Bali’s Strangest Traditions & Festivals: The WTF Side of Culture
Bali isn’t just about beaches, parties, and smoothie bowls. Beneath the tourist-friendly surface lies an island with a deep, mystical culture full of strange, beautiful, and mind-blowing traditions. Some of them will leave you in awe; others will make you question reality. Either way, Bali’s customs are unlike anywhere else on Earth.
So, if you think you’ve ‘done’ Bali just because you hit up a beach club in Canggu—think again. Here are some of the wildest and weirdest festivals and traditions that make Bali, well, Bali.
1. Nyepi: The Day Bali Shuts Down
Imagine an entire island going completely silent for 24 hours. No flights, no traffic, no parties, no electricity—just pure stillness.
Nyepi, or Balinese New Year, is unlike any celebration you’ve ever seen. Instead of fireworks and parties, the Balinese spend the day in total silence to cleanse the island of bad spirits. Even tourists are required to stay inside their hotels—so if you’re in Bali during Nyepi, don’t expect to leave your villa.
The night before Nyepi, though? Pure madness.
- Huge, demonic Ogoh-Ogoh statues are paraded through the streets.
- Locals bang drums, set off firecrackers, and make as much noise as possible.
- The idea? Scare off evil spirits—so they think Bali is too chaotic and leave.
2. Mekare-Kare: The Balinese ‘Fight Club’
Who needs gloves when you have spiked pandan leaves?
At the Mekare-Kare festival in the village of Tenganan, men engage in friendly but intense combat using thorny pandanus leaves as weapons. Each match is short but brutal, leaving fighters with bloody scratches all over their bodies. The whole thing is done to honor the Hindu god Indra—the warrior god of Bali.
Oh, and once the fight is over? Everyone drinks palm wine together like nothing happened.
3. Omed-Omedan: The Kissing Ritual
Bali’s got its own version of Valentine’s Day—but with a WTF twist.
Omed-Omedan (a.k.a. The Kissing Festival) is an annual tradition in Denpasar, where unmarried young men and women take turns being pushed toward each other by a crowd—and are forced to kiss.
Yep, you read that right.
- The event is all in good fun, and the village elders keep an eye on things.
- It’s believed to bring good luck and prosperity to the community.
- Oh, and if it rains during Omed-Omedan? Even better—it’s seen as a blessing from the gods.
4. The Trance Dances: Possession, Fire, and the Supernatural
Bali takes spiritual energy seriously—so much so that some traditional dances go beyond simple performances and into the realm of the supernatural.
- Sanghyang Dedari – Young girls enter a deep trance and dance without any training. It’s believed they’re possessed by spirits guiding their movements.
- Kecak Fire Dance – A hypnotic, dramatic performance where a chorus of men chant ‘chak-chak-chak’ in a trance-like rhythm, telling the ancient story of Ramayana.
- Ngurek (Self-Stabbing Ritual) – This one is hardcore. Participants go into a trance and stab themselves with daggers—but miraculously, no wounds appear.
5. Makepung: Buffalo Racing, Balinese Style
Forget horse racing—Bali’s got buffalo chariot races.
In the farming regions of Jembrana, Balinese farmers deck out their massive water buffaloes with colorful headdresses and race them across muddy tracks in a tradition called Makepung.
- Originally a friendly competition between rice farmers, Makepung has grown into a full-blown festival.
- The buffaloes are notoriously stubborn—some take off at full speed, while others stop in the middle of the track to chew grass.
- Winning isn’t just about speed—the most elegantly decorated buffalo team gets major points, too.
6. Perang Pandan: A Ritual of Pain and Brotherhood
If you thought Mekare-Kare was intense, wait till you hear about Perang Pandan.
This is another traditional warrior ritual where men go head-to-head, slashing each other with thorny pandanus leaves. The difference?
- Perang Pandan is dedicated to Lord Indra, the god of war.
- It’s a rite of passage for young men in certain Balinese villages.
- The more blood spilled, the better—it’s believed to bring good fortune to the community.
- After the battle, participants are treated with traditional Balinese medicine (and probably a strong drink).
Bali’s Traditions: Beautiful, Wild, and Unforgettable
Bali isn’t just an island; it’s a living, breathing culture where ancient traditions still thrive in the modern world. Whether it’s fire dances, battle rituals, or island-wide silence days, one thing’s for sure:
Bali is never boring.
So, the next time you’re here, go beyond the tourist spots and witness the real, raw, and WTF side of Bali.
