Venue
Gianyar Regency, Bali, Indonesia
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Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, Bali guide
Five days of books in Ubud.
In short
Readers and writers gather at the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival each October; the 2026 edition ran from Wednesday 21 to Sunday 25 October, themed Samarasā: Awareness. Empathy. Action. Daytime talks bring Indonesian and international authors to the hills of central Bali, and evenings move into cafes and galleries for readings and music. Book a room in Ubud to walk between venues.
Every October, Ubud in the hills of central Bali turns into one of Southeast Asia's biggest literary gatherings. The Ubud Writers & Readers Festival brings novelists, poets and journalists from Indonesia and abroad to town for five days, and the 2026 edition runs from Wednesday 21 to Sunday 25 October.
This year's theme is Samarasā: Awareness. Empathy. Action. Daytime talks are the core of it, but the evenings can be the best part, when readings and music move out into the town's cafes and galleries.
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Key Facts & Stats:
Ends: Sunday, 24 October 2027
Where: Bali, Indonesia
Venue: Central Ubud
Held: Every year
Type of event: Workshops, Cultural Events, Arts Festivals
Currency: Indonesian rupiah (Rp, IDR)
Time zone: Central Indonesia Time (WITA), UTC+8
Language: Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia)
Map
Close to the venue
- Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan Hotel · 2.2 km
Getting around
Hotels near the venue fill up around the event dates.
October 2026 dates and session times
Indonesia's official tourism website lists the 2026 dates as 21 to 25 October. The festival always falls in October, near the end of Bali's dry season.
Session times go up on the festival website in the run-up to opening day. Workshops and special dinners have limited places, so book those first.
Venues around central Ubud
The venues are clustered in central Ubud. Taman Baca Ubud is one, and the other cultural spaces in use are within walking distance of Ubud Palace and the main market.
Main programme sessions run in the daytime, with film screenings and other satellite events added later on. Most people walk between venues. At midday the narrow streets get hot and crowded.
Panels, book launches and side events
- Main programme: panels and on-stage conversations about books, politics, the environment, identity and the history of the region.
- Book launches from Indonesian and international authors, often with signings.
- Workshops are smaller and ticketed separately, covering writing craft, translation and journalism among other skills.
- Poetry, music and theatre after dark.
- Free events: a community programme, usually open to local residents and students without a ticket.
Expect the Samarasā theme to run through hundreds of sessions.
Passes, prices and booking
The tourism listing does not give 2026 prices. Early-bird passes went on sale when the theme was announced and that window has now closed, so check the official UWRF website for what is left.
Past festivals have sold day passes and multi-day passes, with separate tickets for workshops and special events. Rooms in Ubud are scarce during festival week.
Walking between venues and October weather
- Stay within walking distance of central Ubud. The traffic between sessions is not worth it.
- Pack a hat, water and a light rain jacket; October can bring early showers.
- Temples sit close to several venues. If you go into one, wear a sarong and sash.
- Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar is an hour to an hour and a half away by road, depending on traffic.
Free afternoons in Ubud and around Bali
Between sessions, our guide to the top attractions in Ubud has plenty for a free afternoon. For the rest of the island, see our places to visit in Bali.
What happens on the day
- Weeks before
Timetable out
Session times appear on the festival website. Pick the conversations that matter most; with hundreds of sessions there will be clashes.
- Daytime
Main programme
Panels and conversations.
- Midday
Heat and crowds
The narrow streets get hot and busy; plan walks for cooler hours.
- Evening
Satellite events
Readings, film screenings and music in cafes and galleries around town.
Etiquette and dress
Temples
Anyone entering a temple needs a sarong and sash; many are near the festival venues.
Offerings
Step around the small canang offerings on pavements and doorsteps.
Ceremonies
If a procession passes, wait at the side of the road.
Booking accommodation near central Ubud first
Book your bed before your sessions. Ubud's guesthouses and hotels fill up in festival week, and where you stay shapes the whole visit. Aim for somewhere within walking distance of central Ubud, close to Ubud Palace and the main market. The venues are clustered there, and staying close spares you the traffic between sessions.
Tickets need a little homework. Prices for the 2026 edition had not appeared on the official tourism listing when this guide was written, so check the UWRF website directly. In past years the festival has sold day passes, multi-day passes and separate tickets for workshops and special events. Workshops and special dinners have limited places and go first, so book those as soon as the programme is published, then fill in the free time with main-stage panels.
For the wider island, our Indonesia page is a good place to start.
The festival's place among Southeast Asian literary events
UWRF ranks among the largest literary gatherings in Southeast Asia. Writers and performers come from across Indonesia and abroad to Ubud, the arts town in the hills of central Bali, and the setting matters. This is a festival you walk around, between small venues, not one you watch from a conference hall.
The 2026 theme is Samarasā: Awareness. Empathy. Action. Organisers expect it to run through hundreds of sessions.
