Kuningan

Kuningan closes the Galungan festive period. Falling ten days after Galungan, always on a Saturday in the Balinese calendar, it is the day on which the ancestral spirits who came home for Galungan are believed to return to the heavens. In this cycle it falls on Saturday 23 January 2027.

The name comes from kuning, yellow, after the turmeric-coloured rice that features in the day’s offerings. Prayers are traditionally completed before midday, as the spirits are said to depart around noon, so mornings are the time to see the ceremonies.

About the event

Families prepare special offerings including tamiang (round woven shields), endongan (small woven baskets symbolising provisions for the journey) and ter (arrow shapes), all hung in shrines and on temple gates. Temples fill with worshippers early, and many villages hold their own odalan-style ceremonies.

What to see

• Morning temple ceremonies with yellow rice offerings
• Woven tamiang and endongan hanging from shrines and gateways
• Penjor from Galungan still lining the streets
• Large gatherings at temples such as Pura Sakenan on Serangan Island, a traditional Kuningan pilgrimage site

Etiquette & dress

• Wear a sarong and sash and cover shoulders and knees if you enter a temple.
• Never step on offerings (canang) on the ground, and do not walk in front of people who are praying.
• Ask before photographing people in ceremonial dress, and keep a respectful distance from processions.
• Women who are menstruating are traditionally asked not to enter temples.

Before you go

• Some shops, warungs and family-run businesses close or shorten hours, and staff take leave to return to home villages, expect slower service and book tours in advance.
• Main temples such as Besakih, Tirta Empul and Uluwatu become busy with worshippers; arrive early and give way to people praying.
• Village areas like Ubud and Sidemen offer the most atmospheric streetscapes.
• Traffic is heavier as families travel between villages.

Combine it with

The Galungan–Kuningan period is a good time to base yourself in Ubud and explore nearby villages by bicycle or with a driver: Penestanan and Sayan for penjor-lined lanes, the stone-carving village of Batubulan, or Tirta Empul in Tampaksiring, where worshippers queue to bathe in the holy springs. Evening dance performances at Ubud Palace and other stages continue during the festive period. If you are hiring a driver, ask them about their own family’s preparations, many Balinese are happy to explain what the offerings mean, and it makes the experience far richer than simply watching from the roadside.

If you missed Galungan, Kuningan is an equally rewarding day to witness Balinese devotion, just plan to be out early.