Incredible Bali Ogoh-Ogoh Exhibition Will Remain Open For Tourists Until May 

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Were you in Bali for Nyepi? Or have you been left with a serious case of FOMO after missing out on the tranquility of the holy day of silence and the excitement of the Ogoh-Ogoh parades?

Well, FOMO no more, as tourist have the opportunity to experience the magic of the mysterious Ogoh-Ogoh at the GWK Cultural Park in Bali until the 10th May 2025. 

The GWK Cultural Park is most famous for being home to the impressive Garuda Wisnu Kencana Statue that can be seen from the window of the plane as tourist land and take off from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, and which can be seen as far away as Canggu on a clear day.

The incredible cultural park is a modern museum and living artwork that showcases the very best of Balinese heritage all in one place. 

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Bali is a deeply spiritual and reverential culture. As a majority Balinese Hindu island, the practice of the faith is still at the core of everyday life. From daily prayers to monthly rituals and annual ceremonies, there is a wealth of cultural wonder to explore in Bali.

For tourists one of the most fascinating cultural events is the Ogoh-Ogoh Parade, held the night before Nyepi, the holy day of silence which falls on the March new moon every year.

The Ogoh-Ogoh Parade, known by its Balinese name Pengrupukan, is one of the most exhilarating and overwhelming cultural events that tourists are fortunate enough to be welcomed to observe in Bali. 

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As explained by the Bali Tourism Board “During Pengrupukan, the Balinese people create and parade magnificent Ogoh-Ogoh statues through the streets. The Ogoh-Ogohs are unique, larger-than-life creatures, made of bamboo and paper, depicting demons and evil spirits that represent negative energy.” 

Every village and every community will make a series of Ogoh-Ogoh. Traditionally, though not exclusively, the Ogoh-Ogoh are paraded through the streets by the unmarried young men of each village, since traditionally, once men marry, they take on the customary role of the pecalang, or local village security.

Nowadays, many communities also include young women in the Pengrupukan, who often perform traditional dances in groups, in between each Ogoh-Ogoh in the parade, or create Ogoh-Ogoh of their own.

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In each village too all different age groups get involved, from the tiny children who carry a small and not-so-fearsome Ogoh-Ogoh through the streets with the help of their fathers, uncles, and brothers, all the way up to the men in their late twenties who have invested months and millions of rupiah’s worth of donations and often their own money, into creating utterly fantastical statues. 

For those tourists who missed out on seeing the Ogoh-Ogoh parades in action last week, there is still a chance to experience the wonder of the Pengrupukan, at the GWK Cultural Park. The attraction hosted its own Ogoh-Ogoh Parades as cultural performances over the last week, and now the Ogoh-Ogoh will remain on show for all to enjoy.

There are 13 statues on display, all of which have been made by the young men and women who were born and raised in the communities neighboring the park. 

The Operations Director of GWK Cultural Park, Rossie Andriani, told reporters “The Ogoh-Ogoh are left here and can be seen until 10th May…the GWK tourist visits will definitely be high this week because it is still the holiday season but after that I think it will move more normally as usual, 3,500 visits per day.”

Meaning when the Lebaran holiday is officially over on the 6th of April, tourists can enjoy both a quieter-than-usual GWK Cultural Park, and the incredible Ogoh-Ogoh too!

Access to the Ogoh-Ogoh Exhibition at GWK Cultural Park is included in the regular admission fee for tourists, which is IDR 145,000 per person when bought on the door, or via the GWK Cultural Park website.

Tourists who are particularly culturally curious are recommended to book the Ultimate Package ticket for IDR 350,000 per person which includes access to the top of the Garuda Wisnu Kencana Statue and a guided tour of the museum within.