Desaru Coast's Ombak Festival 2025 to put spotlight on Asean
Following its successful debut last year, Ombak Festival 2025 will again see numerous activities, exhibits, performances and curated dining events being held over a three-day weekend in September. This time around, there will be a spotlight on South-East Asian artistes, performers and vendors, to go with Malaysia's current Asean chairmanship.
You can expect to see some Asean-themed family-friendly experiences like traditional games, puppeteering, art workshops and food tastings.
'For our second year, building on our intentionally diverse ethos, we are going bolder in vision, broader in scope and bursting with South-East Asian soul.
'The play this year is to intrepidly represent the best of Asean by uniting global icons with regional talents to stage an unparalleled experience of live music, taste explorations, and artistic expression in one ultimate weekend,' said Karina Ridzuan, director of Ombak Festival, in a press release.
Aside from the regional selections, there are also plenty of international features. On the entertainment section, for example, headliners include British artistes Simply Red and Joss Stone, US group George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, and Australian electronic duo Flight Facilities.
George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic wants to party with you.
Asean artistes who will also perform on the main stage include Thai singer Phum Viphurit, Singapore's The Pinholes and Keyana, Cambodia's Vanthan, Indonesia's Tanayu, and of course, Malaysia's own Joe Flizzow, Gerhana Skacinta, LZZY, Golden Mammoth, and SonaOne and Ismail Izzani.
So far, there are 29 regional music talents featured at the festival; more will be announced in the months to come.
Meanwhile, the curated gourmet experiences includes 'Smoke & Fire' by Malaysia's own grill expert Carbon KL, 'Flavours Of Johor', and 'Tapas & Grill' by Sazon, well-known chef Andrew Walsh's latest venture in Bali, Indonesia.
In the arts section, there will be upcycling workshops by Pulau Pulao, a block printing project by Segaris Art Centre and a bazaar curated by the popular lifestyle pop-up initiative, Pasar Seloka.
There's also a mahjong 'session' called All Tiled Up, where guests can learn how to play the traditional tile game from experts. Of course, this experience is strictly for educational purposes only.
Folks who plan to bring their children to the festival can check out the Ombak Kids schedule, where loads of kid-friendly activities will be held. Some of them include Go Fly Kites, super-sized Mereka Games, Funfair Of Forgotten Futures, and a Legoland Speed Building Challenge. The delightful giant puppets Meera & Fiz will also make their return to the festival.
Soul singer Joss Stone's new album is slated for a release sometime this year. She will be performing on the main stage on the final day.
'Ombak Festival 2025 is set to deliver another year of extraordinary experiences in our intimate coastal setting. Driving our ambition is the vision to establish the event as South-East Asia's must-attend festival, setting the stage as we build momentum towards Visit Johor and Visit Malaysia 2026.
'None of this would have been possible without the unwavering support of the state authorities and the communities across the greater Desaru region, whose collaboration was instrumental in bringing Ombak Festival to life,' said Karina in the press release.
The festival, presented by Desaru Coast, will be held from Sept 12 to 14. Early bird passes are now available from ombakfestival.com or Ticketmelon (ticketmelon.com). There are single, two-day and three-day passes, with prices ranging between RM200 and RM650. Children aged 13 and above must have their own tickets.
The festival schedule can also be found on the website, as well as a list of rules and regulations, and other helpful tips.
Australian DJ duo Flight Facilities will make its long-awaited Malaysian debut at Ombak Festival. Travel notes
How to get there: If you're travelling from anywhere in Peninsular Malaysia, you can drive all the way to Desaru Coast; the drive will take a minimum of four hours from the Klang Valley.
Otherwise, fly into the Senai International Airport, and then book a taxi or rideshare service to Desaru Coast.
If you are travelling from Singapore, make your way to the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal and take a 90-minute ferry ride straight to the Desaru Coast Ferry Terminal.
Where to stay: There are three 5-star resorts within Desaru Coast (Hard Rock Hotel, The Westin, and Anantara Resort & Villas), and Ombak Festival will be held across these properties. Festivalgoers who choose to stay at any of the resorts may get special discounts and/or privileges, so do check their official websites to find out more.
There are also plenty of hotels available within a 1km radius – it may be possible to arrange for shuttle services from your accommodation to the festival venue.
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