Desaru Coast Set To Captivate With New Ombak Festival For The Ultimate Weekend Staycation

10 July 2024, Desaru Coast, Johor, MALAYSIA: Award-winning destination resort Desaru Coast presents the ultimate coastal weekend celebration with Ombak Festival, taking place from 13 to 15 September 2024 at the destination. Derived from the Malay word for “ocean wave”, Ombak Festival is a new multifaceted festival featuring four captivating elements: music & performances, visual arts & craft, F&B, and Ombak Kids.

Over three extraordinary days and nights, festival goers will experience curated events and performances throughout the entire destination. The weekend calendar is filled with more than 50 events, with 16 hours of Ombak Main Stage programming over two days including an Asia-exclusive performance by pop culture icon Grace Jones; Grammy winner and R&B Hall of Famer Macy Gray, who is celebrating the 25th anniversary of her debut album; and Swedish band The Cardigans playing their global smash hits for the first time in Malaysia.

In addition to the international headliners, across multiple stages, Ombak Festival will serve up a series of performances by some of the biggest names in the regional music scene including Alena Murang, Thee Marloes, and Aisyah Aziz.

Ombak Festival is the epitome of all values that Desaru Coast holds, offering vibrant high-quality outdoor events with a distinctly Malaysian flair, that appeal to all in a natural and authentic way.

Karina Ridzuan, Director of Ombak Festival, said: “Ombak Festival is an international festival with a Malaysian soul. It is intentionally diverse, melding the international and local, the young and old, heritage and contemporary elements. In addition to Grace Jones’s Asia-exclusive performance and Macy Gray’s 25th anniversary show, we also have local stars, including Bunga and Masdo, taking the stage.

“This juxtaposition is also seen in our kids, F&B, and arts programmes, as we pair Star Wars with the distinctly Malaysian heritage of wayang kulit; the collaboration of chefs from different culinary backgrounds; and UiTM’s Segaris Art Centre’s installations together with Kota Tinggi School students, which underpins a year-round collaboration that exposes the younger generation of Johoreans to new forms of eco-conscious art.

“With more than 50 events on the cards, Ombak Festival guests can mix and match food, art, and music offerings at their own pace, supported by world-class facilities. It’s a carefully curated programme for festival goers of all ages to enjoy with the people they love – their partners, friends, and children – making it The Ultimate Weekend.”

Karina expressed hope that the success of Ombak Festival’s party-as-you-go format will beget future editions. “We hope to build on this in the coming years, placing Desaru Coast and Johor on the regional festival map in the run up to Visit Johor Year 2026. Of course, none of this would be possible without the support of the local councils and communities within the Greater Desaru region, who worked with us to make Ombak Festival a reality.”

The Ultimate Weekend for All

Besides the performances on the Ombak Main Stage, the beats continue on the beach, where festival goers can either chill to scintillating Nanyang jazz by The Shang Sisters and WVC Jazz; sway to the Latin rhythms by Cuban high-energy band Havana Jazz Tumbao; or dance the night away to the Afro-Latin beats of DJ Güpson Pierre or the eclectic selections of Disko Santan.

An explosion of Malaysian and international food experiences await, as the region’s top chefs and mixologists undertake exciting kitchen takeovers and showcases to spotlight Malaysian flavours and produce. Festival goers can look forward to culinary offerings from Ember Beach Club Brunch by Chef Andrew Walsh; Kitchen Takeover by Carbon KL, which sees ingredients and seasonal produce prepared using contemporary grilling techniques; and Latin Street Flavours by Feliz, which spotlights the vibrant and diverse flavours of Peru. Drink devotees can down Flavours of Borneo Ombak Festival-exclusive concoctions crafted by mixologists from renowned Malaysian cocktail bars Reka:bar and Vér, with tapas by Chocha Foodstore.

Art lovers will be captivated by intricate installations that celebrate Malaysia’s and the region’s artistic heritage, from the mesmerising fluid metal sculptures of Abdul Multhalib Musa – one of Malaysia’s young leading contemporary sculptors – to the participatory Shore Debris Table installation by artist and photographer Ernest Goh of Ayer Ayer. Ombak Festival will also feature two marketplaces – a Southeast Asian fashion and lifestyle collection curated by Dia Guild, and local artisanal designs at Lokal Market – with offerings that are environmentally and socially conscious and accessible to all.

The fun extends to even the youngest of guests through Ombak Kids and its programme of family-friendly activities. From the Silent Disco Kids edition to Mereka Garden Games; from Junglewalla eco-adventures and Flying Kites to Sailing Jongs – there will be a variety of interactive workshops, thrilling games, and engaging entertainment for the young and the young at heart to revel in.

Ombak Festival Packages

In-destination guests get to experience the ultimate benefit of Ombak Festival at their own pace in world-class accommodation and services every step of the way. All four 5-star Desaru Coast resorts – Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast, The Westin Desaru Coast Resort, Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas, and One&Only Desaru Coast – are within walking distance of the picturesque festival sites. Staying at Desaru Coast completes The Ultimate Weekend experience, with the entire Ombak Festival at your resort doorstep.

All Ombak Festival Stay Packages are exclusive to Desaru Coast resorts, and are designed for two adults with complimentary stay for one child aged 12 and under. The packages include accommodation and breakfast; Festival Opening Party on 13 September; Festival Weekend Passes; access to Ombak Kids programmes and Adventure Waterpark Desaru Coast; and selected food offerings.

Guests can enjoy the best rates with Early Stay Packages, which are on immediate sale until 13 July 2024. Festival Day Passes, Festival 2-Day Passes, and travel information will be announced on 22 July 2024.

Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast is a fun fit for families, given its proximity to Adventure Waterpark, where Ombak Kids will be held. Packages at Hard Rock start from RM4,500.

The Westin Desaru Coast Resort is perfect for two, with packages starting from RM5,000.
Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas offers immersive art and culinary experiences, from RM6,550.

Flavours of Ember Beach Club, along with one-off hospitality packages are available at One&Only Desaru Coast.