Ubud Writers & Readers Festival 2025

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Festival Dates: 29 October – 2 November

Festival Dates: 29 October – 2 November

Festival Dates: 29 October – 2 November

Festival Dates: 29 October – 2 November

Festival Dates: 29 October – 2 November

Festival Dates: 29 October – 2 November

Festival Dates: 29 October – 2 November

Festival Dates: 29 October – 2 November

Festival Dates: 29 October – 2 November

These literary luminaries and brilliant minds join us this October!

Festival

All Speakers

Discover our festival’s main program. From searing rhetoric to masterly poetry, from the breathtakingly personal to the urgently political, this program truly has it all.

Main Program

William Dalrymple: The Anarchy

30 October 2025

Alang-Alang Stage

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Main Program

The Critical Voice of Okky Madasari

31 October 2025

Indus Restaurant

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Main Program

Jenny Erpenbeck: Kairos

02 November 2025

Alang-Alang Stage

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Main Program

Banu Mushtaq: Heart Lamp

01 November 2025

Alang-Alang Stage

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Main Program

Gina Chick: We Are the Stars

02 November 2025

Valley Stage

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Main Program

Ratih Kumala: Koloni

01 November 2025

Alang-Alang Stage

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Main Program

Pico Iyer: Aflame

02 November 2025

Valley Stage

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Main Program

Julia Baird: Bright Shining

02 November 2025

Valley Stage

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Special Events

31 October 2025 | 16:30 - 19:30

History Duet: Cosmos and Kingdom

Honeymoon Garden

Step into a history lesson like no other at Honeymoon Garden. Under the watchful gaze of Shiva and Ganesha, you'll gather for an afternoon that promises to inspire. Over the course of three hours, led by some of the world’s finest historians and...

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Special Events

02 November 2025 | 10:00 - 11:00

The Maestro: Antonio Blanco

The Blanco Renaissance Museum

More than just a painter, Antonio Blanco was an eccentric force who dove passionately into the enchanting chaos of Ubud. He painted layers of beauty—each brushstroke a love letter to Bali’s cultural richness and the beautiful women who inspired...

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Special Events

31 October 2025 | 18:00 - 19:00

Masks of Bali: Between Heaven and Hell

Indus Restaurant

Join a journey into the origins, history and living legacy of Balinese mask dance, an ancient performance art spanning over a thousand years. Masks of Bali, authored by acclaimed mask dancer and scholar Prof. I Made Bandem and Indonesian...

Special Events

31 October 2025 | 19:00 - 21:30

What Do We Do Now

Arcadia Restaurant

Enter the elegant environs of Arcadia, into a gathering of some of the Festivals most impressive writers. Banu Mushtaq, Deepa Bhasti, Thomas Mayo, Sara Hamdan, Dana Dajani, Iyas Lawrence, and Juli Sastrawan will lay their truths bare with Steph...

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Special Events

30 October 2025 | 10:00 - 12:00

Pitch to Penguin

Di Sini Di Sana by Rachman & Sons

Do you have a manuscript or book idea you’re itching to get out there? Join leading publishers Penguin Random House and share your ten-minute pitch for instant feedback on your idea, with the opportunity to secure your dream book deal. Whether you...

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Special Events

30 October 2025 | 18:15 - 20:00

The 100th Printing of Laut Bercerita

Alang-Alang Stage

Join us for a special celebration of one of Indonesia’s most influential literary works. Leila S. Chudori’s Laut Bercerita, published in 2017, which recounts the abduction of activists in 1998 and the families’ search for their loved...

Special Events

30 October 2025 | 06:00 - 08:00

Birdwatching Tour with Darryl Jones on Thursday

Meeting point in front of ApotekKU Campuhan Ubud

Join Darryl Jones in an early morning bird-walking tour across the Tjampuhan Ridge, Ubud’s most breathtaking iconic walk. The trail starts at the confluence of the Wos Rivers next to Ubud’s ancient temple, Pura Gunung Lebah. Witness more than...

