Suwat Water Festival
Suwat Water Festival
The Suwat Water Festival (Festival Air Suwat) is an annual New Year celebration held every January 1st in Desa Adat Suwat, a traditional village in Gianyar, Bali. Running for over ten years, the festival honours water as a sacred life source and brings together hundreds of villagers and visitors in a joyful water battle tradition.
The day begins with a communal trek through Suwat’s scenic rice terraces, during which participants collect plastic waste as an act of environmental stewardship. This is followed by the ceremonial planting of 50 tree species as a living offering to the land. The morning of January 1st begins with Mendak Tirta — a sacred ritual in which villagers collect holy water from the Tukad Melangsih river.
The centrepiece of the festival is the water battle itself: a purifying tradition rooted in Balinese belief that water cleanses the spirit and strengthens community bonds. Around 700 participants take part each year alongside international tourists, making it one of Gianyar’s most vibrant and welcoming community events.
The 2027 Suwat Water Festival is expected on January 1, 2027, consistent with the established annual pattern. Official dates have not yet been announced. Based on the ten-year tradition, this festival always runs on New Year’s Day at Desa Adat Suwat.
