A message from the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival in regards to Mount Agung

Posted: 11 October 2017

A world-class literary event, the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival places the utmost importance on the safety and enjoyment of our speakers, audiences and volunteers.

Although there is no way of knowing when or even if the eruption of Mount Agung may occur, we – along with other individuals and businesses in Bali – are putting steps in place to ensure that there is minimal impact on the event and its attendees.

As per the advice of authorities, there is no immediate danger to areas outside of a 12km radius of Mount Agung and Ubud, being 35km away, is expected to be minimally affected. The most likely impact would be a resulting ash cloud, which may be visible in Ubud and has the potential to affect incoming and outgoing flights to Bali.

How you can prepare

We recommend that you bring a few extra items in your suitcase:

  • Face mask/s (Look for N-95 on the packaging. These are in short supply on the island, so we recommend that you bring a few with you)
  • A poncho
  • An umbrella

As per travel advice, we recommend that all Festival attendees have travel insurance for the duration of their trip.

How we have prepared

We have designated evacuation areas at each of our three main venues: Neka Museum, Indus restaurant, and Taman Baca. In the event of an eruption, our team will be on hand to guide people into designated evacuation areas, where they will then help transport people back to their hotels or place of residence.

We will also have extra medical support available on the ground.

We will update audiences of any schedule changes to Festival programming via our website.