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Special Events

31 October 2025 | 06:00 - 08:00

Birdwatching Tour with Darryl Jones on Friday

Meeting point in front of ApotekKU Campuhan Ubud

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Special Events

01 November 2025 | 06:00 - 08:00

Birdwatching Tour with Darryl Jones on Saturday

Meeting point in front of ApotekKU Campuhan Ubud

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Special Events

30 October 2025 | 17:30 - 19:00

The Recurrent Mystical

Plataran Ubud Hotel & Spa

William Dalrymple, historian of legends, myths and magic; Titah Aw, writer of ghosts and local wisdom; Ingrid Rojas Contreras, author of the otherworldly; and Made Bandem, world-renowned Balinese dancer who channels the soul of his characters. Our...

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Special Events

30 October 2025 | 18:00 - 19:30

Short Stories, Long Nights

COMO Uma Ubud

Miles Merrill presents a luxurious night of wine-pairing, artisan cheese and poetry at Kemiri, COMO Uma Ubud’s frangipani-fringed restaurant. Short Stories, our featured wine, is fresh from the Barossa Valley and newly crafted by the legendary...

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Special Events

31 October 2025 | 18:00 - 19:30

Navigating the World

COMO Uma Ubud

At the crossroads of culture and exploration, where off-the-beaten-path adventures meet the ideals of sustainable travel, our writers dive deep into the depths of identity, belonging, memory and nostalgia. As twilight descends over the picturesque...

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Special Events

31 October 2025 | 12:30 - 14:30

Heirlooms: Literary Long Table Lunch

Herb Library Ubud

Join us at the charming open-air Herb Library for a long-table lunch that marries inventive, health-conscious cuisine with a deep dive into Heirlooms – What We Inherit. It's where we wrestle with the clash between material value and...

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Special Events

01 November 2025 | 12:00 - 14:00

Dim Sum Diaries

Casa Luna

Join us downstairs in Casa Luna’s jungle-view dining room, for a one-of-a-kind Dim Sum feast from Bali’s own, Panda Kitchen. Amid the charm of trolleys, steaming bamboo baskets, dumplings, noodles and bao, Ning Ken and Zhou Bo will serve up...

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Masterclasses

02 November 2025 | 14:00 - 16:30

Scent and The Written Word

Powder Room by R4D

Many writers become entranced by the immersive experience it is to unlock a memory through scent. A powerful sensory tool, scents can trigger details of a memory, location, food, or person that often remain elusive to photographs or souvenirs. In...

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Masterclasses

30 October 2025 | 10:00 - 12:00

Nature and Travel Writing with Nina Karnikowski

MetlandVenya Ubud

Has the natural divine often felt out of reach to articulate? Join Nina Karnikowski in this unique masterclass as she focusses on the connection between oneself and the natural world. Nina's travel writing aims to encourage responsible travel to...

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Masterclasses

01 November 2025 | 14:00 - 16:00

The Bestseller Blueprint: Author Marketing Essentials

Samsara Ubud

What does it really take to turn a book into a bestseller? In this practical and insightful masterclass, Chaitanya Srivastava, Senior Publicist at Penguin Random House Southeast Asia, Culture Writer, and book influencer, pulls back the...

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Masterclasses

31 October 2025 | 10:00 - 12:00

The Poetics of Border Ethnography

Adiwana Suweta

Accurate and nuanced representations of migrant and refugee experiences are our greatest force in the face of prejudice. Petra Molnar has travelled across borders, documenting migrant and refugee stories. In this Masterclass, she explores with...

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Masterclasses

30 October 2025 | 10:00 - 12:00

Learning from Emerging Voices

Leona Suweta by Nakula

Join an intimate session with the Festival’s 2022 Emerging Writer, AIR Literature Västra Götaland resident, and Chevening Scholar at the University of Edinburgh, Awi Chin, alongside ten fellow Emerging Writers from the Festival’s 2025 cohort....

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Masterclasses

01 November 2025 | 10:00 - 12:00

An Introduction to Screenwriting with Ratih Kumala

Di Sini Di Sana by Rachman & Sons

In this special masterclass, Indonesian literary superstar Ratih Kumala will offer an essential introduction for writers looking to explore the world of screenwriting. Kumala brings a wealth of experience in television and film writing, following...

