The Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP) is an electronic dance music festival happening every December. It is normally in Jakarta, but the 2018 edition will be set in Bali's GWK cultural park (Garuda Wisnu Kencana) on the 7th, 8th and 9th December. The relocation is a way to celebrate the events' 10th anniversary.
GWK is a fantastic venue for a music festival and a perfect match for DWP. The park recently got the spotlight after a massive 121-meter high Vishnu/Garuda statue was completed. As it turns out, the mythical Garuda bird has often been the main theme of the previous DWP editions.
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| The setting of DWP in GWK |
It is a mainstream festival featuring mostly commercial DJs who play EDM, Trance and Techno. Many of the world's most famous DJs have participated in DWP in the past few years, among whom Tiesto, Skrillex, David Guetta, Martin Garrix, Axwell, Avicii and Calvin Harris.
Buying Your Tickets to DWP 2018
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| The Garudha Stage at DWP2015 |
Tickets are sold via a large number of retailers, both online or offline. You have the complete list of authorized sellers here: Official Tickets Partners DWP. Hurry up because the prices will normally keep increasing with time.
Right now, the prices are as follow:
3-Day Pass (General Admission): IDR2,420,000
3-Day Pass (VIP Gold): 3,960,000
The VIP Gold Ticket gives you access to a special, faster entrance and a reserved area with better facilities closer to the DJs.
Once you've made your purchase, you will receive an electronic ticket (e-voucher) that you must exchange with a special wristband. The exchange for the wristband can either be done on the spot on the day of DWP, or in advance in a location given by the management. The guidelines for that will be sent to you 2 weeks before the event.
The wristband will then need to be activated to allow for entrance. Even with the wristband, note that you'll still need to show an ID (passport, driving license, ID card) to get inside.
Food and DrinksRight now, the prices are as follow:
3-Day Pass (General Admission): IDR2,420,000
3-Day Pass (VIP Gold): 3,960,000
The VIP Gold Ticket gives you access to a special, faster entrance and a reserved area with better facilities closer to the DJs.
Once you've made your purchase, you will receive an electronic ticket (e-voucher) that you must exchange with a special wristband. The exchange for the wristband can either be done on the spot on the day of DWP, or in advance in a location given by the management. The guidelines for that will be sent to you 2 weeks before the event.
The wristband will then need to be activated to allow for entrance. Even with the wristband, note that you'll still need to show an ID (passport, driving license, ID card) to get inside.
Food and drinks are not included in the price of a ticket and you cannot bring any from outside (nor cigarettes). This means you'll need to spend quite a bit of money on the spot. Even the water is not free (around Rp40,000 or US$3).
At DWP, you do not pay directly in cash. Instead, you buy "tokens" that you exchange at the food stands or shops. It is a way for them to avoid monkey business. You have Blue tokens, Silver tokens and Bronze tokens. They are non-refundable so you should be careful to buy only as little as you need.
The F&B area is well-organized in a food court (Eats and Beats) and features several restaurants brands from Ismaya like Kitchenette, Pizza e Birra and Fook Yew. You can get proper meals there in a comfortable setting, with AC. The prices are OK (around Rp120,000 or US$9 for a meal with soft drinks) but you shouldn't expect great taste.
Alcohol drinks are less reasonably-priced: You'll need to spend Rp130,000 (US$10) per glass of liquor or cocktails and Rp90,000 (US$7) for a beer. A bottle of spirit will cost you Rp2,000,000 (US$150). You need to be at least 21 years old to buy alcohol (a valid ID is required).
If you are on a budget, I recommend you to grab a few bottles at the duty-free shop and to drink with friends in your hotel before the event.
You should bring at least Rp1,000,000 (US$75) with you for a decent, intoxicated night out. Note that there are several ATMs inside if you need extra cash.
Location and Best Hotels Nearby
The location of the Djakarta Warehouse Project 2018, in GWK, is about 30 minutes from the airport and 40 minutes from Kuta. On the day of the event, it will probably take much longer to do the distance as the main road is tiny.
A smart thing to do is to choose a hotel in the South of Bali. As it turns out, I know this area very well as I lived in there for 3 years.
Jimbaran is actually the perfect location as it is between GWK and the airport. There are also quite a few things to do there, including the beach, seafood restaurants and spas.
Here are the best hotels in Jimbaran, within 10-15 minutes of GWK, that are suitable for party people (24-hour reception, late breakfast, on-site restaurant):
- Intercontinental Bali: 210$ per night (the only beachfront property on this list)
- Kupu Kupu Jimbaran: 110$ per night (inside a small shopping center with L'Occitane Spa and 4 restaurants)
- Le Meridien Bali: 100$ per night (in front of the seafood restaurants)
- Fox Harris and Jimbaran Bay Resort: 55$ per night (a bit further away)
My advice is that you should book fast. I see there is already plenty of fully-booked hotel 3 months before the event, so I can't imagine how it will be 1 week before.
Airbnb
If you come to DWP with a group of friends, you can also rent a villa with several bedrooms on Airbnb. You can search in the areas of Jimbaran, Uluwatu, Ungasan and Pecatu. If you've never made an account before, you can get 40$ off your first reservation by using this link.
