Ngrupuk Parade - Ogoh Ogoh

All Balinese celebrate Ngrupuk Parade – also known as the ‘Ogoh Ogoh’ Parade, a huge Hindu festivity all over Bali. The locals are roaming through the streets, carrying great puppets, the ‘Ogoh Ogohs’, playing drums, pushing gongs and holding torches. An immersive experience in Bali you won’t ever forget.The giant monster dolls are made of light materials: Wood, bamboo, paper, and Styrofoam. They take the shape of mythological, evil creatures and gods to represent negative aspects of living things and criticize society and its latest issues. The name itself comes from ‘ogah ogah’, the Balinese word for ‘shaken’. All Ogoh Ogoh Parades end with bonfires, when the laboriously designed monsters are burnt ceremonially and fall to ashes. The Balinese believe that bad spirits move into their monster craft works by making noise and playing instruments and can be banished by burning. It is an important act of purification for the locals to herald the New Year and Nyepi, the following day. Each village will host and build their own Parade, some of the most impressive Ogoh Ogohs can be found at the Puputan Square in Denpasar or in Kuta. Simply ask your local host to tell you where the next Ogoh Ogoh parade is!

When         24. March 2020
Where        Multiple Venues in Bali

Nyepi – Silent Day

Bali’s major Hindu festival, Nyepi, celebrates the end of the old year and the start of the next. It’s marked by inactivity – a strategy to convince evil spirits that Bali is uninhabited so they’ll leave the island alone for another year. For the Balinese, it's a day for meditation and introspection. The rules are more relaxed for foreigners as long as you don't leave your residence or hotel. Nyepi is actually fantastic with a colorful festival the night before and there's something inspiring about being forced to do nothing.  Roads all over Bali are void of any traffic and nobody steps outside of their home premises. Some consider it a time for total relaxation and contemplation, for others, a chance for Mother Nature to ‘reboot’ herself after 364 days of human pestering. No lights are turned on at night – total darkness and seclusion goes along with this new moon island-wide, from 06:00 to 06:00. No motor vehicles whatsoever are allowed on the streets, except ambulances and police patrols and emergencies even the airport is closed. As a hotel guest, you are confined to your hotel premises, but free to continue to enjoy the hotel facilities as usual. A ‘celebration’ unlike anywhere else on the planet.

When        25. March 2020
Where       All over the island

Ngembak Geni - Omed-omedan

Known as the kissing ritual, Omed-omedan is celebrated on the day after Nyepi (the silent day) to welcome the Çaka New Year. The single Sesetan boys are probably the happiest on this day, for they get to kiss the single ladies of their village without any consequences. During Omed Omedan bachelors and bachelorettes aged 17-30 of Sesetan gather on the area’s main street. Divided into two groups (men and women), they will take position and face each other; at a given signal, both sides will approach to the centre of the street, and male participants will pull and kiss (sometimes forcefully) the female participants while the rest of the villagers in the audience pour buckets of water over them.

When         26. March 2020
Where        all over Bali, Ceremonies are conducted at temples and villages around the Island

BaliSpirit Festival

Get ready for a one-week transformational journey and take part in the magical BaliSpirit Festival. The annual Yoga- and spiritual festival has become a magnet for fans, students and followers of every yoga, movement, healing and music calling. Weeks before the Festival, Ubud begins to fill with a colorful, international tribe of conscious travelers, gathering in anticipation of one of the world’s most inspiring events. The goal of the BaliSpirit Festival is to awaken and nourish each individual’s potential for positive change within, leading to positive change in homes, in communities, and around the world. Through beneficial and inspirational traditions of Yoga, Dance, and Music, the BaliSpirit Festival illustrates the Balinese Hindu concept of Tri Hita Karana: living in harmony with spiritual, social, and natural environments.
This year the festival is a reunion for the global family to come together in sacred celebration, doing the inside-out work of personal and planetary healing - transformation of some sort guaranteed. Take time and space to re-align through yoga, movement, dance and music and an amazing community. Get inspired with world-renowned teachers, workshops, wisdom talks and seminars, discovering new paths to inner harmony, healing and the collective well-being.
BaliSpirit Festival is indeed a celebrationm-vof the richness of culture, the sanctity of the environment, and harmony between people of all nations. balispiritfestival.com

When        29. March – 05. April 2020
Where       Ubud, Bali

Weather in Bali in March

Bali is very close to the equator, ensuring the Indonesian island enjoys tropical weather all year round. With beautifully warm temperatures during March, Bali is the perfect holiday destination if you’re looking for hot weather. The wet season in Bali steadily wanes towards April; you can feel the rainy season comes to an end. Therefore, you can expect a good mix between sunny days and rainy episodes throughout the month. It’s often quite humid in March, so make sure you wear light, cool layers and drink plenty of water. With such strong sunshine, you’ll need plenty of high factor sun cream and it’s wise to seek shade between 11am and 3pm.  Average temperature is a 27.6 degrees with 32% chance of rain and an average rainfall of 213mm, lower than in February. Average sea temperature is 28 degrees Celsius, great for diving or snorkeling with visibility that is improved compared to previous months.