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Masterclasses

31 October 2025 | 14:00 - 15:00

Master Your Podcast with Makna Talks

Alila Ubud

Master your hosting and podcasting skills in this practical session, led by Iyas Lawrence, Founder and host of Makna Talks. Learn to ask sharper questions, engage your guests, and tell compelling stories while discovering how to connect...

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Masterclasses

31 October 2025 | 10:00 - 12:00

The Power of Storytelling in Personal Branding

SenS Hotel & Spa + Conference Ubud Town Centre

Led by Indonesian science journalist Harry Surjadi, this masterclass will show you how storytelling can be a powerful tool to express who you are, build trust and create meaningful connections. By shaping and sharing your story, you will gain the...

Masterclasses

01 November 2025 | 15:00 - 16:30

Practising Ethnography in Indonesia

SereS Springs Resort & Spa Singakerta, Ubud

Join this interactive masterclass to explore how traditional ethnographic training in Indonesia has often excluded those without cultural or financial privilege, with gender norms and social rules deciding who is considered a 'serious'...

Art & Cultural Program

30 October 2025 | 06:00 - 09:00

Culinary Jalan-Jalan

Casa Luna

Ubud wakes early. Before tourists flood the streets, the real Bali hums to life in smoky warungs, in backstreets, in the hands of those who have spent decades perfecting their craft. This walking tour is about legacy, not reinvention. It starts...

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Art & Cultural Program

01 November 2025 | 15:00 - 18:00

Brush with Myth: Exploring the Barong through Painting

Bumi Kinar Ubud

Discover the rich symbolism of the Barong, a guardian figure in Balinese mythology, through a hands-on painting workshop with talented creative artist Bagus Ari Maruta. Bagus, a third-generation painter from a family of artists rooted in Bali’s...

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Art & Cultural Program

02 November 2025 | 11:00 - 13:00

The Language of Balinese Offerings

Nirvana Pension

With intricately woven leaves and a charming assortment of petals, you’ve likely admired the Balinese Hindu offerings adorning homes, streets, and temples. Now, uncover the reasons behind these rituals and explore the unique opportunity to delve...

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Art & Cultural Program

31 October 2025 | 14:30 - 16:00

Exploring Indigo Tie Dye with Threads of Life

Threads of Life Natural Dye Studio

Join a hands-on workshop in the art of natural indigo dyeing. Begin with an introduction to Threads of Life and its natural dye studio, followed by a walk through the dye plant garden to learn about Indonesia’s traditional dyes. With step-by-step...

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Art & Cultural Program

31 October 2025 | 08:00 - 09:00

Bahasa Indonesia Breakfast

Dharma Kula Ubud

Start your Festival day with an enriching breakfast as the Cinta Bahasa team introduces you to the basics of Bahasa Indonesia. Explore essential greetings, cultural etiquette, and useful Indonesian phrases to enhance your Ubud experience. Join us...

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Art & Cultural Program

01 November 2025 | 08:00 - 09:00

Bahasa Bali Breakfast

Dharma Kula Ubud

Kick off your festival day with a tasty Breakfast & Learn session, led by one of Cinta Bahasa’s top teachers! Enjoy a delicious breakfast while picking up essential Balinese phrases and cultural insights from an expert who makes...

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Mirandi Riwoe

Kate Sawyer

Robin Hemley

Nice Image

This is a rare kind of celebration, not of the past alone, but of connection. To something older. Deeper. Wiser. And far more real than anything your phone screen could ever show you.

Janet DeNeefe, Festival Founder and Director

Book Launches

01 November 2025 | 18:00 - 19:00

Heritage Threads: A Tapestry of India and Indonesia Textiles

Indus Restaurant

Heritage Threads explores the historical and cultural connections between Indian and Indonesian textile traditions, focusing on the double-Ikat Patola from Gujarat and its influence across Sumatra, Bali, Java, and Flores. Through richly...

