Mekotek in Bali: How to See Munggu Village's Unique Stick Ritual

Every 210 days, a dramatic battle-like ritual takes over one small village on Bali's west coast, with hundreds of men clashing together long wooden poles, forming towering pyramids while cheering loudly. Known as Mekotek, it's one of Bali's most fascinating and authentic long-standing cultural traditions.

If you’re visiting Bali during the ceremony, experiencing Mekotek offers a rare glimpse into the island’s deep-rooted spiritual culture. We attended the last Mekotek and have put together this complete guide for visitors, including what happens during the ceremony and how to respectfully watch the festivities.

What is Mekotek?

Mekotek is a unique Balinese festival held in Munggu Village, in which large groups of men carry tall (2.5-3 meter) wooden sticks (pulet) and clash them together to form pyramid-like structures. The ritual's name comes from the "tek, tek, tek" sound made when the sticks collide.

During the ritual, some brave men attempt to climb the pyramids, leading the charge to clash with other groups. The festival is loud and chaotic but deeply symbolic, bringing together generations of villagers to help maintain the spiritual balance of Munggu.

The history and origins of Mekotek

Mekotek is a traditional Balinese ceremony that dates back hundreds of years to the era of the Mengwi Kingdom in the late 1700s.

The ritual originally began as a way to welcome victorious soldiers returning from battle against the Blambangan Kingdom in Java. The warriors would lift their spears together and cheer in joy, resulting in the Mekotek tradition.

For years after, the Mekotek ritual continued in Munggu as a symbol of unity, strength, and bravery. But during the Dutch colonial period, it was briefly banned as authorities feared it would inspire rebellion. However, villagers believed disasters and illnesses started to occur after it stopped.

The ritual was reinstated, using wooden sticks rather than iron spears, and it evolved into a ceremonial tradition believed to ward off evil spirits and bad luck. Today, it serves as a spiritual plea for safety and prosperity for the coming year.

Where in Bali does Mekotek take place?

Mekotek only takes place in Munggu Village in South West Bali, a small village around 30 minutes from central Canggu.

The festival moves around the village streets, starting and ending at the temple. The best place to see the procession and ritual is on the central road of Jalan Raya Munggu-Kapal, between Pura Dalem Munggu and Desa Wisata Munggu. Last year, we watched it from here.

When is Mekotek in Bali? (2026 date)

Mekotek takes place every 210 days according to the Balinese Pawukon calendar. It's held on Kuningan Day, which marks the end of the Galungan festival, when Balinese Hindus celebrate the victory of good over evil and honour ancestral spirits.

Because the Balinese Pawukon calendar is different from the Gregorian calendar, the exact date of Mekotek changes each year.

Upcoming dates for Mekotek:

• Saturday 23rd January 2027

Last year, everything began around 1:30-2pm. But the exact time can change from year to year. The best place to find up-to-date information about Mekotek is on the Munggu community Instagram page in the days leading up to the festival.

What happens during the Mekotek Ritual?

Mekotek begins, as most Balinese rituals do, with a religious ceremony and blessings from a priest at the main village temple in Munggu. This part of the ritual is reserved for the local community only.

Hundreds of men and boys (aged 12+) then take to the streets in a large and noisy procession, carrying long wooden sticks and accompanied by traditional Balinese gamelan music.

After a while, groups of around 50 men start to gather and clash their sticks together, creating large pyramid-like structures. Occasionally, one or two men will attempt to climb the structure (which looked extremely challenging!) and issue a battle cry from the top.

Different groups also symbolically "battle" by crashing their pyramids into each other, with lots of chanting and cheering, often causing a mass of sticks to fall everywhere!

Hundreds (maybe thousands) of locals and visitors gather in the streets to watch and cheer on the participating groups, making it a fun, lively, and unifying experience for everyone. It really is a symbol of the Balinese collective spirit

The ritual finally ends back at the temple with further prayers, purifications, and blessings.

Our experience at the Mekotek Festival

Mekotek has long been one of the lesser-known ceremonies in Bali, hidden away in a local part of the island. But in recent years, more and more tourists have started attending this unique ceremony (mostly due to viral social media posts).

We experienced our first Mekotek in 2025, and it quickly became one of the most memorable cultural events we’ve seen in Bali. While there were a few other tourists watching too, it still very much felt like a local community event rather than a tourist attraction.

We arrived around 1pm and grabbed a seat on the side of the road at this junction (here) among the locals and ended up right in the heart of everything. The procession came past at roughly 1:20pm, with the stick battles starting at 2pm and lasting around 45 minutes here.

We really felt part of the experience, cheering the men on and celebrating when someone managed to climb to the top. The whole thing was energetic, loud, and fascinating to witness. It's definitely something we'll go to again, and think it's a great way to experience authentic Balinese culture.

Tips for experiencing Mekotek as a visitor

If you plan to attend Mekotek as a visitor/tourist, it’s important to be respectful of the ceremony. Here are some tips for visiting, based on our own experience.

• Arrive Early - Crowds gather quickly, so try to arrive early to get a better viewing spot. Once the stick battles begin, it can be difficult to get anywhere near the festivities.

• Dress Modestly - Remember that this is a spiritual ceremony. Wear respectful clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. Don't turn up in your bikini.

• Stay Out of the Way - While it's fun to watch the ceremony up close, Mekotek can get pretty chaotic. Big groups of men move around quickly, and large poles often come crashing down, so keep a safe distance from the pyramids.

• Don't Disrupt the Ritual - Mekotek is a sacred ceremony, not a tourist attraction. Be polite and respectful, and don't disrupt the proceedings in any way.

• Don't Try to Join In - While tourists are very welcome to watch, the ritual itself is reserved for men from the local community. We saw a couple of foreigners in the pyramids, but they were dressed in traditional clothing and had clearly been invited in advance by the locals.

• Ask Before Taking Close Photos - Photography is allowed, but it’s polite to ask when taking close-up portraits of people.

Mekotek Bali FAQs