The monster artworks depict both mythological demons and evil creatures as well as cultural and societal ills that afflict people today. Balinese believe that bad spirits are attracted to the loud noise and music of the parade and that the spirits then move into their elaborate floats.

Then, the spirits can be banished at the end of the night by setting the floats alight. These ritual bonfires are an important act of purification for locals, and they help usher in the beginning of the new year and Nyepi the following day.

At the end of the night's celebrations and rituals, you'll return to your hotel to rest.

Day 8: Nyepi in Ubud

Nyepi, also known as Silent Day, is a Hindu holiday that you will only find on the islands of Bali, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Penida.

This celebration is a day to cleanse your body, mind, and soul through silence, meditation, and fasting. This means that people can't leave their houses, work, make noise, or use electricity or fire. The locals take this holiday seriously, so you'll be required to respect their traditions today.

You will spend the day at your hotel as all roads will be shut down to cars and pedestrian traffic, but you can meditate in your room, do yoga, relax by the pool, or simply enjoy a day of true peace and quiet. 

Day 9: Tour of Ubud's Temples

Today, you'll get to explore the area's most beautiful temples. Make sure you respect Balinese cultural customs on all temple visits, avoid using your camera's flash, and be mindful of where you are walking near altars.

First, you will head to Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu, one of the temple complexes on the island that is often overlooked by visitors, making its verdant gardens and ponds filled with carp and blooming lotuses extremely tranquil.

Next, you'll visit one of Bali's most sacred temples, Tirta Empul (Holy Water Temple). Located in the village of Manukaya, this Hindu temple is dedicated to purification and its name means "sacred source" in Balinese. The waters of the pools come from the Pakerisan River, and you can learn about the ritual bathing that takes place here. 

You'll continue your day with a visit to Gunung Kawi temple. Famous for its ancient relics, this complex is located next to a small river and is surrounded by picturesque rice fields.

To round out your tour, you will travel to Tegalalang, a village in the north of Ubud to enjoy a magnificent view of the rice terraces, which form a natural amphitheater. You will have lunch at a local restaurant before returning to your hotel for the rest of the evening.

Day 10: Departure

It's time to say goodbye to Bali! After a final breakfast, your driver will pick you up at your hotel and take you back to Ngurah Rai International Airport in Ubud where you can catch a flight home or on to your next destination.