Malaysia Day celebrations has always carried weight, but this year it comes with an added flourish. The government’s surprise announcement of a public holiday on Monday, 15 September stretches the weekend into four golden days. For many, this is an invitation to escape the city. For others, it is the perfect reason to head to Johor’s southeast coast, where Ombak Festival returns for its second edition at Desaru Coast.
Last year, Ombak signalled the arrival of a new kind of Malaysian festival: coastal, immersive, and ambitious in scale. This year, it returns larger, sharper, and with the confidence of a cultural gathering that wants to be more than a stage for music. Ombak is not yet claiming the title of Malaysia’s definitive festival—the long-running Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak continues to hold its own crowds and legacy—but it is undoubtedly shaping up as the country’s most exciting coastal cultural weekender.
A Festival with an ASEAN Pulse
The promise of Ombak is simple: global legends sharing the spotlight with ASEAN voices. This is a festival that calls itself “The Ultimate Weekend,” but it is also deliberately local in spirit, coinciding with the Malaysia Day celebration and designed to amplify the region’s creative voice.
Friday night at Ember Beach Club sets the tone with electronic duo Flight Facilities alongside LZZY. By Saturday, the Main Stage swells with a lineup that bridges generations and geographies: Tanayu and Vanthan from the region, Malaysian powerhouse Zamaera, Johor’s own Joe Flizzow with SonaOne and Ismail Izzani, indie-pop darling Phum Viphurit, and the legendary Simply Red, who arrive in Desaru as part of their 40th anniversary celebrations.
LEFT: FLIGHT FACILITIES; RIGHT: JOSS STONE
Sunday closes the weekend with a different energy: Keyana, Singapore’s The Pinholes, Malaysia’s ska veterans Gerhana Skacinta, coastal soul artist Don West, the ever-soulful Joss Stone, and funk pioneer George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic.
Alongside the main acts, Studio Ombak and the Village Stage are designed to surprise. Singapore’s Blackout Agency returns with Miss Lil, Sivanesh, Zig Zach, Ouissam, and JonnyVicious, while regional sounds come through NADA, Diskoria, DJ Xi, and Mellow Goeslaw. The Village Stage keeps its rootsy, communal charm with sets from Golden Mammoth, Masia One & The Jah Jah Army, The Filters, and Kyoto Protocol.
LEFT: DISKORIA; RIGHT: PHUM VIPHURIT
What makes Ombak distinct is that it’s not trying to be a facsimile of international festivals. Instead, it feels like Malaysia’s own soundtrack: hip hop and R&B for the city kids, funk and soul for the seasoned listener, and indie-pop for the dreamers.
Beyond the Music
Like Coachella, Ombak positions itself as more than a concert. It is designed as a rhythm of experiences, where afternoons might be spent wandering through bazaars before nights dissolve into live sets.
PASAR SELOKA FOR OMBAK FESTIVAL
The Festival Village is the living heart of this rhythm, and best of all, it is free to enter. Here, Pasar Seloka brings together Malaysian artisans, designers, and indie labels, while food stalls keep festival-goers fuelled from day into night. Guests can drift between a casual afternoon of shopping and craft workshops before surrendering to the pull of the Main Stage after sundown.
Food is given pride of place, in the way only a Malaysian festival can manage. Carbon KL returns with its woodfire theatrics (the Smoked Beef Rib remains a highlight), while Chef Andrew Walsh brings Sazón Tapas & Grill to the seaside. Madhatter Desserts layers playful invention into the mix, and Flavours of Johor by Chef Sid Murshid pays homage to his Muar roots, cementing the festival’s dining scene with a taste of locality even as international acts command the stage.
On the arts side, the Segaris Art Center brings block printing to life with local schoolchildren, while Pulau Pulao leads upcycling workshops. All Tiled Up offers mahjong lessons, a whimsical nod to pop culture nostalgia. These are not side attractions but woven into the fabric of the weekend as much a part of Ombak’s identity as its headline acts.
