Bali is an island of festivals that are an intrinsic and fascinating part of daily life. Wherever you go in Bali, you will encounter festivals throughout the villages, with the temple dressed, and feasts and offerings prepared, and colourful processions fill the streets. At Pacific World we incorporate these events in to spectacular dinners and activities for your guests, which allows each individual to experience the true spirit of Bali.

Numerous larger national festivals are celebrated throughout the year, which can be of great appeal to tie your events in with, or simply holidays for you to be aware of:

Nyepi - Friday, 16 March, 2010

Early in the morning, the island of Bali will be blanketed with silence. Nyepi, Balinese New Year is celebrated with a day of silence, fasting, and meditation.

Observed from 6 a.m. until 6 a.m. the next morning, Nyepi is a day reserved for contemplation and as such, anything that might interfere with that purpose is restricted. The main restrictions are Amati Geni (no lighting fires); Amati Karya (no working); Amati Lelanguan (no entertainment or pleasure); and Amati Lelungan (no traveling).

And for some, no talking or eating at all. Prohibition against lighting fires includes the use of light bulbs and electricity. However, the emergency services such as hospitals are operational. The airport in Bali remains closed for the entire day.

Galungan Festival - Wednesday, 12 May 2010

Bali's most important festival is the Galungan festival, which symbolises the victory of Dharma, or Virtue, upon Adharma, or all that is Evil. The festivities are made extra special by the fitting of 'penjor' on the right side of the entrance to every house.

A penjor is a tall bamboo pole terrifically decorated with woven young coconut leaves, cakes, fruit and flowers; and also a must for every Balinese household. The Galungan also sees the Balinese decked in their finest clothes and jewels for the day.

On Saturday, 22 May 2010, the last day of the 10-day festival is the most important day. Known as Kuningan, it is the climax of the ten-day Galungan, and also serves to bringing the holiday period to a close. Kuningan is a day for prayer, and a special ritual ceremony is held for the spirits of the Balinese's ancestors.

The Bali Kite Festival, July 2010

The annual international kite festival is held at Sanur Beach.Traditional giant kites (4 meters in width and almost 10 meters in length) are made and flown competitively by teams from the villages (banjar) of Denpasar. The event is a seasonal religious festival intended to send a message to the Hindu Gods to create abundant crops and harvests.

A competition is also held for 'New Creation' kites; which may include detailed three dimensional figures representing the Hindu Gods or sponsorship kites. Traditional and new creation kites are constructed from bamboo and cotton cloth.

In the dry season of June through August, the winds blow continually from east to west in most of Indonesia. Balinese children and adults fly kites in the vacant rice paddies during this period.

A gamelan orchestra plays music throughout the festival. The festival attracts many visitors and international kite-fliers, along with many local spectators. What a great team building events for your groups to get involved in?

The Bali Art Festival, June – July 2010

Lasting for about four weeks from mid-Jun, the Bali Arts Festival, Pesta Kesenian Bali, is a wonderful spectacle and a great introduction to Balinese artistic traditions and culture.

The Bali Art Festival begins with a parade that displays the cultural wealth of the province. There are performances of classical dances, and traditional drama and music right from 10:00 am, and go on throughout the day. The best part of the Bali Art Festival, are the morning shows that feature the rare forms of music and dance of Bali. The Bali Art Festival is also a platform where local handicrafts, and the great art of the province are displayed to the entire world.

The Kuta Carnival, September 2010

The Kuta Carnival has acclaimed international fame today. The Kuta Carnival is generally characterized by performances by different local and international bands accompanied with various other performances and a wide range of music tastes from Hip Hop, Punk, Pop and Rock to Jazz and Blues Ethnic Fusion on stages along Kuta and Legian Beach fronts. A street parade is generally held accompanied with floats, dancers, gamelans, unicyclists, Big Bikes and Scooters and other motor clubs, decorated Dokars and others added by local businesses and Balinese community groups. The Kuta Carnival also offers food stalls at which you can taste the exotic Indonesian cuisine.

The Nusa Dua Festival in Bali, September/October 2010

The Nusa Dua Festival is one of the many Bali Events and Festivals in the month of September/October, and has become a regular event since 1997 when the Bali Tourism Development Corporation started it. The main events of the Nusa Dua Festival in Bali consist of entertaining events, and arts performances that are held on stage. The main emphasis of the Nusa Dua Festival in Bali is also on handicraft exhibitions and displays, and traditional art, dance, drama and music performance and the like.