Book Launches

01 November 2025 | 14:00 - 15:00

Love, Labels & Going Viral: Gen Z Stories for a Messy, Modern World

Di Sini Di Sana by Rachman & Sons

Boys' Love is the sequel to Danton Remoto’s first novel, Riverrun, which was both a critical and commercial success. The protagonist is a young adult, bewildered and excited by the challenges of being gay in societies undergoing...

Book Launches

01 November 2025 | 15:00 - 16:00

Trust No One – The Psychology Behind Crime Fiction

Rumah Kayu

In a gripping session on psychological thrillers and mystery fiction, Malaysian authors Ivy Ngeow In Safe Hands, Rueben Dass Skin, and Kam Raslan Malayan Spy explore power, fear, and survival through distinct but...

Book Launches

30 October 2025 | 15:00 - 16:00

Until Even The Angels

Powder Room by R4D

Until Even The Angels, Suzanne Scott Tomita’s debut literary crime novel, follows Detective Ayesha Nur as she investigates the attempted assassination of successful London real estate agent Isabelle Goh. The case forces Ayesha to confront...

Book Launches

02 November 2025 | 11:30 - 12:30

Ombak par Kapur

Rumah Kayu

Ombak par Kapur is a tender and poetic memoir about finding meaning in unexpected places. When Aranye arrives in a remote village on Indonesia’s eastern coast, she brings chalk, a blackboard, and the hope of building a classroom. But what...

Book Launches

02 November 2025 | 11:30 - 12:30

Life as I Know It

Shelter Island

Life as I Know It by Mohammad Taufiq, better known as Emte, captures the unique joy of exploring a new city alone. The book celebrates the freedom to follow your own rhythm, from savoring a meal without hesitation to laughing or crying...

Book Launches

30 October 2025 | 15:00 - 16:00

Galeo Anak Segara

Rumah Kayu

Galeo Anak Segara by Andara Fembrianto follows Galeo, a young Seawalker living in the vast seas of the Allsea. In this oceanic world, Seawalkers are fishermen gifted with the ability to walk on the sea’s surface using talos sandals. Like...

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Book Launches

01 November 2025 | 13:30 - 14:30

Chirping Town

Rumah Kayu

In Chirping Town, the thrilling second book of The Capital Series, Indonesian author Aranindy explores a world where every moment is staged and emotions are carefully crafted. Childhood friends Tharen Walugi and Ameira Tilada...

Book Launches

02 November 2025 | 13:30 - 14:30

Bia dan Kapak Batu

Rumah Kayu

The story of Bia dan Kapak Batu follows Paskalina, Kosmas, and Urbanus, born amid a cultural shift where traditional foods like sago and fish give way to rice bags and instant noodles, sacred statues become commodities, and malnutrition...

Book Launches

30 October 2025 | 15:00 - 16:00

Archipelagos 3: The Power of Imang in Nusantara

The Elephant

Archipelagos: The Power of Imang in Nusantara by Andi Muhammad Akbar is the third book in the Archipelagos series, which follows seven children from different Indonesian tribes: Javanese, Bugis, Dayak, Batak, Balinese, Maluku,...

Book Launches

01 November 2025 | 11:30 - 12:30

Ajengan Anjing

Rumah Kayu

In this new book, Ridwan Malik tells the story of Harak, a humble mutt owned by a farm laborer who, in the final moments of his life, witnesses his entire journey unfold before him. Though his time was brief and his form that of a dog, the world’s...

Book Launches

02 November 2025 | 16:30 - 17:30

UWRF 2025 Anthology: Stories from the Islands

Valley Stage

Stories from the Islands is a bilingual short story anthology featuring works by ten emerging Indonesian writers selected as part of the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival 2025. These writers represent the diverse voices from Indonesia's...

Book Launches

31 October 2025 | 10:00 - 11:00

Simulasi Sakaratul Maut

Kopi Nako Daur Baur Ubud x Slo Bar

Simulasi Sakaratul Maut is a collection of poems that invites readers to explore imperfect, fractured, and even broken relationships between humans and their social environment. The poems use unusual metaphors and symbols, such as...

