Pegayaman Village, Buleleng: The Balinese Muslim Village Where Everyone Is Named Wayan or Ketut

About 9 km south of Singaraja, on the slopes of Bukit Gitgit (around 475 m above sea level), sits Desa Pegayaman in Sukasada district, Buleleng. Around 90 percent of its residents are Muslim, yet their names sound thoroughly Balinese — Wayan, Nengah, Nyoman, Ketut — placed before Arabic names. One thing to state up front: this is a living village, not a ticketed attraction.

Why the Village Exists

The story begins around 1648 CE, when the king of Buleleng, I Gusti Anglurah Panji Sakti, brought about a hundred Muslim soldiers from Blambangan in East Java and granted them land in a forest of gatep trees — the root of the name Pegayaman. Two years later came Masjid Jami’ Safinatussalam, still the village's only mosque, with a tiered (tumpang) roof; in 2024 it was named the country's best exemplary historic mosque.

Traditions That Make It Special

• Ngejot — delivering food to neighbours, including Hindu neighbours, at Idulfitri, Iduladha and Maulid.
• Muludan and Sokok — through the month of Rabiul Awal the village celebrates the Prophet's birthday. The peak is the procession of sokok base and sokok taluh: bamboo cones decorated with eggs, flowers and fruit carried to the mosque. The dates follow the Hijri calendar and shift each year — ask residents for the schedule.
• Seni Burdah — praise songs for the Prophet sung with melodic turns close to Balinese kidung, performed in Balinese dress.

Visiting Etiquette

• Report and ask permission at the perbekel (village head) office or from a kelian banjar before walking around, especially in groups.
• Dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered; women should carry a headscarf if entering the mosque.
• Always ask before photographing people or processions, especially while residents are praying.
• Do not bring non-halal food or drink; buy from the village warung instead.

Info Praktis & Reservasi

• View on Google Maps — turn off the main Singaraja–Bedugul road in the Sukasada area; the road is paved.
• Travel time: about 20 minutes from Singaraja, 40 minutes from Lovina, 40–50 minutes from Bedugul.
• There is no entrance ticket; bring small cash for a mosque donation, parking or snacks from local stalls.
• Best time: early morning while the air is cool, or during the Muludan season in Rabiul Awal.
• No confirmed official village tourism account — search on Instagram, or ask a hotel in Singaraja to find you a local guide.

Staying overnight in Lovina or Singaraja makes an early morning visit to Pegayaman much more relaxed; compare staycation voucher prices on AccessiaPass.