Nyepi

Ogoh-ogoh being paraded in Ngrupuk or The Bhuta Yajna Ritual.

Nyepi is a Balinese “Day of Silence” that commemorated every Isakawarsa (Saka new year) according to Bali’s calendar (in 2011, it will be on March 5th). It is a day of silence, fasting, and meditation. The day following Nyepi is also celebrated as New year Gudi Padva in Maharashtra and Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh andKarnataka in India.

Observed from 6 a.m. until 6 a.m. the next morning, Nyepi is a day reserved for self-reflection and as such, anything that might interfere with that purpose is restricted. The main restrictions are: no lighting fires (and lights must be kept low); no working; no entertainment or pleasure; no traveling; and for some, no talking or eating at all. The effect of these prohibitions is that Bali’s usually bustling streets and roads are empty, there is little or no noise from TVs and radios, and few signs of activity are seen even inside homes. The only people to be seen outdoors are the Pecalang, traditional security men who patrol the streets to ensure the prohibitions are being followed.

Although Nyepi is primarily a Hindu holiday, non-Hindu residents of Bali observe the day of silence as well, out of respect for their fellow citizens. Even tourists are not exempt; although free to do as they wish inside their hotels, no one is allowed onto the beaches or streets, and the only airport in Bali remains closed for the entire day. The only exceptions granted are for emergency vehicles carrying those with life-threatening conditions and women about to give birth.

On the day after Nyepi, known as Ngembak Geni, social activity picks up again quickly, as families and friends gather to ask forgiveness from one another, and to perform certain religious rituals together.

Rituals

• First, The Melasti Ritual is performed at the 3-4 previous day. It is dedicated to Sanghyang Widhi Wasa and is performed at the beach to respect them as the owner of The Land and Sea. The ritual performed in Pura (Balinese temple) near the sea (Pura Segara) and meant to purify Arca, Pratima, and Pralingga (sacred objects) belongs to several temples, also to acquire sacred water from the sea.
• Second, The Bhuta Yajna Ritual is performed in order to vanquish the negative elements and create balance with God, Mankind, and Nature. The ritual also meant to appease Batara Kala byPecaruan offering. Devout Hindu Balinese villages usually make ogoh-ogoh, demonic statues made of bamboo and paper symbolizing negative elements or malevolent spirits. After the ogoh-ogoh have been paraded around the village, the Ngrupuk ritual takes place, which involves burning the ogoh-ogoh.
• Third, The Nyepi Rituals is performed with the following conditions:
  • Amati Geni: No fire/light, including no electricity
  • Amati Karya: No working
  • Amati Lelunganan: No travelling
  • Amati Lelanguan: Fasting and no revelry/self-entertainment
• Fourth, The Yoga/Brata Ritual starts at 6:00 AM (e.g. March 26, 2009) and continues to 6:00 AM the next day.
• Fifth, The Ngebak Agni/Labuh Brata Ritual is performed for all Hindus to forgive each other and to welcome the new days to come.
• Sixth and finally, The Dharma Shanti Rituals is performed as the Nyepi Day or “Day of Silence.”

The island of Bali

Bali is one among the beautiful islands in Indonesia. The majority of the Hindu minority population in Indonesia can be found in the island of Bali. Being very famous for its expertise in arts like dancing, sculptures, painting, music and leather and metalwork, this island is a renowned tourist spot in the country.

Popular tourist spots in the Island

The entire island can be called a tourist spot as there are so many places that are well known for their scenic beauty, which can keep a person in awe. However, the southern regions of the island have a much higher reputation when it comes to tourists. The most popular places of attraction are Kuta, Sanur, Seminyak, Ubud, Jimbaran and Nusa Dua. Each of these places has its own specialty and thus attracts a lot of tourists from all over the world, especially during summer. Further, apart form people who visit as tourists, there is also a vast group, which visits due to reasons like international conferences, which have been on the increase in Bali, due to the unique attraction and charm of the heaven on earth that is Bali.

