In Reply to: Nypei Day posted by woodsman on Tuesday, 5. February 2013 at 10:02 Bali Time:
I live in Bali and can tell you this for sure:
Electricity is still turned on in Bali on Nyepi Day. The local government wanted to turn it off, but this has not been approved, so we still have electricity on the day.
Television and radio stations are turned off. Some hotels have access to TV stations via cable feed or satellite (whatever it is) from Malaysia i think it is. So some hotels you will still be able to watch TV. There are still DVD's so i don't see the difference myself, but there you go.
From the night before, street lights, traffic lights, shop signs, ATM's, and all other lighting in public areas will start to be turned off. They are quick to turn it off, but take their time in turning it back on again, with some traffic lights being out for days afterwards.
In your hotel, you will be able to eat and drink from the restaurants as usual, and the hotel will put staff in the hotel so that they can work and attend to guests needs. There will usually be no music allowed, and in the evening, the hotels will be dark, with all lighting except for essential lighting in enclosed areas. Hotel rooms must have curtains closed so that any light cannot escape. this is especially important for hotels with rooms close to a street, and will be monitored by the local pecalang (village security).
Guests will not be allowed to leave the grounds of the hotel, but can still swim and walk around the hotel grounds.
Nobody is allowed on the beach.
Having said all that, Nyepi Day is a great day, with no white noise from traffic, no overhead aircraft, no bad music, and a peaceful feeling all round. its so quiet, i can hear my dog running on the grass!
As my dog needs to go for his daily walks, i am allowed to take him in to the gang that i live, but i cannot go outside on to any main street area. i am VERY tempted to run out on to the bypass road in sanur and take photos of a deserted road, but wouldn't dare do it (when i peeked around the corner last year, the security guys were outside the banjar looking right at me, but luckily one is my neighbour and he understands that i was just out with the dog).
Overall, I love Nyepi Day.