Bali Cocktail Exchange Makes Its Debut from 12–17 September 2026
Bali’s first island-wide cocktail exchange brings together local, regional and international bars for six days of guest shifts, education, dining and community programming.
Bali’s cocktail scene is set to welcome a new island-wide gathering this September with the inaugural Bali Cocktail Exchange (BCX), taking place from 12–17 September 2026. Bringing together bartenders, bars and hospitality professionals from Bali, Jakarta and international cocktail destinations, the programme will unfold across Ubud, Seminyak and Canggu.
Founded by Jas Farras and Vandena Yanarta, BCX has been created as a platform for the local and international bar communities to connect, collaborate and exchange ideas. Rather than centring on competition, the event places emphasis on shared knowledge and relationships, bringing visiting talent together with Bali’s own hospitality community through guest shifts, educational sessions, dining experiences and cultural programming.
An Exchange Across the Island
The programme begins in Ubud on 12 September, with its main activities and guest shifts continuing on 13 September. BCX then moves south to Seminyak on 14 and 15 September, where participating venues will host a series of guest shifts, collaborations and special events, before concluding in Canggu on 16 and 17 September.
At the heart of BCX is the idea of bringing the world of cocktails to Bali while presenting Bali’s own hospitality culture to an international audience. Throughout the programme, bartenders and guests will have opportunities to discover different approaches to drinks, ingredients and hospitality while celebrating the people and places that continue to shape the island’s evolving cocktail identity.
A Global Line-Up Meets Bali
For its debut edition, Bali Cocktail Exchange welcomes an extensive line-up of regional and international names.
International guests include COA, Penicillin, Bar Us, Penrose, Drywave Cocktail Studio, Little Lao Culture Bar, Native, CMYK, Hope & Sesame, Union Trading Co., Alice Cheongdam, Reka:Bar, G.O.D and Raiza Carrera. They will be joined by Jakarta-based participants including Modernhaus, Carrots, OSMO, Dualism, HATS, The Cocktail Club and The St. Regis Bar Jakarta.
Throughout the week, visiting bartenders will collaborate with participating Bali venues, offering both professionals and cocktail enthusiasts the chance to experience new techniques, ideas and perspectives from across the wider international bar community.
Learning Beyond the Bar
Education also forms an important part of the BCX programme. Six masterclasses are scheduled throughout the event, led by Penrose, COA, Raiza Carrera, Native and CMYK, alongside a collaborative Q&A session where participating bartenders can share their experiences and insights.
Four bartender brunches will create a more informal setting for visiting and local industry professionals to meet outside the bar, while a dedicated cocktail dinner pairing will explore the relationship between cocktails, food and spirits as part of the wider BCX experience.
The BCX Community Village
The programme culminates at Regent Bali Canggu with the BCX Community Village, taking place on 16–17 September.
Open to the public, the two-day gathering will bring together hospitality professionals, cocktail enthusiasts, local producers, brands and members of Bali’s wider community. Programming will include tastings, brand activations, educational sessions and a flair demonstration, alongside Balinese traditional dance and music, the Balinese Speed Challenge, and opportunities to discover local ingredients, spirits and hospitality brands.
The Community Village also reflects BCX’s broader intention to connect contemporary cocktail culture with the island that hosts it, creating space for both international exchange and local culture within the same programme.
Building a Platform for Bali’s Cocktail Community
Beyond its inaugural edition, BCX is envisioned as an annual platform for education, exchange and collaboration. Its long-term ambition is to strengthen connections between Bali’s hospitality community and the international bar world while continuing to showcase the island’s own talent, culture and cocktail identity.
Organised by Yayasan Budaya Sajian Minuman Bali, a non-profit organisation supporting Bali’s hospitality and beverage community, Bali Cocktail Exchange aims to create further opportunities for local and international industry professionals to learn from one another and build lasting connections.
As founders Jas Farras and Vandena Yanarta describe it, BCX is intended to go beyond simply bringing renowned bars to Bali. Its purpose is to encourage genuine exchange between visiting and local talent, tradition and new ideas, and the hospitality industry and the island itself.
Bali Cocktail Exchange 2026 takes place from 12–17 September 2026 across Ubud, Seminyak and Canggu. Further information and the complete line-up are available through the official BCX channels.
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