Book Launches

31 October 2025 | 11:30 - 12:30

The Director: Penguasa dan Penata Bumi

Rumah Kayu

Ana Filomena Amaral's fiction novel explores what happens when humans, who are meant to protect the Earth, become its main destroyers. Deep within a quiet protected forest lies an ambitious project called Hyperbórea, a secret laboratory aiming to...

Book Launches

30 October 2025 | 11:30 - 12:30

Moono: The Adventure & Shadow War

The Elephant

Andrea Hilaria Li’ debut novel Moono: The Adventure & Shadow War unfolds in a future ruled by global surveillance and digital control, telling the gripping story of Gamma, a 17-year-old orphan from Timor-Leste. Selected for MOONO—a...

Book Launches

30 October 2025 | 10:00 - 11:00

Kota Ini Kembang Api

Rumah Kayu

Gratiagusti Chananya Rompas’ poetry collection is described as a palette of experiences and emotions, weaving natural and urban elements to portray love, anger, desire, loss, and hope, while exploring the intimate bond between a citizen and her...

Book Launches

01 November 2025 | 11:30 - 12:30

Inner Landscaping

Dharma Kula Ubud

Kinchem Hegedus’s Inner Landscaping is a guide to reawakening creativity by reimagining yourself as a thriving, adaptive ecosystem. Inspired by Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way and rooted in permaculture, the book invites readers...

Book Launches

01 November 2025 | 15:00 - 16:00

Finding Kapiten Boodieman

Rumah Kayu

Travel author Priyambudi Sulistiyanto explores how, long before colonialism took root in the archipelago, the regions that now form Indonesia were sovereign, forging trade and cultural ties with nations across the world. His book traces how, since...

Book Launches

31 October 2025 | 10:00 - 11:00

Bali 1952 Through the Lens of Liu Kang

Ibah

Singapore-based writer Gretchen Liu tells the story of four China-born artists who made their home in Singapore and, in 1953, held an exhibition titled Bali. Inspired by a sketching trip to Java and Bali in June and July the previous...

Book Launches

02 November 2025 | 15:00 - 16:00

⁠Leiden (2020-1920)

Rumah Kayu

Hasbunallah Haris tells the story of Syamil, a history student whose meeting with Maryati and Kasman in Padang Panjang magically carries him far from home. Guided by fragments of a century-old manuscript left by former Dutch soldier Alex van der...

Book Launches

02 November 2025 | 13:30 - 14:30

Tubuh yang Tak Patuh Seluruh

The Elephant

Tubuh yang Tak Patuh Seluruh by Tan Lioe Ie is a collection of short stories that stand apart from conventional forms. Rather than following a linear narrative, the stories unfold like poetry, with rhythmic enjambment, suggestive...

Book Launches

02 November 2025 | 16:00 - 17:00

The Wallace Line: A Poem

Di Sini Di Sana by Rachman & Sons

The Wallace Line: A Poem is Jennifer Mackenzie’s third poetry collection, following Borobudur and Navigable Ink, centered on Indonesia and its rich cultural history. The poem explores the Spice Islands, especially the...

Book Launches

31 October 2025 | 14:00 - 15:00

The Loom and the Offering

Threads of Life

The Loom and the Offering reflects twenty-five years of experiential learning through the Bali Field School, centering on eight University of Guam students who co-authored this work. Through deep engagement with Balinese culture,...

Book Launches

01 November 2025 | 13:30 - 14:30

Ritual

Shelter Island

Ritual follows a sadistic serial killer on the loose, forcing DCI Moore out of retirement to catch a deranged psychopath. At each crime scene, a chess piece is left behind, reflecting the victim’s profession. DS Anderson discovers the...

Book Launches

31 October 2025 | 11:30 - 12:30

Mental as Anyone

Dharma Kula Ubud

Mental as Anyone: A Toolkit for Surviving and Thriving on the Chaotic Rollercoaster of Life is a raw and relatable self-help guide by journalist and podcast host Jonathon ‘JMo’ Moran, co-written with clinical psychologist Dr. Jodie...

