Pecalang patrol the deserted streets of Jimbaran during Nyepi. PHOTO: Sonny Tumbelaka/AFP
The hard and fast rule of Bali’s holiday Nyepi is that save for security like police and the neighborhood watch pecalang, people are not supposed to leave their houses.
But some people just could not resist the temptation to see what a normally bustling Bali would look like during the day of silence when everyone stays at home, and keeps noise and lights low.
According to Tribun Bali, the newspaper heard of at least three cases of curious non-Balinese people wandering out into the street in Kuta to see how an empty Bali looks.
Two of the three people were reportedly Javanese from Banyuwangi and Pekalongan, while the third was a foreign national.
After being questioned by pecalang, the three were each fined a penalty of Rp 100,000.
When asked by pecalang why he went into the street during Nyepi, the man from Pekalongan reportedly answered, “I just wanted to see.”
