Located just a hop and a skip past the Causeway, Desaru Coast in Johor has been revamped in recent years to become a popular getaway location. The burgeoning lifestyle destination offers pristine beaches, golf courses and a slew of nonstop activities.
Come next month, Desaru Coast will be the site of the Ombak Festival, a three-day event with everything from music and performances to visual arts and crafts. Expect to see stars at the award-winning resort from Sept 13 to 15, as it plays host to six-time Grammy winner Nile Rodgers & Chic, Grace Jones and Macy Gray, among others.
And the stage isn’t the only place you’ll get to meet celebrities, either; chef Andrew Walsh of Cure fame is set to show off his culinary prowess at two events over the weekend.
With over 50 events lined up for the weekend, Options gives you the low-down on everything to look forward to at the Ombak Festival.
Perfect performances
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The festivities begin on Sept 13 with an opening party at The Westin Desaru Coast, followed by a weekend full of performances, some of which will be exclusive ticketed events for those with stay packages at the respective resorts.
Such exclusive events include All Q’ued Up, a performance by English musician Will Holland, better known as Quantic, at the Ember Beach Club in One&Only Desaru Coast; tickets go for RM300 ($88) apiece.
The Cardigans will then perform at the Ombak Main Stage on Sept 14; the Swedish rock band is best known for its 1996 smash hit Lovefool. Following them will be Grace Jones, the Jamaican-American boundary breaker whose bold and avant-garde style made waves in music and fashion in the 1980s.
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Closing out the Ombak Festival’s performances on Sept 15 are Macy Gray and Nile Rodgers & Chic. Gray has had a string of hits, including the international hit I Try, and is instantly recognisable for her raspy, soulful vocals. Meanwhile, at 71 years old, Rodgers is proving he’s still got it, having just come off two Grammy wins for his work on Beyonce’s Renaissance album in 2023.
Regional acts will also perform at the Ombak Festival, including Singaporean singer-songwriter Aisyah Aziz, Malaysian hip-hop artist Joe Flizzow, and Indonesian bands Thee Marloes and Sweet Nightmare.
Artsy experiences
For the visually inclined, there’ll be plenty to check out at Desaru Coast over the weekend. Among these is an exclusive ticketed event, Beachfront Sip & Paint at Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas, with tickets going at RM150 apiece. As its name suggests, you’ll get to art jam on the seashore with tipples in hand, plus you’ll have a local artist guiding you through each brushstroke.
Those with their head in the clouds might like a kite-making experience, Go Fly Kites, with Malaysian traditional kite-maker Razi Said at The Westin Desaru Coast Resort. Known as “wau”, these typically take tens — if not hundreds — of hours to create; here, you’ll have a chance to learn the ropes and get the basics of how to create your own.
If getting crafty isn’t quite your jam, there’s also lots to buy. A retail pop-up by Southeast Asian fashion platform Dia Guild at the Festival Village will showcase artisanal fashion from the region, while Kuala Lumpur-based label Kapten Batik will offer casual batik outfits that work everywhere from the beach to Sunday brunch.
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Kids won’t be left out of the fun, either. Look out for Ombak Kids' experiences at Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast, such as garden games, a silent disco and even a Star Wars-inspired wayang kulit (shadow puppet) performance.
Foodies’ paradise
Of course, no festival is complete without food — and boy, is there a lot to try. Headlining the Ombak Festival’s culinary delights is chef Andrew Walsh, who will helm brunch at the Ember Beach Club in One&Only Desaru Coast over the weekend in an exclusive ticketed event (RM400). This promises to be an “elevated barbecue experience infused with Asian flavours”, set to the tunes of DJs Maft Sai and Mellow Goeslaw.
Over at Kedidi in The Westin Desaru Coast Resort, fine-dining restaurant Carbon KL is set to hold a restaurant takeover. Helmed by David Tay and Yeoh Wei Chieh, the menu will highlight Malaysian classics with a modern twist.
Outside the resort restaurants, the Festival Village offers a wide selection, including ice cream by Licky Chan, coffee by Stellar and Nusantara fare by KAI. If something alcoholic is more your speed, Joel Poon of Reka:Bar — which ranked No 41 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list this year — and Apurav Bhatia of Vér will be putting together Borneo-inspired cocktails at Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas. A cocktail-making class will also be available at Dusky Monkey in One&Only Desaru Coast, led by resident mixologist Steward Morris.
Getting your feet wet
Stay packages for stays at Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast, The Westin Desaru Coast Resort and Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas can be purchased via the Ombak Festival website at ombakfestival.com, and entry to exclusive ticketed events are available on Ticketmelon.
The stay packages, designed for two adults with a complimentary stay for one child aged 12 and under, also grant access to the opening party on Sept 13, with weekend passes for the remaining two days, as well as access to the Festival Village, Ombak Kids programmes and Adventure Waterpark Desaru Coast.
Those opting not to stay at one of Desaru Coast’s resorts can go for the Festival Day Passes, which grant access to the Ombak Main Stage, as well as retail and F&B areas within the Festival Village, are also available on Ticketmelon and Sistic. One-day passes go for RM550++ apiece, and two-day passes cost RM990++ each.