A trip to Bali

A trip to Bali, especially, with family and friends, is a great idea. But, when one plans on a trip, the whole idea is to spend time conveniently and enjoy and relax. For this, it is very important that one has a proper accommodation, which is within their affordability and meets their needs. As the island has a lot of tourists coming in, there is a vast choice in the form of villas in Bali. These Bali villas are very comfortable and are much more advantageous, when it is a trip with one’s family. A hotel simply does not enter the equation when Bali villas are available.

Why should one take a villa in Bali?

A Bali Villa is definitely much more advantageous than taking a hotel room in Bali, when one goes as a group or as a family. A Bali villa decreases the expenses, as a lot of people can stay together. There is more privacy and one can have a good time. Especially, when one goes as a family, the family can stay together and still, each of them can have their private space. A Bali villa is very spacious for kids to play around and for old people to take a walk in there, at any time during the day. With private gardens and swimming pools, Bali villas make the stay very pleasant and memorable. There is vast scope for having more individual time, especially for those like a young couple. One can have a very spacious accommodation, with a terrace and huge balcony from where one can look at the beach, the sunset and the sunrise. One has the option of renting villas with attendant maid, cook and driver, if one is so inclined.

Feel at home

By taking a Bali villa, every member therein can feel at home, having people at their service all the time, and enjoying at a place that is today’s nearest to royal treatment. Thus, when one plans to stay at Bali, a Bali villa is the best in all aspects, without any doubt at all.

Whether you desire to get a Bali villa on rent or buy one, Pambali.com is your destination. Here we have Bali villas for sale and for rent. Apart from that we also provide you complete information about Bali that includes Bali History, Bali Activities , Bali Lifestyle, Bali Map,  Bali Travel Tips, Bali Airlines, Bali Medical,  Bali Consulates,  Bali Pictures, Bali Photo Production, and Bali Boat Cruises.

For you jetsetters around the globe, it’s time to discover a new tropical paradise in beautiful Indonesia. There are about 18,000 thousand islands in the Indonesian archipelago and Bali is one of the most special islands in the country. It is full of culture and is known to be called, “The Island of the Gods”. The islanders dominantly engage in the Hindu religion. It’s a very spiritual place where every aspect of Hinduism is practiced in everyday life of the Balinese people. Ceremonies are done daily and are carried out throughout the whole day to please the Gods. Worshiping and praying is a very important feature for the Balinese because all good and even evil are controlled by the Gods. By constantly giving praises to the them, they are ensured vitality, wealth, and goodness in their lives.

Another reason to choose Bali as a next destination for your holiday is its amazing beaches. The water primarily remains warm throughout the year and the climate allows for ultimate beach relaxation and leisure. It’s one of the best places on the planet to bask in the sunrays and at the same time enjoy the amazing surfing beaches on the island. Many travelers who come to Bali become so absorbed in the culture that they take a little bit of the island back to where they came from. It truly is a magical place.

The island also offers astonishing accommodations such as your very own Bali villa, Boutique hotels, and 5 star resorts. Bali villas are the most popular choice of accommodations on the island. People chose to book a Bali villa because it’s very private, luxurious, and offers a homey feel to your stay on the island. You can get pampered and practically get any service you want in your luxury Bali villa such as your very own private chef, massage therapist, driver, babysitter, and many more. It is also a great idea to book a Bali villa for weddings, large parties, and special events because it offers a more personal and relaxing environment for everybody.

If you are deciding on a place to go on your next trip, choose Bali. Our company, Pambali, specializes in finding our clients the most superb Bali villa on the island. We will throw down all your options until you find the perfect Bali villa of your dreams. Contact us today at info@pambali.com and we will be more than happy to help you.

Blessed with an ancient society of beautiful, lighthearted people, Bali has a cultural style like no other in the world. Bali style is a mosaic, a varied heritage of many cultures.

