VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Nyale is a party or ceremony known as Bau Nyale. The word Bau is from Sasak language which means to catch, while the word Nyale means sea worms that live in holes in the rock under sea water.

Bau Nyale is a sea worm hunting event. Those who hunt sea worms of various ages, ranging from kids to adults, men and women. Bau Nyale is a cultural icon that is an attraction for tourists’ visit and the eventis awaited by tourists on the island of Lombok.  This event is held around February and March. The place for the Bau Nyale ceremony is on Seger Beach, Kuta, which is located in the southern part of Lombok Island.

The Bau Nyale party or ceremony is an event and tradition that is very legendary and it has high sacred values for the Sasak Tribe. The existence of the Bau Nyale party is closely related to a folklore in the southern part of Central Lombok. Nyale is believed to be the incarnation of Princess Mandalika, a beautiful royal princess who threw herself into the deep seas. The reason is quite simple. Mandalika was a very beautiful princess. So, many princes came to fight over Mandalika. Mandalika didn't want war to happen. Therefore, Mandalika chose to throw herself into the sea.

The process of catching Nyale is carried out by using a special net and it starts in the early morning hours. Using lighting devices such as flashlights, residents are ready to catch worms which have various colors at the sea. Catching Nyale requires patience, considering that this worm is quite agile and slippery. This colorful Nyale contains high protein, making it very delicious and worthy of consumption. Unsurprisingly, after catching quite a lot of Nyales, the residents immediately cooked them. This is one of the culinary tours that you can try if you come during the ceremony.