2/17/2021
Unique things that only exist in Bali that you should know before vacation — Bali as a popular tourist destination in Indonesia has many attractions that make tourists always want to have a vacation in Bali.
Both the natural beauty of the mountains, lakes and white sand beaches. In addition to the beauty of natural scenery, you can also find many exciting holiday activities in Bali such as Bali rafting tours, bicycle tours and watersports in Tanjung Benoa. Did you know, the thing that made the island of Bali become famous as a tourist spot was not because of its natural beauty or the many vacation activities available.
But because of the uniqueness of art and culture in Bali. On this page, we will summarize 10 unique things that only exist in Bali that you don't find in other areas. In addition, if you are planning a vacation to Bali, knowing a list of 10 unique things that only exist in Bali will help you in planning your vacation. Because there are unique events in Bali every day.
The uniqueness of the island of Bali
Bali is a relatively small island, but when you are on vacation in Bali, you will never feel that you have enough time to explore all the tourist attractions in Bali and exciting holiday activities in Bali. In the early 70s until now, tourists continued to come for holidays to Bali.
When you arrive in Bali the first impression you will be able to see is something that you don't usually find anywhere else. You will see many unique things in the form of Balinese art or culture. You will see many Balinese people who perform religious rituals by arranging Canang (offerings in the form of Janur and Bunga ayaman), which takes place every day. In addition, there are many small temples in each house.
List of 10 unique things that only exist in Bali
You will get used to the uniqueness of the island of Bali if you often vacation in Bali. However, no matter how often you vacation in Bali, there are some unique things about Bali that you won't find every day. The following is a list of 10 unique things that only exist in Bali that you must know.
1. Omed-Omedan - Mass Kiss In Sesetan
There is a unique ceremonial tradition that is believed by the residents of Banjar Kaja Sesetan, Denpasar, Bali to get good luck. The name of the annual tradition is called Omed-omedan, which is also known as ritual kissing. So I wanted to come, but I couldn't because it was only for those who weren't married.
Omed-omedan is Balinese, if it means attraction. The Omed-omedan tradition is carried out every year, which is 1 day after Nyepi. Because you can only find the Omed-omedan tradition in Bali, I put it at number 1 in the list of 10 unique things that only exist in Bali.
All participants of the Omed-omedan ritual are young members of the Kaja Sesetan banjar, Denpasar. Omed-omedan participants from 17-30 years old and unmarried. Before the implementation of the Omed-omedan tradition, young people from the Kaja Sesetan banjar would pray at the local temple in order to gain safety. After they finished praying, the boys and girls were separated. Groups of men and women face each other on Jalan Raya Sesetan Denpasar.
One person will be selected between the two groups of men and women, then the selected participants will face off on both sides and be brought together. The two participants will lock their lips then kiss while being splashed with water.
2. Mekepung (Buffalo Race)
Number two on the list of 10 unique things that only exist in Bali is the Mekepung tradition. Mekepung is a buffalo racing tradition in Jembrana district, West Bali. Hundreds of pairs of buffalo will compete to reach the finish line fastest controlled by a jockey. Each pair of water buffalo will be attached to a wooden plow. Buffalo racing competitions are held around the Melaya sub-district, Jembrana district.
Mekepung starts in the morning around 07.30 and the racing event lasts about five hours. The Mekepung buffalo racing event is usually held in July, August, September, October and November, and twice a month. To be able to see the Mekepung schedule.
3. The Pandan War in Tenganan Village
The tradition of pandan warfare in the village of Tenganan Pegringsingan, Karangasem regency , Bali, is very well known to foreign countries. The Pandan War in Tenganan Village, for the Balinese people it is known as the pandanus geret. However, the indigenous people of Tenganan village call the pandan geret tradition as Mekare-Kare.
The pandan war tradition in the village of Tenganan Pegringsingan is not just a traditional performance, but part of the original Balinese culture and rituals of the Tenganan village community. By holding a pandan war ritual, Tenganan villagers believe they will avoid bad things.
During the Pandan War ritual in Tenganan Pegringsingan village, two village youths will fight in an arena. Each youth will carry a bunch of pandanus leaves with a length of approximately 30 cm which is used as a weapon. Participants also carry a shield. When the fight started, the two young men would attack each other by rubbing the prickly pandanus leaves on their opponent's back. Of course it will cause scratches on the participant's back. Anyone dare to try? If I don't dare!
If you want to watch the Pandan War ritual, come to Tenganan Karangasem village in mid-June. The pandan war ritual in Tenganan Pegringsingan village is usually held for two consecutive days. Everyone who visits is allowed to watch the Pandan War ritual. In addition, there is no ticket fee or free.
Clothes That Visitors Wear
Because the Pandan War ritual is a religious event and for the local community it is considered sacred, it is better if you come to Tenganan village to watch the Pandan war wearing traditional Balinese clothes. Like wearing a sarong and scarf tied at the waist, although it is not mandatory.
