Selfie-free zone: Total Internet ban for 24 hours during Bali's Day of Silence

KEY POINTS

Thousands will be without access to internet for 'Day of Silence' holiday.
Tourists and locals will be forced to observe period of 'self-reflection'.
it is the first time the Indonesian government has agreed to the shutdown.

Bali's residents and tourists will be blocked from social media for an entire day as the province observes an annual religious holiday.

Indonesia's telecommunication providers have agreed to disable mobile internet for a 24-hour period for the Day of Silence, also known as Nyepi, which will take place on the predominantly Hindu island this Saturday (March 17).

Nyoman Sujaya, an official for Indonesia's Ministry of Communication, has confirmed that phone users will not be able to access apps like Instagram and Facebook from 6am on Saturday until the following morning.

"Wi-Fi at hotels, public services and vital objects such as airports, hospitals, security forces and banking still can run normally but with minimal use such as emails," he said.

The public holiday, which marks the start of the Hindu New Year, requires islanders to engage in a period of self-reflection and is strictly enforced across the island as shops, bars and other non-essential services are shut for the day.

Lighting of fires and loud noises are strongly discouraged and the island's only airport is forced to shut. Non-Hindus and tourist are also required to observe the occasion and are forced to keep noise to a minimum or risk falling foul of local law enforcement.

"Let's rest a day, free from the internet to feel the calm of the mind," Gusti Ngurah Sudiana, head of the Indonesian Hinduism Society, told AP. "Many Hindu people are addicted to gadgets," he said. "I hope during Nyepi they can be introspective."

The request for the total-shutdown of the mobile internet was made to Indonesia's central government earlier this month by Balinese municipal authorities. It will be the first time the shutdown has been approved after last year's request was denied by officials in Jakarta.

Nyepi beliefs state that evil spirits lurk outside during the new year but can be warded off by staying indoors. The holiday is also observed in India as Ugadi and typically falls on March or April in the Gregorian calendar.