Book Launches

02 November 2025 | 10:00 - 11:00

Pisangku Belum Matang

Rumah Kayu

Pisangku Belum Matang is a children’s book written by Patricia Edlyn that follows Agni, who returns to Pekak’s house for the holidays. Everyone is busy preparing for the Galungan celebration, but why are the bananas still unripe? Will...

Book Launches

31 October 2025 | 10:00 - 11:00

Tanda-Tanda di Langit Kahayan

Rumah Kayu

This short story anthology features voices from across the Indonesian archipelago, exploring how women navigate adversity, cultural shifts, and the climate crisis while sustaining life on a changing Earth. Spanning Kalimantan, Java, East Nusa...

Book Launches

01 November 2025 | 10:00 - 11:00

Hana: Jangan Biarkan Mereka Lihat Lukamu

Rumah Kayu

In her work Hana: Jangan Biarkan Mereka Lihat Lukamu, Indonesian writer Yudiati Kuniko tells a heart-wrenching story about a Japanese woman shaped by war, loss, and complicated love. Born from a geisha, Hana grows up in the shadow of the...

Book Launches

02 November 2025 | 13:30 - 14:30

Menemukan Harta Karun di Pesisir Selatan Papua

Rumah Kayu

Written by Indonesian author Enda Sagita Kaban, this charming children’s book takes readers on an exciting adventure along Papua’s Southern Coast. Join Meru, Noel, and their friends as they hunt for hidden treasure, explore traditional crafts, and...

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Book Launches

01 November 2025 | 16:00 - 17:00

Alelopati

Di Sini Di Sana by Rachman & Sons

Alelopati by Stebby Julionatan is a poetic reflection on human relationships, using the biological concept of allelopathy, a plant’s ability to inhibit others’ growth, as a metaphor for how people influence or harm each other in unseen...

Book Launches

31 October 2025 | 13:30 - 14:30

Fortress Farming

Powder Room by R4D

In Fortress Farming, Jeff Neilson uncovers an emerging livelihood strategy in Indonesia’s rural coffee-growing regions, where smallholders resist full integration into capitalist agriculture. Instead of prioritizing productivity, these...

Book Launches

02 November 2025 | 14:00 - 15:00

Love in a Billion Chinese Chances

Di Sini Di Sana by Rachman & Sons

In her luminous memoir of healing, courage, and learning to listen when the universe whispers, Love in a Billion Chinese Chances, Greta Georges Habib tells the story of escaping an abusive relationship in Singapore at thirty. On a whim,...

Book Launches

30 October 2025 | 11:30 - 12:30

Candid Enigma: The Artful Adventures of Andrew Hau Ewing

Rumah Kayu

Candid Enigma: The Artful Adventures of Andrew Hau Ewing is a long-awaited monograph on the late visual artist, curator, activist, and publicist Andrew (Andy) Hau Ewing. Maurice O’Riordan reveals a bold, under-recognised practice that challenged...

Book Launches

31 October 2025 | 13:30 - 14:30

Tutur Tantri

Rumah Kayu

In her new novel, Balinese writer Ni Nyoman Ayu Suciartini follows Tantri and Eswaryadala, whose union is defined not by passion before or after, but by a quiet, fated love that blooms on their wedding night. In the unseen moments of their story,...

Meet the Moderators: Q&A with Janet Steele

Meet the Moderators: Q&A with Michael Vatikiotis

Your 2025 Pre-Festival Reading List

Malaysia Airlines Offers Special Festival Fares

Ubud Writers & Readers Festival Reveals Main Program 2025 –...

Media Accreditation for the 2025 Festival is now open

Fly to our 2025 Festival with Qatar Airways and Save!

Penguin SEA and UWRF partner to publish Stories from the...

What an honour to be part of a festival that not only uplifts, celebrates, and connects us with readers and writers from different corners of the world, but really grounds us in Bali’s rich literary and cultural heritage and all it has to offer. An unforgettable community I want to keep returning to time and again.

Sara M. Saleh, Author and Human Rights Lawyer