American tourist detained after being in public during Bali shutdown

A tourist has been spotted breaking one of Bali’s most sacred rules – as the holiday hotspot prepared to go dark for 24 hours.

Karl Adolf Amrhein, 57, was detained by local security on Thursday morning after being spotted walking along the main road in Sukawati village about 7 a.m. during Bali’s annual Day of Silence.

Officers from Sukawati Police told local media they had secured a foreign national from the United States who was found violating Nyepi regulations on Thursday.

Authorities revealed the man had pretended to be mute upon being taken to back to the police station, before insisting on being let go.

Police said the man eventually communicated with authorities, where it was revealed he had been looking for accommodation after being “forced to leave” his previous hotel.

“He admitted he was forced to leave his hotel in Ubud because his stay had expired,” a local police chief told reporters.

He was later escorted to a nearby villa to stay and warned of further breaches.

What is Nyepi?

The incident comes as travellers are urged to understand the strict scale of Bali’s annual shutdown.

For 24 hours on a date in March each year, the streets of Bali come to a complete standstill for Nyepi, with lights, music, traffic, and transportation banned.

The rules apply to everyone on the island, regardless of religion or nationality.

All businesses and public services, except emergency services, are closed. There is also no air travel.

Locals and tourists alike are informed that they must stay at home or in their accommodation.

Hotel hosts will advise guests what activities are and are not permissible, with some hotels providing a silent buffet for guests and allowing limited access to resort facilities.

Others strictly require guests to stay in their rooms and instead deliver food to them, according to The Bali Sun.

In 2020, another American tourist was chained by local authorities in Kuta after going for a run during Nyepi.

The man told the locals that he “just wanted to go for a jog” and refused to return to his villa when notified.

The spiritual and cultural celebration is a time for reflection, meditation, and self-purification.

The religious and cultural holiday is rooted in Balinese Hinduism, where about 87 per cent of Bali’s population identifies as Hindu.

Tourists are also warned that travel will be halted, with the main airport — I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport — closed for the full 24-hour period.

The Hindu New Year is based on the Saka calendar, with Nyepi typically falling between March and April on the Gregorian calendar.

In the days leading up to the Balinese New Year, the entire island participates in rituals to cleanse negativity, with The Day of Silence being just one part of a sacred cycle lasting approximately six days.

Nyepi occurs on the third day of the sacred cycle and strictly adheres to four principles.

From 6 a.m. until 6 a.m. the following day, windows are covered, and lights are dimmed to create total stillness.

According to legend, this silence deceives evil sprites into believing the island is deserted, therefore protecting the island and its residents from harm.