After two years of silence, the ocean is calling them back.
Oceanman Bali, the open-water swimming event that ran from 2021 to 2023, returns to Pantai Kedonganan on June 19-21, 2026. And it returns bigger than before.
In 2023, 700 participants showed up. This year, with registrations open since October 2025, more than 900 swimmers from 27 countries have already signed up — a 30 percent increase from the last edition.
The theme is “Waves of Change.” The location is the same stretch of beach known more for its seafood barbecue than its endurance sports. But for four days in June, Kedonganan will become something else: the starting line for one of the world’s most demanding open-water swimming series.
Six Races, One Ocean
Oceanman Bali 2026 offers six categories, designed for everyone from children to professional long-distance swimmers.
- Oceankids 500M – for the youngest competitors
- Oceanteams 3x500M – relay racing
- Oceanfins 2KM – with fins allowed
- Ocean Sprint 2KM – the entry point for amateur swimmers
- Half Oceanman 5KM – for those seeking real distance
- Oceanman 10KM – the main event
The water is warm by global standards. But warm water does not make 10 kilometers in open sea easy. Currents, waves, and the sheer distance separate those who finish from those who start.
Who Is Coming
The 27 countries registered so far span the globe: Indonesia, Singapore, Australia, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Mexico, South Korea, Ukraine, and even Iceland.
“The growth shows increasing global interest in open-water swimming,” said Wibowo Suseno Wirjawan, Chairman of Oceanman Indonesia. “With Bali’s iconic ocean backdrop and challenging swim routes, this has become one of the most popular series on the international calendar.”
Albert Sutanto and Felix Sutanto, Co-Founders of Oceanman Indonesia, emphasized the complexity of managing more than 900 participants in open water.
“Safety, monitoring, currents, waves — this is not a pool race,” Albert said. “Oceanman Bali is not just about competition. It is about each participant’s personal journey to fight the current, conquer their own limits, and connect with nature.”
More Than a Race
Oceanman Bali has also become a tourism event.
Athletes rarely travel alone. Families, coaches, and support teams follow. They book hotels. They eat at local restaurants. They stay longer than a single race day.
“Each international participant brings direct impact to the tourism sector,” Wibowo added.
The event has support from Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism, the Bali Provincial Government, Badung Regency, and local village authorities. An accompanying Oceanman Festival will feature local food vendors, UMKM products, and cultural performances.
For the swimmers standing on the beach at Kedonganan in June, the water ahead will test their endurance.
For Bali, their presence already means something else: recovery.
