Destination Indonesia

Holidays and Festivals

This subject is made all the more interesting because the Balinese use two other calendars in addition to the universal western calendar. These two other calendars are called the Wuku Calendar and the Saka Calendar.

Wuku Calendar

The Wuku Calendar is used to determine festive dates and uses ten different types of weeks between one and ten days long. When the various weeks intersect, auspicious days are discovered, with seven and five days weeks of particular importance. A full year is made up of thirty individually named weeks.

Galungan is one of the island’s most important festivals, and commemorates the death of the evil tyrant Mayadenawa. It is during this period lasting for ten days that all the Gods descend to earth, and the mythical Barong prance from temple to temple across Bali. The celebration culminates in Kuningan, where thanks are given and the people bid farewell to the Gods. Everywhere on the island these celebrations will be celebrated in style, with many colourful and exciting events and festivals open to guests of Destination Asia Bali.

Saka Calendar

The Saka Calendar more resembles the western one, as it is based on a lunar cycle. Nyepi, the last day of the year, is the major festival of the calendar. It is the day after the new moon on the ninth month. 2003 incidentally, saw the arrival of the year 1926 on the Saka Calendar. Many temples hold festivals using this calendar also, so it is often hard to place certain celebrations as they are not always on the same day.

Speaking of temple festivals, when it Bali ask you Destination Asia Guide about an Odalan, or ‘temple birthdays’ taking place during your stay. These are celebrated once every 210 days (one Balinese year), and seeing as each village will have more than one temple, this means that Odalan are held regularly around the island. You see, not only does Bali have the most temples per capita in the world, but we also have arguably the most frequent temple celebrations! So why not take up our invitation to join us?

Indonesian Public Holidays

  • Tahun Baru Masehi (New Year’s Day) – January 1st
  • Nyepi (Balinese Hindu New Year) – March/April
  • Hari Paskah (Muslim Festival of Sacrifice) – March/April
  • Idul Adha (Muslim New Year) – February/March
  • Maulud Nabi Mohammed (Birthday of the Prophet Mohammed) – March/April
  • Hari Waisak (Buddha’s Birth, Enlightenment & Death) – April/May
  • Ascension of Christ – April/May
  • Hari Proklamasi Kemerdekaan (Indonesian Independence Day) – August 17th
  • Isra Miraj Nabi Mohammed (Ascension of the Prophet Mohammed) – September/November
  • Idul Fitri (End of Ramadan) – November/December
  • Hari Natal (Christmas Day) – December 25th