Mesmerizing Cultural Festival In Bali’s Nusa Penida Confirmed For October 2023

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Bali is a destination much admired for its incredible cultural heritage and deep spiritual nature. The faith and culture of Balinese people are very much a part of day-to-day life on the islands.

With such a firm connection to their cultural identity, Bali is known to inspire many visits to learn more about their own cultural heritage when they return home. 

In this New Era of Bali, as proposed by local leaders over the last few months, cultural tourism will become a major component of the travel industry in Bali.

Tourists of every kind will be encouraged to engage with and learn about Balinese culture during their vacation.

Whether this be through learning about the daily offerings of the canang sari, attending a traditional cultural dance, taking part in a traditional water blessing ceremony, or even learning a few words of Bahasa Bali, tourism leaders want to showcase the best of Bali’s culture to the world. 

@bali_karisma_holidays EXPLORE NUSA PENIDA💕 Walaupun Pulau Bali berukuran kecil tetapi memiliki banyak Pantai yang tidak kalah indah dan tentunya memiliki keunikan tersendiri adalah Diamond Beach Nusa Penida. 📍Pejukutan, Kec. Nusa Penida, Kabupaten Klungkung, BALI #travelnusapenida #tripnusapenida #tournusapenida #paketnusapenida #nusapenida #grouptravel #balivibes #wisatanusapenida #culturetrip #pantainusapenida #visitbali #diamondbeach #kelingkingbeach #atuhbeach #brokenbeach #wisatabali #balidriver #balitransport #balitour ♬ suara asli – 𝓡𝓲𝓭𝓱𝓸 𝓪𝓴𝓫𝓪𝓻

With that in mind, organizers of the Nusa Penida Festival were excited to announce that the festival will be going ahead this year for the first time in its full capacity since before the pandemic.

The Nusa Penida Festival will be held on the 5th-7th of October this year and will feature over 500 dancers, incredible cultural performances, and entertainment for all the family. 

The Head of the Klungkung Tourism Office, Ni Made Sulistiawati, told reporters this week that the highlight of the Nusa Penida Festival will be the Pendet Pasepan dance.

The performance is a form of purification offering to the Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa; the female dancers wear a white kebaya (traditional blouse) and yellow Kamen (sarong) whilst holding hot coals.

The spectacular performance will be just one of dozens of impressive traditional performances and devotional dances that will happen during the festival. 

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@kaizen_artistry Barong Dance Show🇲🇨. #barongdancebali #bali #barongan ♬ Kincang Kincing, Gilak – Bali Gamelan Sound

Sulistiawati said, “We are forming a committee, coordinating with the local government and village heads, and preparing a rundown of the event.”

He added “The Nusa Penida Festival also includes musical entertainment, beach cleaning, sailboat races, and Sumba gymnastics. The budget is around IDR 700 million.”

Festival goers can also look forward to a ‘colossal’ kecak performance by some of the province’s finest cultural artists.

The Kecak dance is one of the most famous Balinese traditional dances and tells the story of the Ramayana.

The Kecak dance is also known more famously as the Bali fire dance, and the performance depicts the love story of Rama and Sita and their triumph of good over evil.

@zarifnash The famous Kecak Dance in Melasti Beach, Bali. . . . . . . . #melastibeach #stunningbeachinbali #bali #baliindonesia #baliculture ##wonderfulindonesia #pesonaindonesia #beautifuldestination ♬ original sound – Zarif Nasharuddin

Tourists don’t need to wait to see the Kecak performance at the Nusa Penida Festival if the dates don’t align with their vacation.

There are dozens of kecak performances that take place across the island every week.

The most famous Kecak dance in Bali is hosted at the Uluwatu Temple amphitheater and is a truly mesmerizing occasion. The dance is performed just after sunset, overlooking the Indian Ocean.

The dance is often cited as one of the cultural highlights of a trip to Bali and should definitely feature high on everyone’s Bali bucket list!

Holidaymakers planning their trips to Bali will notice that the tourism board and other tour companies will be promoting culture-based tourism experiences over the next few months.

This will include everything from visiting temples and sites of spiritual significance to Balinese Hindus, trying traditional Balinese and Indonesian dishes like nasi goreng or a classic Balinese Babi guling.

Some of the leading cultural tourism offerings in Bali include a visit to the Telallagang Rice Terraces.

During a visit tourists not only get the opportunity to admire the stunning agricultural landscape but also learn about how rice is grown and how Balinese people live and work in harmony with the land. 

Another must-do cultural experience in Bali is a visit to a temple. Popular temples include the Saraswati Temple in central Ubud, which sits close to the Ubud Palace.

As well as the famous Tirta Empul Temple, best known for its water blessing ceremonies, and of course the Sad Kahyangan Luhur Lempuyang Temple, which is often referred to in English as the Gateway to Heaven.

Tourism leaders have established a series of guidelines to help tourists best know how to behave in a respectable manner while visiting cultural landmarks on the island. The list of do’s and don’ts can viewed at Bali Airport, and on billboards around the island.