On March 3rd, on the first new moon in March, Bali will celebrate the Balinese Hindu New Year, the famous Hari Raya Nyepi also called the “Day of Silence”. Nyepi, marks the start of the Balinese Hindu Saka New Year and the arrival of spring. Beginning at 6 am and lasting until 6 am the following day, Nyepi is a day intended for self-reflection and anything that might disturb this is not allowed. This means no cooking or fires, no entertainment, no travelling and no work of any kind is permitted. On Nyepi, the usually busy streets of Bali fall silent and even though Nyepi is a Hindu festival, non-Hindu residents of Bali will also observe the day of silence out of respect for their fellow citizens. Tourists are free to do what they want inside their hotels but nobody is permitted onto the beaches or streets. The airport in Bali will also be closed for Nyepi and telecommunications companies even switch off internet services for a 24 hour period. A very special moment in the year for all Balinese, unique in the world and particularly appreciated by our guests. Happy Hari Raya Nyepi!