10 Things to Do in Bali This Month: October 2018

If you’re heading to Bali this month for the sun, sea, and surf, you’re in luck. There’s loads happening, from the established Ubud Writers & Readers Festival to the newer Bali Vegan Festival. International DJs jetting into town include godfather of electronic music Tiesto and the likes of Slow Magic, The Drifter, and Nora En Pure.

Wake Up Call

The first weekend of October is going to be extremely eventful at W Bali with a killer lineup of international musicians and DJs! Their Wake Up Call 2018 festival is gearing up for musical performances by headliners such as Sam Feldt, Tove Lo, Angus & Julia Stone, Klingande and KIMOKAL over at the Main Stage. Woo Bar will also host DJ sets by Cristoph, Nora En Pure, Slow Magic, and The Drifter. For the best experience, we recommend the package including a hotel room at W Bali and two-day passes to the festival.

When: Thursday-Saturday, 4 – 6 October 2018

Where: Woobar, W Bali, Seminyak

Entry: From Rp. 800k, available here.

Bali Vegan Festival 2018

Created in 2015 with the mission to inspire people to live more compassionately, ethically, and healthily through plant-based eating, Bali Vegan Festival is back this year. Expect two weekends of interactive workshops, live music, yoga, dance, and forums for networking, brainstorming and designing.

When: Friday to Sunday, 5 – 7 October 2018 (Ubud edition) and 12 – 14 October 2018 (Canggu edition)

Where: Paradiso & Taksu (Ubud edition), Oasis & Odyssey Movement (Canggu edition), The Vegan Villages.

Entry:From $85 for a one-day pass, available here.

Ubud Writers & Readers Festival

One of the world’s most loved literary festivals, the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival celebrates its 15thanniversary with the theme Jagadhita(The World We Create). The five-day lineup will see the gathering of some of the most best artists, authors, thinkers, and performers around – such as Gabriela Ybarra, Kim Scott, Indonesian Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti, Dee Lestari, and Djenar Maesa Ayu – to engage and exchange ideas in a variety of cross-culture talks, workshops, demonstrations, poetry slam sessions, and performances.

When: Wednesday to Sunday, 24 – 28 October 2018

Where: Ubud

Entry: From Rp. 180k for Indonesian residents and Rp. 700k for foreigners for a one-day pass, available here.

Tiesto at OMNIA Bali

Tijs Michiel Verwest Oon, also known as Tiësto, is returning to the island of the Gods for the first time in ten years with a special Halloween edition pool party at OMNIA’s #SWIMintoSaturdays. Following his newest single in collaboration with Dzeko, Preme & Post Malone titled Jackie Chan and several tours around Las Vegas, the Dutch DJ will be taking over the day club deck by the cliff with his most anticipated singles and remixes such as WOW, The Only Way Is Up, and BOOM.

When:Saturday, 27 October 2018

Where:  OMNIA, Uluwatu

Entry: From Rp. 400k per person, available here.

Sustainable Sundays 005 at Potato Head Bali

In collaboration with Green School’s Innovation Hub, everyone’s favourite beach club will be hosting the fifth edition of Sustainable Sundays, where participants will be taught how to make paper through an environmentally-friendly process that they can repeat and practice at home. There’s a limit of 10 participates each Sunday, so snag your spot with the organisers soon!

When: Sunday, 7 October 2018

Where: Potato Head Beach Club, Seminyak

Entry: Free, see here for more information.

Otis Carrey at The Slow

Contemporary Australian artist Otis Hope Carrey will be launching his debut solo exhibition at The Slow Canggu. The artwork inhibiting the chic gallery space and bar deeply reflect his cultural roots and the Gumbaynggir people, an Australian Aboriginal group of the mid-northern coast of New South Wales. Otis’s contour lines and movement result in a powerful viewing experience and visual immediacy with the spiritual and conceptual nature of his contemporary approach.

When: Saturday, 6 October 2018

Where: The Slow, Canggu

Entry: Free, see here for more information.

Seventh Heaven Sundays at SugarSand

On Seventh Heaven Sundays at SugarSand, visitors can expect seven of Bali’s hottest resident DJs like LADY FLiC, Doctoryez, Mistral, and B-T-K to take turns in delivering the rarest digs of 80s record tracks. This noon to sundown session is dedicated to sunshine music, so expect groovy boogie, disco, soul, funk music, and more!

When: Every Sunday through October

Where: SugarSand, Seminyak

Entry: Free, see here for more information.

Gypsy Land: Super Spooky Party

Get your spook on at Gypsy Land’s Super Spooky Party; a Halloween bash taking place in an abandoned kindergarten with parties in different haunted classrooms. There will be heavy hip hop vibes brought to you by Fire Aux, ET THE HUMAN and Soltice and special live performances by artists such as WARHOL.SS and Xabitat, and a techno den with tracks by Alta Munted, Manu-L, Kaiser, and many more.

When: Saturday, 27 October 2018

Where: Jl. Kayu Aya no.66

Entry: From Rp. 300k, available here.

Ocean Yoga Festival

Boasting a week-long program across six incredible coastal venues by the ocean in Amed designed to reconnect with nature, the Ocean Yoga Festival is packed with over 70 classes, workshops, and events on movement, breath work and meditation, Zen Alchemy, Acroyoga, Kriya yoga, and Chi Gung. Any donation-based fees the festival collects will be contributed fully to a local NGO of your choice.

When: Monday – Sunday, 8 – 14 October 2018

Where: Amed, Bali

Entry: Free, see here for more information.

Comfort Zone; Art Exhibition by @Kuncirsv

One of the most anticipated fringe events of the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival 2018, Balinese artist Kuncir Sathya Viku will be exhibiting his paintings and illustrations at Littletalks Ubud with the theme Comfort Zone. The stories and folk characters in his artworks are heavily inspired by his origins, the characters of Rerajahan (a sacred Balinese manuscript), and Balinese mythology. Opening night will feature music performances by Satya Bhuana and Pande Anggara, as well as live mural painting by Kuncir himself.

When: now till 30 October 2018

Where: Littletalks, Ubud

Entry: Free, see here for more information.

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An art curator turned a nomad as of late, Chitra currently spends her days juggling between cooking, journalism and pottery. Having lived a few years in multiple countries away from home, the photography-and-poetry enthusiast decided to reside back in Indonesia, choosing Bali as the place to reconnect with her creativity and passions.