Puputan Margarana Day 20 November 2026: Day-Of Route to Marga

The 80th Puputan Margarana Day falls on Friday, 20 November 2026, at Taman Pujaan Bangsa Margarana in Marga Dauh Puri village, Marga district, Tabanan. The ceremony has no tickets and can be watched from the visitors' area, but as of 29 October 2026 neither the Bali provincial government nor Tabanan regency has published a rundown or start time.

The best guide is last year's 79th edition. NusaBali (21 November 2025) reported that pilgrims started arriving from 08.00 Wita and that the ceremony took place in the morning, attended by Bali Governor Wayan Koster. The provincial site baliprov.go.id (21 November 2025) listed the order: the ceremony, the governor's speech, the laying and scattering of flowers to baleganjur drums with the peed procession of Desa Adat Klaci Marga, then the Napak Tilas rotating trophy. detikBali (20 November 2025) reported thousands of residents visiting the fighters' graves that day. All sources checked on 29 October 2026.

Why this date matters

On 20 November 1946, Lt. Col. I Gusti Ngurah Rai and his Ciung Wanara troops died at Marga in a fight to the last against Dutch forces. The site holds a 17-metre heroes' shrine and 1,372 headstones; the history is covered in our Margarana Monument guide. 2026 marks the 80th anniversary. Round numbers often mean a bigger event, but nothing has been announced yet.

Day-of route from Denpasar or Canggu

• 06.30 Leave. Marga is about 25 km northwest of central Denpasar. Allow 45-60 minutes from Denpasar, roughly the same from Canggu via Mengwi.
• 07.30 Arrive and park. Officials, school groups and veterans' families arrive at about the same time, so getting there before 08.00 gives you a better chance of parking close. Follow police and pecalang directions.
• 08.00-10.00 Ceremony, estimated from the 2025 pattern. Members of the public should stand behind the official ranks.
• After the ceremony Walk the rows of headstones and stop at the independence museum inside the complex.
• 11.00 Head to the Cau Chocolate Village, also in Marga district, or take a walk in Pinge tourism village.
• 13.30 If you still have energy, drive about 45 minutes up to the Jatiluwih rice terraces and head back before dark.

Etiquette at the ceremony and graves

• Wear modest clothing covering shoulders and knees. Bring a sarong and sash if you want to approach the shrine.
• Stand and stay quiet during the national anthem and the moment of silence.
• Many families come to pray at their ancestors' graves. Do not pose for photos among the headstones while they are praying.
• Senior officials attend, so do not fly a drone without the organisers' permission.

Location, tickets and status

• Location: Taman Pujaan Bangsa Margarana on Google Maps
• Tickets: the ceremony is free. For ordinary visits, visitor reviews on Wanderlog mention a donation box rather than a ticket booth. No official 2026 fee has been published.
• Status as of 29 October 2026: the date is fixed because the commemoration is always held on 20 November; times and the programme have not been announced. Watch baliprov.go.id or search Instagram for updates.
• Weather: November is the start of the rainy season and the ceremony is held on an open field. Bring a hat and a folding umbrella.

Common questions

Can foreign visitors watch? Yes. The complex is a public space and thousands of locals come every 20 November. Dress modestly and follow the marshals.

Will there be a Napak Tilas march again? In 2025 the Napak Tilas team set out from Jembrana and reached Marga to join the 20 November ceremony (detikBali, 24 November 2025). The 2026 schedule has not been announced.

Want it quiet? Come on another day. Outside 20 November the complex is usually empty, which makes it easier to read the headstones and the museum displays.