The main programme is built around conversations with writers, ranging from politics and the environment to identity and the history of the region. New titles by Indonesian and international authors are launched during the week, many with signings. Smaller ticketed workshops teach writing craft and translation, among other skills, and the evenings bring poetry readings, music and theatre. Local residents and students can usually join a free community programme, which keeps the festival rooted in the town.
Getting there
Flying in
Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar has direct flights from Bangkok and Phuket, among many others.
Airport to Ubud
Allow one to one and a half hours, depending on traffic, and arrange a transfer in advance.
In Ubud
Walk between venues. Check each evening event's location before setting out.
Where to stay during the festival
The hotels below are in Bali itself, the nearest ones we list to Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, Bali. The next edition runs from 20 October to 24 October 2027. Book as soon as your dates are fixed, since rooms close to the festival are the first to go.
Bali
Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan5-star hotel
No reviews yet
from$1,200.00/ night
- Free WiFi
- Airport shuttle
- Swimming pool
3 Rooms available
Book Now
Bali
Mulia Resort Nusa Dua5-star hotel
No reviews yet
from$320.00/ night
- Free WiFi
- Airport shuttle
- Swimming pool
3 Rooms available
Book Now
Weather and what to pack
October is the tail of Bali's dry season. In Denpasar, average highs are about 31°C and lows about 25°C, with around 70 mm of rain in the month (1991-2020 normals).
Worth packing
- A sarong and sash for temples
- A refillable water bottle
- A light rain jacket for an early shower
- Comfortable sandals for walking
Car hire in Bali
Airport transfer to Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, Bali
Met at arrivals at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) and driven door to door to Central Ubud.
- I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) → Central Ubud
- 35 km · 40 min
Restaurants and food in Indonesia
Places to eat in Indonesia before or after the celebrations.
Gudeg Yu Djum
Jalan Wijilan, Panembahan, Kraton, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Cuisine:JavaneseGudeg
- Dine-in
- Takeaway
Bebek Bengil
Jalan Hanoman, Padang Tegal, Ubud, Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia
Cuisine:BalineseIndonesian
- Dine-in
- Outdoor seating
Cafe Batavia
Jalan Pintu Besar Utara 14, Taman Fatahillah, Kota Tua, Jakarta 11110, Indonesia
Cuisine:IndonesianInternational
- Dine-in
- Bar
Merah Putih
Jalan Petitenget 100X, Kerobokan Kelod, Kuta Utara, Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Cuisine:IndonesianContemporary
- Dine-in
Locavore NXT
Jl. A.A. Gede Rai Gang Pura Panti Bija, Lodtunduh, Ubud, Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia
Cuisine:Indonesian produceTasting menu
- Dine-in
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General
The festival was founded in 2004 by Janet DeNeefe, a Melbourne-born writer and restaurateur long settled in Ubud, and her husband Ketut Suardana. It was conceived as a way to bring visitors back to Bali after the 2002 Kuta bombings. It is run by their non-profit foundation, Yayasan Mudra Swari Saraswati.
Most main-programme sessions are held in English. A growing number are in Bahasa Indonesia, and some include interpretation, which the programme notes against each event. If language matters to you, filter the timetable before you buy a pass.
Seating at most venues is first come, first served, and sessions with well-known names fill early. Aim to be there 20 to 30 minutes ahead. Leave extra time if you are moving between venues, as Ubud's main roads jam through the middle of the day.
Taking a few photos from your seat is generally fine, but keep flash off and do not stand up in front of others. Recording whole sessions for publication is a different matter and needs permission from the festival. Media passes are handled through the organisers' press office.
Ubud has a huge range of warung and cafes within walking distance of the venues. Try babi guling, Bali's spit-roast pork, or nasi campur at a local warung for a quick, inexpensive lunch. Popular restaurants on Jalan Raya Ubud get busy at festival lunchtimes, so eat a little early or late.
Yes. Many visitors pick a single day pass around the authors they most want to hear and spend the rest of the time on the free evening events. The final weekend is usually the busiest, so midweek days are easier if you want space.
The rice terraces at Tegallalang and the walk along the Campuhan Ridge are both close to the festival venues. Tirta Empul's water temple at Tampaksiring is a short drive north. Many festival-goers add a few days on the coast at Sanur or Amed afterwards.
Booking
The main programme is ticketed, usually with single-day and multi-day passes sold through the festival website. Special events such as dinners, workshops and some evening shows are priced separately. A share of the programme, including many community and fringe events, is normally free, so check each listing before you pay.
Signings usually follow the main sessions, and a festival bookshop stocks titles by the writers on the programme. Popular authors draw long queues, so head over as soon as the session ends. Buying on site also helps you avoid carrying books from home.
Families & accessibility
Yes. The festival has usually run a children and youth programme with storytelling, workshops and school sessions alongside the adult events. The main panels suit older teenagers better than young children, who may find hour-long talks hard going.
Access is mixed. Some venues are open-air pavilions on sloping ground with steps, and Ubud's pavements are narrow and uneven. Contact the organisers before you travel to ask which venues have level access, and use a car to get between them.