This year Pagerwesi falls on Wednesday, 4 November 2026 (Buda Kliwon Sinta), and in Buleleng it is celebrated as grandly as Galungan. The date is fixed because it follows the 210-day pawukon calendar, not an organiser's schedule. If you are in north Bali in early November, here is how the days run.
The sequence, 31 October to 4 November
- Saturday 31 October: Saraswati, the day of knowledge. Schools and temples hold morning ceremonies.
- Sunday 1 November: Banyu Pinaruh. People bathe or purify themselves in the sea and springs from dawn, so beaches such as Penimbangan and Lovina are busy in the morning.
- Monday 2 November: penyajaan in Buleleng. Families prepare offerings; traditional markets in Singaraja are packed.
- Tuesday 3 November: penampahan. The men cook lawar and vegetable dishes.
- Wednesday 4 November: Pagerwesi. Prayers at household shrines, family temples, and village temples, then offerings carried to the cemetery (setra) for the ancestors.
Why is Buleleng different?
In south Bali Pagerwesi is low-key. In Buleleng, according to the regency government and local media such as NusaBali, people who work elsewhere come home and the mood is close to Galungan, except there are no penjor bamboo poles. Central and eastern Buleleng celebrate most elaborately; the west is quieter. Government offices and public services in Buleleng usually close (a regional holiday notice for Pagerwesi is issued every year).
What to know before you go
- This is a family holy day, not a festival: there is no stage, ticket, or official schedule. If you want a show, this is not it.
- Many family-run warungs and shops close on 3 and 4 November. Plan meals at your hotel or at restaurants in Lovina.
- The liveliest time is morning, around 7 to 10 am, when people in temple dress head to temples and cemeteries.
- Do not photograph people praying up close, or at the cemetery, without permission. If invited into a temple, wear a sarong and sash; the rules are in our temple etiquette guide.
Getting there and where to stay
- Location: Singaraja, view on Google Maps. It is about 80 km from Ngurah Rai Airport, 2.5 to 3 hours via Bedugul on a winding road.
- Latest news and photos of the celebration: search on Instagram.
- Where to stay: Lovina is only 15 to 20 minutes from Singaraja and the most practical base for early mornings. You can look for Lovina hotel vouchers on AccessiaPass for 3 or 4 nights so you cover Banyu Pinaruh through Pagerwesi without driving back south.
One last tip: arrive a day early, on penampahan Tuesday, so you see the market preparations and avoid driving the Bedugul road while people are heading to prayers on Wednesday morning.
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