Rainforest World Music Festival review – Sarawak, Malaysia
It’s time to start planning your family trip to the Rainforest World Music Festival 2024 – one of the world’s most exciting music festivals held in the beautiful Malaysian state of Sarawak, Borneo
If you thought your fun music festival days were behind you now that you have children – think again! My family recently had the pleasure of attending the Rainforest World Music Festival 2023 (also known as the RWMF) and both my kids and I all agreed it was a fantastic holiday – we can’t wait to attend the Rainforest World Music Festival 2024!
What is the Rainforest World Music Festival?
The Rainforest World Music Festival is a celebration and coming together of the world’s different music and cultures in a beautiful natural setting. It draws people to it from all around the world, and is often sold-out.
The Rainforest World Music Festival is full of fun surprises!
Combined with cultural presentations, workshops and traditional and contemporary arts and crafts held by day, the Rainforest World Music Festival also showcases an impressive array of delicious world-food stalls representing many countries and nationalities.
This incredibly unique festival is both an amazing event – and a great family holiday destination!
Where can I buy Rainforest World Music Festival tickets online?
We always buy our online tickets using Klook – an official ticket reseller of Rainforest Music Festival tickets! The 2024 Rainforest World Music Festival tickets are expected to go on sale in April 2024.
Go to Klook to buy discounted Rainforest World Music Festival 2024 tickets online
This page may contain affiliate links. If you book a stay or an attraction through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support!
Are children allowed at the Rainforest World Music Festival?
Children are allowed to attend the Rainforest World Music Festival
Yes! Children are allowed to attend the Rainforest World Music Festival.
Rainforest World Music Festival is a family-friendly music festival that welcomes the whole family – and that includes the children!
The kids have a fantastic time playing, learning a new culture including hands on art at workshops plus bopping to the beat of the music at the concerts each night – often with a brightly coloured light-up toy in hand!
Where is the Rainforest World Music Festival held?
The Sarawak Cultural Village hosts the Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak, Malaysia
The Rainforest World Music Festival is held in Kuching in Sarawak, a state of Malaysia located on the island of Borneo.
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How long does the Rainforest World Music Festival run for?
The Rainforest World Music Festival is held over three days and nights.
The Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak is held next to a real rainforest
Is the Rainforest World Music Festival held in a rainforest?
Yes – or at least, right next to it! The Rainforest World Music Festival is held inside the Sarawak Cultural Village which is located at the foot of the rainforest clad slopes of Mount Santubong in Kuching, Sarawak.
The expansive two-stage concert area is showcased by its lawn amphitheatre, and backs onto a lush rainforest jungle.
Explore Kuching during the day and dance through the night!
The Sarawak Cultural Village
Our Sarawak visit days were made up of having fun learning about the local culture at the Sarawak Cultural Village, Kampung Budaya Sarawak , or exploring the local area of Kuching.
The Sarawak Cultural Village is a great place to explore and learn local cultural traditions
Often during the afternoons we would head back to our deluxe accommodation at Damai Beach Resort to take a break at our stunning clifftop villa or go for a swim in the pool before returning to the Sarawak Cultural Village in the evening for all three nights of wonderful music concerts from around the world at the Rainforest World Music Festival.
The Rainforest World Music Festival in Kuching
The Gypsy Kings and Big Mountain
The Rainforest World Music Festival 2023 featured the huge headline acts Gypsy Kings and Big Mountain, plus there was an impressive line up of both local and international bands and performers. You know that you’re going to experience some incredible music acts as the festival attracts top performers from around the world!
Big Mountain played their smash hit Baby I Love Your Way
Watch Big Mountain at the RWMF!
Watch Big Mountain perform their global smash hit song Baby I Love Your Way at the 2023 Rainforest World Music Festival! The crowd erupted and the atmosphere was electric as soon as they heard the music we all know and love…but they played a little trick on us before starting the number properly! See here for yourself…
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From Russian throat singing to African dance and drum troupes to reggae and rock – the Rainforest World Music Festival has it all!
The family friendly music festival
Best of all, the atmosphere is one of family-friendly fun. The audience atmosphere at the festival was one of enjoyment and relaxation.
Some families spread blankets on the grass lawn and hills surrounding the performance stages. Other concert-goers preferred to dance and sing along with their favourites up front, near the stage.
The music started in the early evening and continued deep into the night, so you could pick and choose if you only wanted to stay for a few hours, or for the entire time.
Our family loved our trip to the Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak, Malaysia
Festival security and safety
The festival organisation is one of precision with safety in mind. Entry to the festival is controlled via a daily wristband system and security is present.
My family felt completely safe at all times of the day and night in Sirawak, no matter where we were – from the beach at night to the very front of the music concerts dancing and singing along with the other festival attendees!
