If you love Bali, and books, then the Ubud Readers And Writers Festival is a gift from the gods. It’s a chance to sip a fresh mango juice at a café overlooking a tranquil rice field, then wander down the road to talk about books with literary types.

After an hour or two of workshops, debates, and lectures, it’s time to find another café, tuck into some nasi goreng and continue talking books with your new best friend, whoever you sat next to at the last lecture.

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I was lucky enough to attend this year’s inaugural festival in Ubud  - Bali’s cultural capital, in central Bali - in October. It was the brainchild of  Janet De Neefe, a former Melbourne woman who moved to Ubud after falling in love with a Balinese man 20 years ago.

Janet herself is a best-selling author. Her book Fragrant Rice tells of her life with Ketut with whom she has had four children, and the richness that Bali has brought to her life.       

It’s also peppered with recipes, as Janet is also a brilliant cook who runs several Ubud businesses, including two restaurants.

Deciding on the festival, said Janet, was “my way of bringing international visitors back here,” after the Kuta bombing in October, 2002.

“The effect on our community at that time was enormous and Ubud has not yet fully recovered,” she explained. “Many people lost their jobs and for a long time a deep sadness prevailed.

After Fragrant Rice was published, she said, “I’d attended some writer’s festivals and then it struck me; why not have one in Bali?”

“With its beautiful ricefields, tranquil surroundings, and wonderful guesthouses and hotels, Ubud would be an ideal venue.“

She formed  a committee of supporters, and got to work. On October 11, her efforts paid off.

The week-long event began impressively; with a feast, speeches, then a stunning Balinese dance held at the Ubud Palace.  George Negus, author of The World From Islam, helped officiate at the opening ceremony.

The next few days were a whirl of stimulating talks, food, and workshops, with visitors from Åustralia and across south-east Asia.

One day, a group of us signed up to join Tony Wheeler, the guru behind the Lonely Planet series, on a guided tour of Ubud. Through the ricefields we trekked, as Tony pointed out temples and other glorious landmarks. We then sat at a small restaurant and chatted about travel.

By day, Balinese volunteer drivers were on hand to whisk us from one venue to another. A highlight for me was hearing a witty speech by Nury Vittachi, the Hong-Kong based author of the Feng Shui Detective series.

Inspired by his talk, I bought his book on the spot at the waiting trestle table and asked him to sign it.

We later bumped into each other at the beautiful Lotus Café, overlooking a sea of lotuses and an ancient temple. “Can I buy you a banana juice?” he said politely, as he and his three friends sat down. (Ubud’s informality lends itself to this sort of thing.)

Nury, a veteran of many international writers festivals, was entranced by Ubud. “The local people I’ve met are so friendly and charming, and the children are gorgeous,” he raved. “But I also find the expat community interesting. I can see how Bali has seduced them to stay indefinitely.”

All the visitors I spoke to agreed they’d loved their week at the festival. Some of us stayed at five star hotels, while those on a budget were content to enjoy the charm of inexpensive home-stays. As ever, the meals were delicious and inexpensive. Aside from the festival, I managed to squeeze in some cyling through nearby villages, whitewater rafting and a stroll through the ricefields.

It had one or two teething problems – some writers did not speak English well and translators were required, which was frustrating; another gripe was that most of the Asian writers were not well-known enough.

Nevertheless, most of the speakers were fascinating. Come October 8 this year - when guest authors include Booker Prize winner Michael Ondaatje, Amitav Ghosh and Susan Kurosawa, every single one of us plans to be back!

For details visit website www.ubudwritersfestival.com, or email info@casalunabali.com (0011 62 361 973282)

For special deals on packaged flights and accomodation to the Festival, contact Garuda Indonsia on 1300 365 331, visit www.balionanybudget.com.au or consult your travel agent.