Due to the enthusiasm of tourists who vacation in Bali to watch the Pandan War tradition, the number of viewers will be very large. Therefore, you should arrive early to get a comfortable viewing spot and look for a place that is a bit high. Also, there are no chairs to watch, so get ready to stand for a while.
4. Nyepi Day
Nyepi Day is a celebration of the Saka New Year which is celebrated by Hindus in Indonesia, however it is celebrated unlike the celebration of the New Year with a party, quite the opposite. Because during Nyepi Day, all routine activities stop and the atmosphere is lonely that you will never find in other countries.
Anyone who is on the island of Bali, Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida must remain at home or at the hotel for 24 hours. Shops are closed, roads are quiet, offices are closed including Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport closed to all flights for 24 hours. The lonely situation starts from 6 am to 6 am the next day. However, there are exceptions that are allowed to go out only for security forces and ambulances.
5. Ogoh-Ogoh Parade
One day before Nyepi there is a Balinese Hindu procession called Ngerupuk / Pengerupukan. The Pengerupukan ritual is carried out in every village on the island of Bali. In the afternoon local residents will parade the Ogoh-Ogoh on the highway.
Then what is Ogoh-ogoh? Ogoh-ogoh is a kind of giant statue but made from light material so it's easy to wine. For the Ogoh-ogoh frame it uses wood and for the shape it uses Styrofoam then it is coated with paper and cloth, so it is easy to parade. Today there are many Ogoh-ogoh forms, most of which are giants.
6. Temple in the middle of the lake
Bali as a tourist spot is synonymous with unique arts and culture, one of which is a temple attraction . While on vacation in Bali you will see many temples, from small to large temples. However, there is one temple in Bali whose location is very unique, namely the Ulun Danu temple which is located on Lake Beratan Bedugul.
Not only the unique location of the Ulun Danu temple, the location of the temple on the high ground makes cool air always felt even during the day. Because of the uniqueness of the location of the Ulun Danu temple on Lake Beratan Bedugul, photos of the Ulun Danu Beratan temple are always visible in the media for promoting tourism in Bali. Ulun Danu Beratan Temple , for tourists who have a vacation to Bali has always been a must-visit Bali tourist destination.
7. Ngaben / Plebon
One of the uniqueness of Bali in the eyes of the world is the Ngaben ceremony. Ngaben or Pelebon (for those with caste) is a cremation ceremony on the island of Bali and is one of the important ceremonies in Balinese Hindu cultural traditions. What makes the Ngaben ceremony unique in Bali is that as a means of transporting a corpse from the house to the cremation place, it uses "Wadah" in Balinese which means place.
In general, containers have two forms, one is shaped like a small temple with carvings and decorations that look very beautiful. The other one is shaped like an animal, usually in the form of an ox. For a temple-shaped container, it will be used to lift the corpse from the house to the cremation place. After arriving at the cremation site, the bodies will be lowered and then transferred to a container in the shape of an ox. The container is very large, and to lift it will require a lot of human labor.
After the ritual procession was finished, a large fire started to burn. For Balinese Hindus, the cremation process is very important and it is believed to make it easier for deceased spirits to reach the location according to the results of actions performed while alive.
8. Penjor
If you have a vacation to Bali during Galungan, you will see a unique decoration in the form of bamboo poles along the main road, called Penjor. In the eyes of tourists, Penjor is a unique cultural tradition in Bali. Decorations are made of whole bamboo and bamboo is decorated using leaflets and other decorations.
At the end of the Penjor, there is a flower decoration called Sampian. The flower ornaments are hung using a leaf tied so that it is long dangling. After the Penjor decoration is complete, the Balinese will install bamboo poles in front of their respective homes.
9. Giant Kite Festival
The Kite Festival in Bali is an annual festival event held in July and August. The months of July and August were chosen because in those months the wind started to get stronger. Apart from the wind factor, July and August are the high season for tourist visits to Bali, so the kite festival in Bali attracts thousands of visitors, especially foreign tourists.
The uniqueness of the kite festival in Bali is the very large size of the kite. When flying, the kite will be accompanied by blaring music from the Balinese gambelan called Baleganjur. The location of the kite festival is usually on Padang Galak beach and Sanur Beach.
10. Same First Name
Last on our list of 10 unique things that only exist in Bali, is the same Balinese first name. For those of you who are on vacation to Bali for the first time, you will meet many local residents. But there will be one thing that will make you ask, why are many Balinese people having the same first name. Balinese first names place the order of the birth position in one family.
Wayan / Putu means the first child. Made, Kadek or Nengah means second child. For the third child, the first name was Komang or Nyoman, and the fourth child was named Ketut. After the first name, there is a last name, which is of many kinds.
That's all about the article 10 unique things that only exist in Bali. If you have questions about 10 unique things that only exist in Bali on this page, please write them in the comments below.