The Sarawak community is one of warm welcome and friendship.
Sarawak Cultural Village
Walk the bamboo pole bridge at the Sarawak Cultural Village
The Rainforest World Music festival is held in the Sarawak Cultural Village, a wonderful tourist destination all of its own.
Traditional houses at the Sarawak Cultural Village
We loved exploring the traditional raised and long houses, climbing up the wooden stairways and balancing along the bamboo bridge! There is so much to see and do at the cultural village.
The Sarawak Cultural Village has lots to see and do
We joined in on some really fun traditional dances, and you can even learn how a dart blow pipe works there!
Exploring the markets at the Sarawak Cultural Village
Festival Workshops
The drum workshop taught us a world of rhythm!
During the day there are all kinds of special workshops you can join in on.
We all loved dance workshops, a drum workshop and a batik painting workshop where my daughters painted some gorgeous souvenir silk paintings we could take home with us. They now hang in pride of place in our home – a very special memento of our wonderful trip.
We beat the Malaysian percussion record!
During the festival there was an organised successful attempt at the Malaysian percussion record.
Everyone was given percussion instruments, or improvised with anything that could make musical rhythm – even water bottles with sand in worked beautifully! The result was a really fun music session of music festival attendees from right around the world making beautiful, rhythmic music together. We were so proud to be a part of it!
Delicious food from around the world
There was a huge range of international food choices at the Rainforest Festival. This was indeed Foodie heaven!
Every food you could possibly imagine was on sale – from exotic fresh fruits to delicious fried food and a huge range of drinks.
Sarawak food is so delicious!
You can find every food your heart desires inside the huge food pavilion, and also dotted all around the festival grounds.
Delicious Malaysian dishes and other traditional Borneo delicacies soon became our new favourites, including red bean pancakes and fried-coral mushrooms!
Where can I stay for the Rainforest World Music Festival?
Like any trip, accommodation is a big part of it. There are many different hotel and luxury resort options in Sarawak, Borneo. We stayed close by in a beautiful beachside hotel, Damai Beach Resort.
The Damai Beach Resort – Kuching accommodation
Damai Beach Resort is right next door to the Rainforest World Music Festival
We loved staying close to the Rainforest World Music Festival in our luxurious clifftop villa at the Damai Beach Resort. Located right next door, the Damai Beach Resort is a mere five minutes stroll away from the Rainforest Music Festival.
You can book a room at the Damai Beach Resort and read all about it in our Damai Beach Resort review here.
Cove 55 hotel – Kuching luxury accommodation
Cove 55 is a beautifully located hotel in Kuching
One evening in Sarawak we also went on an evening excursion to the stunning Cove 55 boutique hotel. Set against the backdrop of the stunning Mount Santubong, Cove 55 offers elegant and exclusive Sarawak accommodation options.
There we enjoyed tropical cocktails and delicate hors d’oeuvres as we watched the sun sink into the South China Sea, marvelling at the beautiful infinity pool and over-water accommodation.
Cove55 is another excellent Kuching accommodation option for the luxury accommodation vacationer. You can book or check availability for Cove 55 accommodation here.
Kuching day trips – Bako National Park
Proboscis monkeys live in the wild at Bako National Park
Whist we attended the Rainforest World Music Festival we took an exciting day trip to visit the incredible Bako National Park. You can read all about our visit which included witnessing lots of wildlife, including the endangered Proboscis Monkeys in our Bako National Park feature here.
Go on a jungle hike at Bako National Park
The Rainforest World Music Festival of 2023 was a huge success. My family all loved it so much we’re already planning our visit for the next Rainforest World Music Festival in 2024.
Find out more about the Rainforest World Music Festival at the official website here.
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There are few events where you can not only have a lot of fun learning about a beautiful cultures and international music, but you can also relax at a gorgeous beach front resort and visit a world-class national park all in the same place.
Stunning Kuching in Sarawak, Malaysia is a wonderful part of the world for Australian families to visit.
Do you have any questions about attending the Rainforest World Music Festival? Ask me in the comments below!
The Rainforest World Music Festival, Sarawak, Malaysia
You may also like to read the following family travel blogs for Kuching, Malaysia…
Day trip to Bako National Park to see Proboscis Monkeys
Damai Beach Resort in Sarawak, Malaysia review here.
The Rainforest World Music Festival, Sarawak, Malaysia
Disclaimers: This page may contain affiliate links. If you book a stay or an attraction through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support!
The Let’s Go Mum family partnered with Sarawak Tourism for this trip to Sarawak, Malaysia on the island of Borneo. As always, all opinions are our own.
All prices and times quoted were correct at October 2023, the time of publishing this article, but can change frequently. Please always re-check for current prices.
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