From a few grains of rice stuck to a slice of banana leaf, to the daily “canang” placed around a home or family shrine, these Balinese Hindu offerings are everywhere.
Walk down any street and the first thing you’ll see by your feet are the daily canang (small, square, woven baskets made from cut coconut leaves and filled with flowers)
accompanied by an assortment of gifts for the Gods and topped with a single burning stick of incense.
I WAS beginning to enjoy my wine buzz and happened to glance up the sky… But where have all the stars gone?
If not for that one small detail, our welcome dinner at the garden of 5-star Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa, Bali would have been so perfect.
Could it be the skyglow that’s making it impossible to see any stars?
Possibly.
And yet, according to Yanty Zhang, the hotel’s assistant director of sales, there is one particular night of the year when the stars shine their brightest.
This year it happened on March 17, on Nyepi, Bali’s “Day of Silence.”
Nyepi marks the New Year in the Saka calendar, one of the calendars observed among the Balinese.
It occurs in March or April each year, following the new moon.
But this New Year celebration is like no other because on this day Bali literally shuts down, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
A complete calm covers the island and Balinese Hindus spend the day in silence—fasting, meditating and abiding by four Nyepi prohibitions: no fire (amati geni), no travel (amati lelungan), no activity (amati karya), and no entertainment (amati lelanguan).
It seems unthinkable, but even Ngurah Rai International Airport ceases operations for a full 24 hours.
On the streets, no motor vehicles are allowed, except those responding to emergencies like ambulances and police patrols.
As a hotel guest, you are confined to your hotel premises, but free to quietly enjoy the hotel facilities.
A cause to pause, why not? And then, when darkness falls, you’re in for a spectacular night show.
Same place, different world
Kuta is said to be the most popular destination in Bali among foreign tourists.
If Ubud sounds a bit too slow for you, choose Kuta, where a different kind of vibe is felt.
Legian Street, one of the busiest streets in Bali’s primary resort town, begs to be explored on foot because traffic can be a pain and the central area contains a rich roster of attractions within easy striking distance.
A bohemian oasis, here are bars, cafes, boutiques, spas and tattoo studios, a swarm of motorcycles, main streets brimming with life and crowded with visitors… one roadside attraction after another. What world is this?
Bali has long captured the imagination of foreigners and, by the looks of it, today it’s fueled by only one thing—tourism.
But rather than bemoaning the commercialism of this paradise island, you’d be better off appreciating the Hindu Balinese everyday rituals that have have remained the same for more than a thousand years.
Religion and way of life
There is a chain of temples all along the south-west coast of Bali known to protect Indonesia from the vagaries of the ocean. Tanah Lot is the most important and the most romantically picturesque of the seven temples in
Bali in this chain. This much venerated sea temple dates back to the 15th century. It looks spectacular in
the backdrop of sunset and the sea. Tanah Lot means “small island floating on sea.” Location: Tabanan,
about 20 kilometers from Denpasar, Bali’s capital city.
Out of the 18,108 islands of Indonesia, the world’s largest Islamic country, Bali is the only one where Hinduism is the predominant religion.
A mix of Indian Hinduism, Buddhism, and the concept of “respect your ancestor tradition,” Balinese Hinduism—called Agama Tirta or the “Science of the Holy Water—is unlike Indian Hinduism.
North of Tanah Lot is Batu Bolong , which translates to “rock with a hole.” Similarly built on a rock formation, it has a “hollow” overpass linking to the mainland. Convenient pathways and well-kept gardens line the grounds from Tanah Lot to Batu Bolong, with resting spots offering shade and good viewpoints to both
outcrops. Tanah Lot Temple and Batu Bolong Temple have the same entry point.
Bali’s wellness offerings
No matter how long you are planning to stay, schedule a trip to to the spa because all that walking and sightseeing will wear you down.
Thankfully, Bali is home to numerous massage and reflexology parlors offering basic to luxurious and holistic spa treatments.
When the therapist kneads those aching muscles into submission, the only sound you’ll hear is your own breathing.
* Also read: https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/200878/bali-in-a-heartbeat
AUTHENTICALLY BALI. Nusa Dua
Beach Hotel & Spa, the first five-star resort in the southern enclave of Nusa Dua, was built in 1983. This five-star diamond resort, has been welcoming kings, queens, presidents and other dignitaries since its grand opening. Nestled within beautifully landscaped gardens, the resort with its 382 guestrooms and suites
features all the elegance of
a Balinese palace while offering
modern amenities.
(www.nusaduahotel.com)
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Cebu Pacific flies to and from Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, Bali daily with the lowest year round base fare at P2,088. For bookings and inquiries, go to www.cebupacificair.com or call the reservation hotlines (02)7020-888 or (032) 230-8888.
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The writer was part of a media fam trip to Bali, Indonesia courtesy of Cebu Pacific, JG Summit Holdings Inc., and Selrahco.
To plan your Bali adventure, contact Aneka Kartika Tours & Travel Services (www.aneka-tours.co.id)
(Photos by Rose Razon)
INSPIRED BALINESE ELEGANCE ON KUTA BEACH. Located in the centre of Kuta, The Anvaya Beach Resort Bali offers true Balinese hospitality for your exotic tropical vacation. Its five-star resort benefits from its own private sandy beach and is equipped with a wide-range of contemporary, relaxing and luxurious features and amenities. (www.theanvayabali.com)
Signboards for all kinds ouf tourist services are displayed throughout a
major street (jalan) in Kuta. At night the area becomes alive with bar-hoppers making their way to pubs, clubs and restaurants.
Motorcycles swarm the streets of Kuta.
100 US Dollar=1,506,875.00 Indonesian Rupiah=5,325.35 Philippine Peso