15 brilliant music festivals in Asia you don't want to miss in 2025

Time Out

6 days ago

1. Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) Thailand 2025
Where Boat Avenue Lakefront, Phuket
When January 17 to 19
Time to book that trip to Thailand, because North America's biggest electronic dance music festival is coming to the land of smiles for the first time ever this year. All EDM lovers will know of Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), which began as a warehouse party in Los Angeles (all the way back in 1997!) before exploding into a global carnival-like festival complete with art x technology installations, circus performers, dancers, and multiple music stages. EDC is no stranger to Asia – having staged in China and Korea before – but this is the first time the colourful festival will play in Southeast Asia. Look forward to five stages with zany names like kineticFIELD and stereoBLOOM, helmed by international acts such as Afrojack, Tiesto, Illenium, R3hab, and so much more.
2. Creamfields Hong Kong 2025
When March 8 to 9
How about a springtime rave in Hong Kong? Creamfields, a massive dance music festival from the UK, returns to Hong Kong this May with two days of non-stop house, techno, trance, drum and bass, dubstep, and more. If you missed R3hab at EDC Thailand, you can catch him here alongside music acts like multi-platinum, Swedish House Mafia members Axwell and Sebastian Ingrosso, live instrumentalist Timmy Trumpet, and more.
3. Lollapalooza India 2025
Where Mumbai
When March 8 to 9
If alt-rock, punk rock, hip hop, and all things counterculture are more your jam, then Lollapalooza is the festival for you. The music festival first debuted in Asia (in India, too) in 2022 after multiple successful runs in the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East. It returns to Mumbai this March with Green Day, Glass Animals, Nothing But Thieves, Alok, and more, alongside Indian acts like rapper duo Raftaar x krsna, sitar player and composer Niladri Kumar, and Hindi rock band frontman Raman Negi. All we can say is that some serious headbanging is in order.
4. Wanderland Festival 2025
Where Manila, the Philippines
When March 22 to 23
Not all who wander are lost, a saying that's certainly true at Wanderland Festival. This gathering of art, music, and community in the Philippines is coming up on 10 years of absolute magic, centred around feel-good, indie sounds by acts like Jack Johnson, Two Door Cinema Club, The Kooks, and The Drums (from past iterations). In between sets, dither around with arts and crafts activities at the WanderMarket, where there may be wabi sabi workshops, face painting, and small local businesses to shop from. This is a rare kid-friendly festival, too, with a special zone for 'Little Wanderers' to play and create.
5. Equation Festival 2025
Where Mai Chau, Vietnam
When April 4 to 6
No other party has an address quite like this one. Equation Festival is held in Mo Luong Cave in Mai Chau, Vietnam, so imagine dancing to the tunes of Asia's best underground acts near breathtaking stone arches and glittering stalactites. The line-up goes beyond the mainstream: curated by the brains behind Savage (Hanoi) and Cliche Records and Fragrant Harbour (Hong Kong), the phase one line-up is stacked with names like Cem, Di Linh, John Talabot, and Yamarchy. Stay tuned for more updates here.
6. Siam Songkran Festival 2025
Where RCA, Bangkok
When April 11 to 14
What started as a modest sprinkling of hands for cleansing ahead of the new year has evolved into huge and joyous water fights across Thailand. This Songkran (the traditional Thai new year), join the celebrations against the backdrop of world-class music and cultural activities at Siam Songkran Festival 2025 at RCA Bangkok. It guarantees a splashing good time, with water cannons and water gun battles set to soundtracks by international DJs equal to the calibre of Tiesto, Martin Garrix, and Yellow Claw, who've helmed the turntables at previous festivals. The full line-up will be released later this year – stay updated on the official IG page.
7. Rainbow Disco Club 2025
Where Shizuoka, Japan
When April 18 to 20
A camp and rave among cherry blossoms, anyone? There's a good chance of that at Rainbow Disco Club, set against the idyllic backdrop of the Higashi-Izu Cross Country Course in Shizuoka, Japan, this spring. This is one of Japan's most well-loved underground music festivals, with a diverse line-up spanning indie to trance and mesmerising art installations to boot. The DJs and musicians confirmed so far include Chaos in the CBD, DJ Nobu, Batu, Eris Drew & Octo Octa, and more – check it out here.
8. Java Jazz Festival 2025
Where Jakarta, Indonesia
When May 30 to June 1
Get in the groove at Java Jazz Festival, a two-decade-old linchpin of Jakarta's music calendar. For its 20th anniversary, the festival pulls out all the stops with more than 100 shows over three days. In the past, it's pulled iconic global acts like Stevie Wonder, Santana, and James Brown across the spectrum of blues, funk, swing, fusion, and more. Curators also have a penchant for spotting under-the-radar stars in the jazz scene, so the festival is a great opportunity to expand your Spotify library. Stay tuned to 2025's line-up and ticketing details here.
9. Seoul World DJ Festival
Where Seoul, South Korea
When June 14 to 15
You can trust a nightclub heaven like Seoul to throw a dance music festival of epic proportions. The Seoul World DJ Festival is set to take over the sprawling Seoulland amusement park in June 2025, and it promises to "set your heart on fire" with legendary DJ talent, cutting-edge visual production, and interactive art installations and workshops. Some recognisable names from previous editions to pump you up for 2025's line-up: Alan Walker, Eric Prydz, Kshmr, Gryffin, and The Chainsmokers. Get all the latest announcements here.
10. Fuji Rock Festival '25
Where Naeba Ski Resort, Japan
When July 25-27
The annual Fuji Rock Festival is worth every second of Japan's notorious summer heat. One of Japan's largest outdoor festivals, Fuji Rock attracts more than 200 international artists each year to fire up its multiple stages. This year, DJ Fred Again makes his debut performance in Japan as the headliner on July 25, with other not-to-be-missed stars like Hyukoh & Sunset Rollercoaster, Vulfpeck, Vampire Weekend, HAIM, Radwimps, and Tycho. It's an incredibly stacked line-up – and the multiple workshops, activities, and maturi-like pre-festival party only seal the deal.
Stay updated here.