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A smart thing to do is to choose a hotel in the South of Bali. As it turns out, I know this area very well as I lived in there for 3 years.
Jimbaran is actually the perfect location as it is between GWK and the airport. There are also quite a few things to do there, including the beach, seafood restaurants and spas.
Here are the best hotels in Jimbaran, within 10-15 minutes of GWK, that are suitable for party people (24-hour reception, late breakfast, on-site restaurant):
- Intercontinental Bali: 210$ per night (the only beachfront property on this list)
- Kupu Kupu Jimbaran: 110$ per night (inside a small shopping center with L'Occitane Spa and 4 restaurants)
- Le Meridien Bali: 100$ per night (in front of the seafood restaurants)
- Fox Harris and Jimbaran Bay Resort: 55$ per night (a bit further away)
My advice is that you should book fast. I see there is already plenty of fully-booked hotel 3 months before the event, so I can't imagine how it will be 1 week before.
Airbnb
If you come to DWP with a group of friends, you can also rent a villa with several bedrooms on Airbnb. You can search in the areas of Jimbaran, Uluwatu, Ungasan and Pecatu. If you've never made an account before, you can get 40$ off your first reservation by using this link.
The Party
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The Crowd
Last year, 90,000 people attended DWP, making it the largest festival of the kind in the region. It attracts mostly a local audience, including Indonesians from provincial cities like Bandung, Surabaya or Yogyakarta. There is also a sizable number of foreigners from nearby Asian countries who visit Bali just for the occasion (Malaysians in particular). According to official figures, foreigners account for 20% of the attendance.
The participants are from the mid-to-upper level background and they are well-behaved. Since it is an exceptional event by Indonesian standards, people can be really excited and they'll plan the festival months ahead. Most are friendly, cool to hang out with and open to meet with fellow clubbers.
Note that the festival is only allowed to adults over 18 years old and that you aren't allowed to buy alcohol if you are under 21.
Meeting Indonesian Girls
If you are hoping to meet girls, there are a lot of pretty ones, including scores of SPGs (Sales Promotion Girls). Many will be with a group of friends so you should be careful when approaching them.
Dating sites and apps are a good way to get some contacts before arriving in Bali, especially IndonesianCupid. Mention that you are going to DWP on your profile and you're pretty sure to match with a few party girls.
Dress Code
The dress code is relaxed. The coolest people will wear some kind of accessories (hats, glasses, etc...) and they'll be more busy updating their Instagram than dancing. Wear comfortable shoes, pants and t-shirts and bring along some changing clothes (lockers cost for Rp40,000 up to Rp100,000 - US$3-US$7.5).
The Performance Stages
The DJ performances are held on several distinct stages. I'm not sure yet about the stages for DWP 2018 but they might include the same as last year: Garudha Land, Neon Jungle, Mad Decent and Darker Side. It will be revealed just a few days before the event. The previous years, Garudha Land featured a giant sculpture representing the mythical Garuda bird. It is really world-class, with impressive visual effects that involve multicolor lighting, laser shows, fireworks, smoke and screens. The show is an important part of the party, just as much as the DJs.
Garudha Land is located outdoor which is quite a bet considering December is the rainy season in Bali. Fortunately, the smaller stages are under a roof with AC.
Schedule of DJ sets
The timing of each set will be known early December only. The first DJs start at 4pm (local ones) and the last ones end at 4am. It is best to arrive early (before 7pm) to avoid entrance queues.
DJ Line Up DWP 2018
The line up for this year's DWP includes several famous names of the commercial EDM, trance and techno scene. Most of them rank high on the DJ Mag Top 100 and they are regulars of all the big festivals like Tomorrowland or Ultra.
The following names have been announced so far:
The following names have been announced so far:
The Weeknd
Alesso (No. 37 on Top 100 DJ Mag)
Armin Van Buuren (No. 3 on Top 100 DJ Mag)
DJ Snake (No. 23 on Top 100 DJ Mag)
Major Lazer (No. 45 on Top 100 DJ Mag)
Porter Robinson
RL Grime
There will also be performances by the sexy dancers of CyberJapan:
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RL Grime
Travel Insurance and Safety
You should have a proper travel insurance when traveling to Indonesia. It is not expensive for just two days and you'll save yourself a lot of trouble in case of accident, disease, cancellation or loss of personal stuff. If you are a foreigner, you can get a quote in a few seconds on WorldNomads.
Questions about Djakarta Warehouse Project?
If you have any questions about your trip to Bali for the Djakarta Warehouse Project, please just leave a comment below and I'll answer as soon as possible.
You should have a proper travel insurance when traveling to Indonesia. It is not expensive for just two days and you'll save yourself a lot of trouble in case of accident, disease, cancellation or loss of personal stuff. If you are a foreigner, you can get a quote in a few seconds on WorldNomads.
Questions about Djakarta Warehouse Project?
If you have any questions about your trip to Bali for the Djakarta Warehouse Project, please just leave a comment below and I'll answer as soon as possible.
Credit Photo: https://www.instagram.com/henrynov/ and https://www.instagram.com/allisamazing/