For more than ten centuries, the Balinese have welcomed intrepid voyagers and carefree globetrotters to their shores who brought with them their own ideas and beliefs. An elegant people who wear an innate nobility and possess an artistic temperament, the Balinese have tenaciously observed their beliefs while incorporating new ideas from the outside world. Throughout their history they have creatively adapted and adjusted these outside influences to fit their needs and nourish their spirit. Theirs is a culture intrinsically endowed with an essence that has created an authentic Bali style.

On Bali, a saturation of the style permeates sights, sounds, and feelings as surely as the exotic array of birds and butterflies, fruits and flowers. An effervescent spirit of creativity is felt in everything, everywhere. Balinese style is ever present, a moment to moment experience. The style is vividly expressed in Bali villa architecture, in the visual and performing arts, and through observance of religious ideals.

Throughout the island is a plethora of fascinating Bali villa structures that are each designed to show elements of traditional Balinese architecture. Organic materials such as bamboo and alang-alang grass are used for roof structures. Practical, functional thatched roof designs in Bali have handsome exterior proportions with appealing organic textures.

Bali’s distinctive style is a multiplicity of concepts intricately woven for dramatic effect; a layering of vivid colors, textures and rhythmic patterns boldly revealed in elegant forms. Forms speak a visual language of the people that astonish the intellect and bewilder the imagination. Startling imagery and highly sophisticated design motifs are unexpectedly interlaced with pure whimsy. Incredibly beautiful art forms contrast with a sense of humor to create a smile and provide a reminder that life is not so serious.

The lifescape of Bali is filled with an artistic palette of color as well as spectacle of visual interest. Stone or wood statues are adorned with fresh flowers, dressed with a sarong and gaily hold painted umbrellas. Peasants stylishly wear colorful patterned batik fabrics as they go about their daily work. Temple ceremonies are staged so often that somewhere on Bali there is always one happening. The drama of Balinese life is more clearly represented in these frequent ceremonies. Ceremonies that are pageants to the gods but provide occasion for performances by flamboyantly costumed dancers and the presentation of artfully constructed offerings.

As we begin to pay more than lip service to sustainability in daily life, so too do architects and interior designers in their work. Many are beginning to explore avenues that impact the environment in a positive way. Bali villa constructors are using eco friendly materials more and more. It reflects the bio-diversity of a locale when constructing Bali villas or any type of building on the island. A perfect example of this is an all natural restaurant in Nusa Dua that was built right next to the famous spa and Bali villa Kayumanis complex in 2004.

The architect chosen to design and construct this project was a local Indonesian by the name of  Budi Pradono. The restaurant is based on the idea of a taring or tetaring. This is a Traditional Balinese structure that is built as a temporary ceremonial pavilion. It consists of three parts with two light pavilions made out of bamboo and glass and one heavy structure that is built from clay.

The entrance lobby is situated in the solid rammed earth structure. A long, thin, impermeable building, it separates the open to the public restaurant from the privacy of the Bali villa complex. Attached are two semi transparent pavilions that house the reception, dining, and drinking spaces. The bearing structure is in steel clad in bamboo as an external skin, as an internal skin for the ceiling, and as a shading device on sliding vertical panels on the sides. The result is a simple but refined building that is at once contemporary and tropical.

“In this project I wanted to bring bamboo into modern architecture by combining it with other elements such as acrylic, polycarbonate, glass, and steel,” explains Pradono. “And to make the bamboo look more modern, I used bamboo pins as joints instead of rope.” He goes on to add that bamboo offers an ecological viable alternative to timber for construction, as it is extremely fast growing, and unlike with other trees, bamboo plants are not killed by harvesting thereby avoiding erosion problems. Also, by utilizing clay as do some of the Balinese in their homes, Pradono was able to achieve a conceptual whole that juxtaposed light with heavy, fragmented with solid.

“The massive material I selected is clay, while the fragmented one is bamboo,” he explains. The rustic, uneven textures of both are combined with various irregularities in the space planning, so that an architectural rhythm is achieved. In addition, natural light filters through seemingly floating ceilings and walls and breezes are ever-present as the whole complex is built around a reflecting pool.

