RRI.CO.ID, Lombok - Long before Mandalika became known as a sports tourism destination and host of MotoGP, the southern region of Lombok was alive with deeply rooted traditions and cultural values. One of its most important legacies is the Bau Nyale Festival, an annual ritual of the Sasak people rooted in the legend of Princess Mandalika's sacrifice.

The legend tells of Princess Mandalika who chose to jump into the sea to prevent a conflict between princes vying for her. She is believed to have transformed into a nyale, a colorful sea worm, as a symbol of love, sacrifice, and unity. To this day, the Sasak people celebrate the annual appearance of the nyale as a form of respect for these values.

Bau Nyale comes from the Sasak language: bau means to catch, and nyale means sea worm. This tradition is held annually on the southern coast of Lombok, when the nyale emerge before dawn. 

In 2026, through the Sangkep Warige traditional ritual, traditional leaders, along with the Central Lombok Regency Administration, determined that the peak of the Bau Nyale festival would fall on February 7–8, 2026.

According to the official website of the Ministry of Tourism, this year's festival series will begin with the Princess Mandalika Cultural Carnival on Kuta Beach on February 6, followed by Bhayangkara Riding Day on February 7. Bau Nyale activities will also be held at four coastal locations, i.e. Seger, Selong Belanak, Torok Aik Belek, and Teluk Awang, in an effort to spread the economic impact and reduce crowd concentration. Seger Beach remains the main center of the celebration.

The Bau Nyale Cultural Festival is celebrated by local communities, gathering at Seger Beach in the afternoon and continuing with a peresean (camping) until midnight. The process of catching nyale, or sea worms, takes place from early morning until dawn. 

The nyale caught are then cooked and eaten directly by the local community. According to local belief, this is done as a form of love for Princess Mandalika. Furthermore, locals believe that the nyale harvested bring blessings, good fortune, and can fertilize the soil.

Since the development of tourism in Lombok, the Bau Nyale event has typically been combined with various traditional local rituals, such as Betandak (exchanging pantun), Bejambik (giving souvenirs to lovers), Belancaran (boat cruises), and a colossal drama performance of Princess Mandalika. This makes it more than just a festival, but also an affirmation of Lombok's cultural identity amidst the tide of modernization. ***