What Is Makepung Lampit? Bali's Buffalo Race in the Rice Fields
Most people who visit Bali never make it to Jembrana. It's the far west of the island, a long drive from Ubud or Canggu, and it doesn't show up on the usual itineraries. Which is exactly why one of the most local things you can see in Bali happens there, mostly in front of farmers, families, and a few curious photographers: buffalo racing through knee-deep mud. I wrote about West Bali as the slow-travel region no one talks about back in August. Makepung Lampit is the best reason I know to go back in rainy season. What is Makepung Lampit? Makepung Lampit is a traditional buffalo race held in Jembrana, West Bali, in rice fields that have been flooded and churned into mud before planting. Pairs of buffalo pull a jockey across the field on a flat wooden implement, racing for speed while the crowd watches from the paddy edges. It's a farming tradition first and a spectacle second, and it's believed to be older than the better-known makepung races held on dry roads. Where...