Plumeria trees are ubiquitous in tropical places such as Bali, Indonesia. It is planted all over the island because of its aromatic scent, beautiful colors, and most importantly for its religious and cultural significance. The flowers are used extensively for decoration and for ceremonies throughout Bali.

An entrepreneur from Indonesia by the name of Jeolianto Noegroho designed his Bali villa with a Plumeria theme because of his fascination with this beautiful tree. There are Plumeria trees planted all over this home and was structurally built to resemble the branches of the trees. He hired an architect from Java named Andra Matin to help him draw the layout for his villa in Bali. Together they designed a Bali villa that is tropical and modern. They also wanted to add a taste of traditional Balinese architecture so they built the Bali villa to be enclosed on the top floors and open on the lower floors and they also constructed the home to have four surrounding walls.

This Bali villa is located in the trendy town of Seminyak. It was architecturally designed to have two separate complexes. The main structure is two storey’s high. The top floor of the first building consists of two bedrooms that both come with its own private bathroom. The bottom floor is open and offers an indoor-outdoor living, dining, and kitchen area where it always remains cool as the breeze flows freely in and out of these areas. The second building is only one level and houses the main master bedroom and a large beautiful garden.  It opens freely into the pool area with relaxation lounging chairs and an open bar. The swimming pool is composed from sukabumi stone and sits in an ulin wood rectangular carpet.

This Bali villa in Seminyak is a great rental property if you like to be in the city and close to fashionable shops and restaurants. It’s also only a walking distance away from the beach.

Our company, Pambali, offers Bali villa rental services to visitors who come to Bali on their holidays. There are so many different villas in Bali to choose from and sometimes it can be a headache looking for the right one to rent. Pambali will go through all your options until you find a place that suites what you are looking for. If you are interested in booking this Plumeria Bali villa or something similar to this villa, contact us today at info@pambali.com.

A famous artist by the name of Pascale Doumeng visited Bali a few years back and became fascinated by the beauty of the place. He enjoyed his holiday on the island so much that he decided to buy a piece of land and design his own Bali villa in the year 2000. He named his home Chalina Villa, which is a combination of the name of his children.

His villa in Bali is situated on a 6,349 square yards plot in the fishing village of Pereranang Canggu. He chose this area because it has a nice country feel and exotic landscapes. His Bali villa is literally surrounded by a river, rice paddies, and the ocean.

He had a lot of fun planning the layout of his Bali villa with a designer friend by the name of Yudi Atmajaha. Their plot was to architecturally construct a traditional Balinese home and use modern colorful art pieces and furnishings for the interior decorations. He used a lot of his own personal paintings as wall pieces in his home. It’s definitely a Bali villa with a classic combination of old and new working together. He wanted typical Balinese structures such as open freestanding pavilions, courtyards, and a temple surrounded by tropical gardens, meandering pathways, and lotus ponds.

It’s a complex that has a main two-storey structure that houses a master bedroom, junior bedroom, and thatched roofed pavilions for dining, living, and relaxing. It has one large rectangle pool with poolside sun loungers, which act as the main focal point for the whole complex.

The materials used to build this villa in Bali is teakwood, bengkerai wood, alang-alang grass, local stones, palimanan, polished cement, and terrazzo. They stuck with the most natural Indonesian materials used in building traditional Balinese homes.

There are other features to this Bali villa that stands out, which are the statues of Hindu god’s carved from stone, artistic Buddha head fountains, and driftwood carved into art pieces. These structures are placed all throughout the gardens and outdoors of the villa. This home was surely built from an Artist’s eye.

Pambali specializes in Bali villa rentals and can assist you finding a Bali villa during your holidays on the island. If you are interested in Booking Pascale Doumeng’s Bali villa or something similar, do not hesitate to contact us at info@pambali.com. We are here to make your stay in Bali fun, exciting, and worry free.

