In Reply to: Nyepi Day posted by saronggirl on Thursday, 18. February 2010 at 15:23 Bali Time:
We stayed in Kuta a few years ago during Nyepi. It is sort of similar to Christmas/New Year in Australia. They have the Ogor-Ogor parade in the early evening on the night before Nyepi Day. If you are in Kuta they line up in Legian Road and walk through the streets down to the beach. There is a huge crowd, and it is a festival mood. There could be a bit of waiting around for it to start though ("jam karet" - rubber time).
Prepare yourselves to stay inside your hotel grounds - don't have to be confined to the room, but noise and light must be kept to a minimum (the spirits must think that the island is deserted). We just stocked up on snackies and drinks the day before. Dinner is a compulsory banquet in the hotel. It is great, because it is so quiet you can hear the birds and the waves - and no motorbikes or trucks.
The next day (in Kuta), there are market stalls - goods and food and games of skill - along Kuta Beach heading north from the Art Markets - almost like a Royal Show. The Balinese enjoy themselves immensely, and the atmosphere is great.
So, yes, the shops and restaurants are closed for almost 3 days (just pretend you are in Perth), but that shouldn't be the only reason to go to Bali - it is all about the experience and respecting the culture of the Balinese.
I loved being in Bali during Nyepi! Enjoy it.