Bakbakan, GianyarPurnama full-moon evenings
Ask about the next full moon

DATES · PRICE · CLOTHING · PRACTICAL DETAILS

Know what to expect before asking for a place.

A focused guide to suitability, what IDR 500K includes, temple clothing, access, weather, food and how an enquiry becomes a confirmed booking.

09 / IS THIS YOUR KIND OF EVENING?

Come for proximity, not polish.

The format is deliberately local, small and responsive to the temple. That is its value—but it also means this experience will not suit everyone.

A good fit if you…

  • ＋live in Bali, return often, or want cultural context rather than another attraction
  • ＋are comfortable following local guidance inside an active temple
  • ＋prefer a small gathering and direct human contact to a large production
  • ＋accept that timing and sequence may move with community needs

Probably not the right fit if you…

  • —want a luxury dinner show, elaborate staging or guaranteed spectacle
  • —need hotel pickup, a fixed nightly schedule or a fully packaged tour
  • —expect unrestricted access or photography inside a place of worship
  • —need confirmed step-free access before asking the host

TEMPLE CLOTHING

Arrive as you are. Dress for the temple together.

Temple clothing for women and men is included. Guests only need to bring a top that covers their shoulders; the hosts prepare the kamen, saput, sash and udeng, then help everyone dress on site. These diagrams explain the basic order — no one is expected to master complex wrapping in advance.

Men’s temple dress: three steps

Men wrap the kamen from their own left side toward the right, add the saput and secure it with an umpal, then put on the udeng.

Women’s temple dress: three steps

Women first wear the kebaya, then wrap the kamen from their own right side toward the left, and finish by tying the selendang at the waist.

Udeng: an easy three-step method

This is the method for the pre-folded udeng used for on-site guidance, not a complete traditional folding tutorial starting from a square of cloth.

Someone will guide every step on site. Clothing details can vary between temples, villages and ceremonies, so please follow the hosts’ guidance on the day.

11 / PLAN YOUR EVENING

The moon sets the date.
The community sets the evening.

Where

Bakbakan, Gianyar

When

Selected full-moon evenings · 5:00–8:00 PM

Group

Around 30 guests

Price

Suggested rate · IDR 500K per guest

Temple clothing

Robe or top, sarong and sash provided for every guest

View the Bakbakan area on Google Maps ↗

Dates follow the village calendar

Ask when the community will gather next

The evening is offered only when the full-moon calendar and community commitments allow. Message the hosts to confirm the next date and whether a place is available.

How an enquiry becomes a confirmed place

01

Send your preferred date, group size, clothing sizes and dietary needs

02

Dewa confirms whether the community is hosting that full moon

03

Receive the final programme, price, meeting pin and payment details

Ask about the next full moon →Transport is not included. The final date, price, menu, temple access and programme are confirmed before booking.

Included

  • host welcome and English guidance
  • guided temple blessing with holy water and flowers
  • live community gamelan and dance performances
  • Topeng Tua performance
  • Balinese buffet-style dinner prepared locally
  • complimentary temple clothing for women and men: robe or top, sarong and sash

Not included

  • hotel pickup or return transport
  • accommodation
  • private driver or daytime touring
  • anything not confirmed in your booking message

Before you come

  • send an approximate clothing size for every guest so the hosts can prepare temple wear
  • share dietary needs and serious allergies before booking
  • ask before photographing prayer or close ritual moments
  • expect temple steps, uneven surfaces and an outdoor courtyard

Where the participation fee goes

An evening that gives back to the place hosting it.

The participation fee pays for preparing and hosting the evening, and helps support Bakbakan’s community development, the care and maintenance of Pura Dalem Ageng Bakbakan, and fair payment for the gamelan musicians, dancers, cooks and other residents who make the gathering possible.

A note on entering a living community

Come as a guest, not as an audience with unlimited access.

This is an active temple and a village where people live, worship and work. The hosts will explain what is appropriate on the night; a few principles make that welcome easier to share.

  • follow the host and mangku’s guidance, including any change to temple access or the order of the evening
  • wear the temple clothing provided and keep shoulders respectfully covered
  • keep voices low and phones silent during blessings, prayer and performance
  • ask before photographing people, children or close ritual moments, and avoid flash
  • do not step over or touch offerings, or climb, sit or pose on temple structures
  • remain within the areas opened to guests and respect nearby homes and private spaces

PRACTICAL QUESTIONS

Know before you ask for a place

01Does it happen every full moon?＋

No. It is intended as an ongoing programme, but dates depend on the full-moon calendar, temple needs and whether the community can host. Always ask for the next confirmed date.

02Is this a village ceremony or a tourist show?＋

It is a community-organised cultural evening designed to receive a small number of guests. The temple is active and the participants are local, but the website does not claim that the entire evening is a spontaneous religious ceremony.

03Can dietary needs be accommodated?＋

Tell the host before booking. The menu and what can safely be accommodated must be confirmed for each date; a buffet setting may not be suitable for severe cross-contamination risks.

04Do I need to bring temple clothing?＋

No. Temple clothing is provided for women and men at no extra charge and is included in the IDR 500K rate. Send an approximate size for each guest when enquiring so the hosts can prepare a suitable robe or top, sarong and sash.

05What happens if it rains?＋

Much of the evening uses an outdoor courtyard. Ask for the wet-weather arrangement when confirming your date; it is not yet presented as a guaranteed indoor programme.

06Is it suitable for children or guests with limited mobility?＋

Families can enquire, but age suitability, seating and mobility needs should be discussed before booking. Temple steps and uneven surfaces may be involved.

07Where exactly do we meet?＋

The experience is in Bakbakan, Gianyar, north of Gianyar town. The exact meeting pin and arrival instructions are sent with booking confirmation.