Bali is an island of profound beauty, small but unique in variety. Dramatic high mountains and rugged seascapes are backdrops to artfully terraced rice fields, jewel toned crater lakes and river ravines in the manner of a Henri Rousseau painting. Tigers no longer roam the forests where monkeys, tropical birds and butterflies continue to live in abundance. A profusion of flowers and luxurious tropical foliage are no surprise in this paradise where warm temperatures are near constant year round, soils are enriched by volcanic ash and tropical rains create a greenhouse environment.

Alfred Russell Wallace traveled the Indonesian archipelago in 1869 and discovered the flora and fauna typical of Asia ends in Bali. East of Bali and only 35 kilometers away lies the island of Lombok. The deep water Lombok Strait narrowly divides the two islands and marks a beginning of more primitive biological forms as found in Australia. Lombok is Arid and thorny while Bali is blessed with an endless variety of plant life some quite exotic in nature and all bountiful in production.

On Bali one is always aware of the plentiful extravagance of fruits and flowers: their presence is constantly and absolutely felt. The warm, gentle sea breezes of the night are perfumed with frangipani and jasmine while daytime activities embrace their availability. Flowers entwined in the hair or placed behind the ear of men and women are a natural accessory. Costumes of performers almost always include fresh blossoms, and petals are showered upon audiences as a welcome in the traditional pendet dance. Statues everywhere are arrayed with hibiscus blossoms jauntily stuck here and there. Each morning small woven canang offerings containing fresh flowers, rice and sweet-smelling grass are place on and in vehicles, on doorsteps of shops or in a curve of the path or road. Priest, women, men, and children hold blossoms in the fingertips during prayerful worship. If it is thought the hands have touched something impure, a flower blossom is rubbed between the fingers. Flowers represent purity, an offering from the gods that gives the gift of fragrance and beauty to the splendid garden of Bali.

Practically combined with beauty is the Balinese way in all aspects of life including their gardening. Gardens within the walls of traditional Balinese compounds or Bali villas are generally not particularly designed or laid out but are rather randomly planted. Any available open space is used for growing useful or edible plants, fruits and flowers. A typical compound is planted with staples such as coconut, banana, citrus, rambutan, coffee, mango, pineapple, and papaya. Flowering trees and shrubs are valued for beautifying the compound as well as providing blossoms for use in the constant making of offerings. Compounds in the higher elevations or north Bali may have apple trees or the delicious salak which has a crunchy sweet texture like a crisp apple but with a nutty flavor the outer skin of the salak could easily be mistaken for brown snakeskin.

A familiar late afternoon sight is that of grandfather returning home from gathering grasses, sarong tucked up in pantaloon-fashion, carrying a large bamboo basket of greens for his beautiful cow. Young boys and old men alike cut wild grasses to provide feed for the cows, goats, and pigs kept in pens within the family compound or on tethers. There are no meadows for grazing as land has a premium value for cultivation of rice. The daily practice of cutting grass and weeds is a practical tradition that assures tidy roadsides and manicured pathways, including the terraced rice field paths.

A practical unity of people and nature is the environment of Balinese life. Garden courtyards are not just to be seen but to be touched, felt, smelt, and used. Balinese compounds consist of interrelated open spaces surrounded by walls with four or more open pavilions. Pavilions placed within Bali villa compound walls create courtyards as extended living spaces outdoors. Interplay of closed and open spaces provides an inner harmony, a balance of the yin and yang, that same philosophy of opposites evident throughout the Balinese culture.

There are contradictory and multiple levels of meaning in architectural planning of space surrounded by walls yet once inside the Bali villa there is in fact an interaction of space. Although there is simplicity outside the compound walls, inside the area there is a complexity of many pavilions and sheds. Walls are directional yet static as a place. These themes of complexity and contradiction are those seen in every aspect of the style of Bali tension within tranquility in architecture or in fabric design, dance, gamelan music even within the subtle natures of the Balinese people there is contradiction and complexity.

