Nyepi, a Hindu celebration, is celebrated mainly in Bali on the last day of the Balinese calendar, although it is a public holiday everywhere in Indonesia.

From 6am to 6am the next day no-one is supposed to engage in any activities. No entertainment, no electricity, no work, no travel and for some even no talking and food.

It’s a day reserved for self-reflection.But Nyepi has another, more interesting purpose. The night before Nyepi, the Balinese ride a number of Ogoh-Ogohs through the streets, accompanied by loud orchestral music. These are skillfully crafted monsters, mostly build by youth organizations. Each village typically build one Ogoh Ogoh. Continue reading »

I’ve had my fair share of weird drinks during my travels. I’ve tried Kava in Fiji, beer mixed with coke in Germany and Kierewiet (made from Marijuana) in Holland. But coffee made from the poo of an animal?

It sounds disgusting, but believe it or not, this is how the world’s most expensive coffee is produced. It comes from Indonesia, where it’s called “Kopi Luwak,” which translates to Civet Coffee. Continue reading »

After a few years on the road I usually manage to avoid tourist traps. This time I was completely caught off guard though. A painful mistake that wasted about half of my day.

I was staying in Bali with two of my buddies, Andreas and Vincenzo. We wanted to check out some cool spots on the islands. A friend of Vincenzo had recently visited the island and recommended a taxi driver to us. He had taken him around the island before and he had a great day. Continue reading »