Aptly known as the Island of the Gods, Bali is a holiday destination that is considered a favourite by most tourists. As a result, travellers from around the globe visit the isle of Bali in search of a diverse kind of holiday: one that is different from the norm. For such travellers, the cultural and historical insights of the island contribute to a truly fascinating stay on the isle of the Gods.
Some of the greatest contributors to the colourful cultural diversity in Bali are its varied festivals and events. These festivals celebrate a myriad of events and things such as the birth of goddess’, blood sacrifices, harvest time and fasting ceremonies being only some of them. An overview of the celebratory patterns of the natives indicates that festivals and celebrations are of different origins: some have religious meaning while others are derived from social practices and folklore.
One such religious festival is Melasti which is a purification ceremony conducted by the locals before the commencement of the new lunar year. The festival requires them to dress in their finest attire and wash religious statues in order to cleanse them prior to the dawn of the New Year. Conversely, Nyepi is another festival that celebrates the commencement of the New Year and this festival witnesses the natives (along with the tourists) observing a customary silence which is believed to purge the island of evil and malevolent spirits who would leave believing the area to be uninhabited due to the inactivity.
However, festivals in Bali are not solely religious in nature. A number of holidays such as Independence Day of the country as well as the harvest festivals are an indicator of this fact. The harvest festivals are often dedicated to the God of Rice and celebrated with energy and happiness as they thank him for a bountiful harvest.
Therefore, the cultural diversity in the region ensures that your holiday in Bali too will be extremely colourful and memorable and opting to reside at a boutique hotel Bali will undoubtedly enhance the quality of your vacation. Most such boutique hotels Bali are known for their impeccable service and homely feel but for truly elegant and contemporary accommodation, one need not look any further than Alila Manggis – Bali, belonging to a reputed chain that is sure to make your vacation comfortable and as memorable.