The exotic garden paradise of Bali and its remarkable culture will hopefully be able to remain as true to itself as the waringin family tree, continually putting down new roots while remembering their ancestral ways.

A well-known developer from Australia, by the name of Saxon Looker owns the fashionable Sentosa Club. He built this complex in 2007 specifically for the guests and owners of Sentosa Bali Villas to enjoy. However, many visitors and expats in Bali take advantage of everything the Sentosa Club has to offer.

This compound consists of everything that we all enjoy and love. It houses the well-known Blossom Restaurant, Luxe Gym & Spa, lounge bar, art gallery, and a swimming pool. It was built in a totally hidden area in Seminyak. Although it does not come complete with an ocean and rice field view, it still gets a lot of hype. The reason why Sentosa gets attention is because it was built with a very distinct architectural design. People love style and functionality and the Sentosa Club delivers this to its people.

The Sentosa Club is situated near Petitenget beach close to the famous Oberoi Street. It was architecturally designed Putu Semara who is a very talented local Balinese. He is a long time designer who is famous for creating exclusive Bali villas on the island. His idea was to create an L-shaped building to utilize open spaces for functionality purposes. It has inner gardens, a 35-meter organic rock pool, and a sundeck. Putu Semara purposely designed the complex to be very open, for breezy ventilation and natural lighting. The spa and gym is located in the center of the complex in a circular building on its own and the rooftop houses a beautiful wedding pavilion. The landscaping of this luxurious club is just exotically amazing. It is totally decked inside and out with tropical ornaments and ancient plumeria trees that are said to be over a hundred years old.

The products used to construct this complex are all natural material such as local stone called batu kali, polished concrete, glass, and snokoling and bengkerai wood. All the furniture and furnishings were all custom made to fit the artsy feel to this club.

Overall, this trendy club offers everything that any holiday enthusiast would crave. It definitely was built as an Oasis for ultimate relaxation and leisure.

If you would like to book a Bali villa near the Sentosa Club, our company, Pambali, can make it happen. We have a large selection of the top luxury villas in Bali. Contact us today at info@pambali.com if you have any questions and we will be happy to assist you.

This Bali villa is every surfer’s dream home. Tim Watts is an American businessman who has a real passion for surfing. He visited Bali for the first time in 1970, and like everybody else who comes to the island for the first time, totally fell in love with the place. He was fascinated and blown away by how epic the surfing was in Bali compared to his home in California. He also loved the year round warm tropical weather and the friendly local people. Recently, he decided to finally build his fantasy villa in Bali, where he spends half the year soaking up the sun- rays and enjoying his private estate.

This luxury private retreat is located in the Bukit and offers incredible views of the Indian Ocean. It is situated on a hill that overlooks two of the best surfing beaches in Bali, which is Padang Padang and Suluban. Tim Watts picked this plot of land to build his Bali villa not only because of its awe-inspiring views, but also because of its easy walking accessibility to the beaches below. It is also only a few minutes away from other world-renowned surfing spots such as Uluwatu, Balangan, Bingin and Dreamland.

This Bali villa was designed by the famous David Lombardi to use the ocean as its focal point. It was built with an open and spacious living and dining area where guests can take advantage of the beautiful views, garden, and the rest of the villas surroundings with an indoor outdoor feel.

This Bali villa consists of a long infinity lap pool that appears to be spilling into the ocean when looking from a distance. It also has a unique diving board built from a very old piece of driftwood. The landscape is green, clean, and simple with tropical palms, plumeria trees, and sea almonds.

This oceanside residence is definitely full of character. It has a one of a kind main entrance with large perforated copper doors, which was designed and constructed by Pintor Sirait, a well-acclaimed metal artist.

Are you an avid surfer looking for an ideal Bali villa to fit your lifestyle? Our company, Pambali, specializes in finding the perfect villa in Bali for your holiday. If you are interested in booking Tim Watts dream home or looking for something similar, our staff will go through all your options with you until you are satisfied. Contact us at info@pambali.com if you have any questions or comments.