The KATCHAFEST was announced as the most important reggae festival in Indonesia. In August 2022, the event took place at Melasti Beach. Read on to discover my musical experience in one of the trendiest beach clubs in Bali.
On August 6th, 2022, thousands of people got together in Bali to listen to one of the most universal music languages in the world: reggae. I was one of those people in the crowd, dancing to well-known reggae bands and musicians like Katchafire from New Zealand (a legendary band with a 20-year history), Ras Muhamad, and Ulu Root.
The 2022 edition took place opposite the TT Beach Club, which deserves a part in this review. The Melasti Beach in Bali needs no introduction: white sand, impressive limestone cliffs, breathtaking viewpoints, and beautiful sunsets. Nestled in this scenario, perfect to set the mood, the KATCHAFEST was held at the TT Beach Club (formerly known as Cattamaran Beach Club), one of the most popular of its kind.
“TT” stands for Tropical Temptation. Along with their new slogan, ‘Simpler Life, Better Experience, Stronger Identity, With The Same Love’, the new identity is almost a tribute to the luxurious yet straightforward adventure that is to live in a place like Indonesia.
The festival was well organized with limited queuing getting in and getting out. Food and drinks stands were available but as with most festivals were not very exciting.
TIP: Have patience if you want to get food and drink. They use electronic money with an electronic bracelet that has to be topped up. We had to queue for over 20 minutes every time we wanted to top up. Drinks were relatively expensive with beers costing 95000 Rpies.
The vibe was overwhelmingly positive, and after 2 years of Covid restrictions, it was good to see locals and tourists dancing to reggae music.
The Reggae festival was opened in the early afternoon by well-known local reggae band Ulu Roots. Around 7pm, Ras Muhamad came on stage. He is one of Indonesia’s most famous reggae artists and got the crowd dancing.
The star of the show was, however, Katchafire. This reggae band from New Zealand played their most famous songs from Love Letter and Get Away. Three Little Birds from Bob Marley got the crowd really going, and it was not damped by the rain that interrupted the show mid-way.
If you’re looking for more activities and ideas while you are around, make sure to check all my luxury travel reviews in Indonesia. And if you are just in the mood for some music, read about my experience at the Montreux Jazz Festival.
If you attend an event at TT beach club and need a place to stay nearby, read my reviews of the Six Senses Uluwatu and the Mulia Bali
Photos by Brett Merill and @Lexfilminc
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