Bali Village Invites Tourists For A Day In The Life Authentic Travel Experience

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Experiencing local culture should be a top priority for all tourists traveling to Bali. Whether visiting a temple or trying nasi goreng, it’s super important to explore as much of what this incredible island has to offer.

Here at The Bali Sun, we are committed to highlighting the best cultural experiences for our readers, and one very special destination that is sprinkled with Balinese culture. 

Bali’s Penglipuran Village is one of the world’s best tourism destinations. The traditional village, located in Bangli Regency, has won the UN World Tourism Organisation Best Tourism Village Award more than once. This festive season, Penglipuran Village has pulled out all the stops to bring together Christmas, New Year, and Balinese culture. 

Even moving into 2026, tourists can be assured that Penglipuran Village will continue to create authenticity and culturally immersive experiences for tourists who want to learn more about the island’s cultural heritage. 

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Penglipuran Village is respected for its cultural tourism program, and the latest offering is going to prove to be popular. The Head of Tourism Management at Pengliuran Village, Wayan Sumiarsa, has revealed more details about the program.

He explained, “Tourists want to be Balinese for a day, that is, wearing traditional Balinese clothing is currently in demand. We’ll combine this. When they dress in traditional Balinese clothing, they can also directly see the cultural attractions we have in Penglipuran.”

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A post shared by Dewi Penglipuran (@penglipuranofficial)

The village, which is one of Bali’s last remaining pedestrianised communities, has received praise throughout 2025 for its commitment to promoting Balinese culture to tourists in an engaging way.

Back in October, Penglipuran Village was visited by the Secretary General of the Indonesian Ministry of Culture, Bambang Wibwarta, who sang the praises of the whole community setup. He called on other tourism villages across Bali, and Indonesia more broadly, to learn from what Penglipuran has created. 

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He shared, “This success can motivate other regions to continue their efforts to preserve and develop local culture.” The tourism program in the village not only highlights Balinese culture but also the nuances of the culture on a hyperlocal level.

For example, Penglipuran Village still strictly adheres to the customary law of awig-awig, which is integrated with the Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Karana, which focuses on creating harmony between humans, the living earth, and the spiritual realms. Penglipuran Village also prohibits polygamy to promote the dignity of women.

The village spans 112 hectares, including the sacred bamboo forest, which tourists can visit as part of their community tour. Bangli Regency, within which Penglipuran Village can be found, is home to some of the best bamboo timber in the province.

During a visit, tourists can also learn about the forest conservation efforts underway, the sustainable harvesting system, and more about bamboo architecture, which is increasing in popularity across Bali. 

Though Christmas is over, New Year celebrations will be held in Penglipuran Village and are not to be missed.

From 28th December to the 1st January, Penglipuran Village will host performances of Tetantrian Macan Gading, which tells the story of the Barong and will also be presented by the Penglipuran Youth Organisation, bringing together music and theatrical arts to tell a story about courage and togetherness. 

Sumiarsa spoke to reporters during the preparations for the holidays and explained, “In the run-up to Christmas and New Year, we will also decorate the village with themed decorations utilizing bamboo and other natural materials, in keeping with Penglipuran’s character as a culturally and environmentally-based tourism village.”

“The use of bamboo replaced many single-use plastic decorations, thereby reducing waste and reinforcing the message of regenerative tourism, a festive celebration that maintains a low ecological footprint.”