According to the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), a record turnout of more than 7,000 people went through the gates on the first evening.
"In fact, it was the best Friday in 11 years - 7,219 (people)," said STB chief executive Gracie Geikie.
Among the crowd were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah, who were making their first visit to the festival.
Altogether, some 22,500 people attended the festival over three days to enjoy music from around the world.
First-time visitor Charles Cadell from England said the festival was "fabulous".
"It's got a collection of music from all over the world that I haven't seen before at any other festival.
"And it's got great atmosphere, very relaxed and of course very friendly. So it's brilliant. It's got everything," he said, adding that he would be back next year.
Australian Palani Mohan and Dutchman Ben Arentz said what they liked best about the festival was its unique surroundings.
"You've got this incredible backdrop of beautiful mountains around you. It's where the event's been placed that's probably the best thing I like about it," Mohan said.
He added that he had been living in Kuala Lumpur for the past three years and had always wanted to go to the festival.
"This is my first time here and it's absolutely fantastic. I'm definitely going to be back next year," he said.
Arentz, who was making his third consecutive visit, concurred that the festival's surroundings made it special.
"It's a nice jungle setting. The music is excellent, the people are nice. It's almost a hippie atmosphere and the prices are reasonable," he said, adding that he particularly enjoyed the performance by Polish group Beltaine, which played Celtic music.
Besides Beltaine, 15 other international and local groups and performers took to the stage for the three nights of concerts.
Among the crowd's favourites were Japanese taiko drummer Hiroshi Motofuji, Oikyataan (India), Kasai Masai (Congo), Yakande (Guinea and Gambia) and Fadomorse (Portugal).
Kuala Lumpur-based Akasha was also a hit while the New Rope String Band from Britain drew plenty of laughs with their antics.
The other performers were The Ross Daly Quartet from Greece, Pinikpikan (the Philippines), Adel Salameh (Palestine) and Sheldon Blackman and the Love Circle (Trinidad and Tobago).
Sarawak was represented by Kani'd, comprising young Kelabit singers and musicians; Orkestra Anak Jati Bisaya, another group of young musicians and dancers; Tuku Kame, the resident band of the Sarawak Cultural Village and SeniDa, the Village's cultural troupe.
More rain on the final night turned the festival's closing into a wet and muddy affair, but that was of no concern to the crowd, many of whom kept dancing in the rain and the mud.
The festival will be back on July 10-12 next year.
