Every October, Ubud shifts gears. The rice terraces turn into backdrops for book launches, small cafés buzz with conversations about storytelling, and hundreds of readers and writers fill the town’s quiet corners. The Ubud Writers and Readers Festival 2025 is back—this time marking its 22nd year—and it’s still one of the most thoughtful and inspiring gatherings on the island.
Photo by Ubud Writers & Readers Festival
Two Decades of Storytelling
The festival began in 2004 as a response to tragedy—founded by Janet DeNeefe to help bring people together through words as a healing project in response to the 2002 Bali bombings. What started as a local initiative has become a literary festival in Bali that attracts novelists, journalists, poets, and curious minds from across the world.
Over the years, it’s welcomed names like Margaret Atwood, Goenawan Mohamad, and Richard Flanagan. Yet what makes UWRF special isn’t just its line-up—it’s the way it brings storytelling back to human scale. It’s a reminder that words still matter, and that community grows stronger when people listen.
This Year’s Theme: “Aham Brahmasmi – I Am the Universe”
For 2025, the festival returns from 29 October to 2 November, exploring the theme Aham Brahmasmi—a Sanskrit phrase meaning “I am the universe.” This year’s theme explores our connection to the universe and the creative power within each of us, while diving into timely conversations on world events, politics, and freedom of speech through cross-cultural panels, workshops, poetry nights, and film screenings.
More than 200 speakers are expected to join—from Indonesia’s emerging voices to established authors from around the world. The tone of the event is open and grounded: less about performance, more about perspective.
Photo by Ubud Writers & Readers Festival
What It Feels Like
If you’ve never been, imagine mornings that start with good coffee and interesting panel discussions. Afternoons drift into workshops or readings at boutique hotels and cultural centers around Ubud. By night, the crowd gathers for music, storytelling, or dinner events where strangers become familiar faces.
The rhythm of the festival is steady and relaxed. It doesn’t try to overwhelm you—it invites you to slow down, listen, and reconnect with why you fell in love with words in the first place.
For Readers, Writers, and the Simply Curious
You don’t need to be a published author to enjoy the festival. Many come simply to listen and learn. For readers, it’s a chance to meet the people behind the books that sit on your nightstand. For aspiring writers, it’s a creative recharge, workshops on craft, panels on publishing, and small mentoring sessions that actually feel useful.
And for anyone who just enjoys thoughtful travel, the festival sits at that perfect intersection of art and place. Ubud itself adds another layer to the experience: lush, spiritual, and slightly chaotic in all the right ways.
Photo by Ubud Writers & Readers Festival
The People You’ll Meet
The festival attracts an interesting mix. There are writers on book tours, travelers who planned their Bali trip around the event, and locals who’ve been attending for years. Conversations spill out of the venues and into nearby cafés. You end up talking about everything from climate change to cooking to childhood memories.
It’s not a pretentious crowd; it’s curious, grounded, and open-minded. For anyone balancing the rhythm of work, life, and everything in between, the festival offers a quiet pause and a chance to feel inspired again.
Where to Stay: Your Alfred Escape in Ubud
After a day of panel discussions and poetry, you’ll want somewhere peaceful to retreat. Alfred’s villas in Ubud offer exactly that—a quiet sanctuary surrounded by nature, just minutes from the festival venues. Sink into your private pool, sip wine on the terrace, and let the buzz of the day fade into the sound of the jungle. It’s the perfect balance of inspiration and rest, where creativity continues even after the festival lights dim.
Loft Volcano by Alfred in Bali
How to Join
Festival passes are available now, with options for full-event tickets or single-day access. And yes—use the code ALFRED25 for 15% off your tickets. It’s the perfect excuse to plan that Ubud weekend you’ve been talking about and experience the festival up close.
Why It Still Matters
In a world constantly distracted, the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival remains one of the few places that still values slowing down and paying attention. The power of this event isn’t in its scale, but in its tone—calm, intelligent, and quietly moving.
Here, you don’t just listen to stories. You remember why they matter.