And then there is Ombak Kids, where families can embrace the festival without compromise. Last year’s ten-foot puppets Meera & Fiz return, alongside kitemaking by Go Fly Kites, the LEGOLAND Speed Building Challenge, and Mereka Games. For parents who still want to catch Simply Red at night, it is a reminder that Ombak is a festival that stretches across generations.
Next Destination: Desaru Coast
A key part of Ombak’s appeal is its setting. Desaru Coast is not simply a backdrop but an integrated festival village framed by the South China Sea, five-star resorts, and natural charm. Unlike city-based events, everything here is within reach, from stages by the water to artisanal markets, all with the sea breeze running through.
Accommodation partners transform Ombak into a true resort festival. Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas offers beachfront luxury, The Westin Desaru Coast Resort balances wellness with family-friendly stays, Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast lends youthful energy and music-inspired design, while The Sireya Desaru, the newest addition, brings a contemporary edge. What we hear loud and clear is “you can dance the night away and return to comfort within minutes”.
READ ALSO: Anantara Hotels & Resorts: Luxurious Stays in Harmony with Culture
Getting to Desaru Coast is part of the draw. Desaru is a four-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur, or just two hours from Singapore. From Johor Bahru’s Senai International Airport, it’s an hour’s drive, with resort transfers available. For those taking the sea-nic route, the Desaru Coast Ferry Terminal connects directly to Singapore.
During the festival itself, Ombak Shuttles run hop-on, hop-off services all weekend, connecting festival sites with the resorts, Adventure Waterpark, the public beach, The Els Club, and the ferry terminal. More than 1,500 parking bays are also available, including 1,000 at Adventure Waterpark alone.
The FOMO Factor
If you needed proof that Ombak Festival has captured the imagination of weekend escapees, look no further than the Friday and 3-day passes having already sold out. The opening night at Ember Beach Club will now be reserved only for those who moved early, and it shows how quickly the rest of the weekend is disappearing.
What’s left (as of 31 Aug) is still generous, but not for long:
- 1-day passes (Saturday or Sunday): RM350
- 2-day passes (Sat + Sun): RM650
Passes to Ombak Festival 2025 are available on Ticketmelon.com.
The math is clear: three days of music, food, and art for the price of two-maybe-three hours at many city concerts. The FOMO is just as apparent—once the sun sets on Saturday, there will be no more chances to buy your way into this Malaysia Day weekend on the coast.
Whether you come for Simply Red’s 40th anniversary tour set, the smoky draw of Carbon’s grills, or the pull of dancing barefoot in the sand, Ombak is the rare event that feels like a once-a-year convergence. Miss it, and you’ll spend the rest of the year watching Instagram Stories wondering why you stayed home.
The Spirit of Ombak
Ombak means “wave” in Malay, and the metaphor could not be more apt. This is a wave of music, food, and creativity rolling onto Malaysian shores, catching the energy of a long weekend and sweeping it into something larger than entertainment. It is not about see-and-be-seen theatrics, but about music lovers, families, and curious travellers coming together on the same sand.
INSTAGRAM: @OMBAKFESTIVALMY
If Good Vibes Festival once represented Malaysia’s youth culture, Ombak now carries the momentum of becoming the country’s coastal festival brand—not by replacing legacy festivals, but by offering a distinctly different experience. One that feels young, global, regional, and proudly Malaysian all at once.
For those still deciding where to spend the Malaysia Day long weekend, the choice is simple. Wake up by the sea, wander through a market with the scent of smoked beef ribs in the air, lose yourself in block printing workshops, and then sprint to the Main Stage as Simply Red strikes its first chords. Ombak Festival is not just a ticket to music, but to a long weekend lived in rhythm.
Buy Ombak Festival tickets on Ticketmelon.com.
From the table to the world beyond, Nacre brings you dining, travel, and lifestyle experiences worth savouring. Explore more with us on Instagram or TikTok at @nacre.asia.
Nacre. 
Leave a comment