The 10 Party Beaches You’ll Be Visiting Next
The most debauched party beaches in the world are world-renowned. Head to Ibiza for super clubs, to Koh Phangan for 30,000 backpackers dancing under the full moon and Copacabana Beach in Rio De Janero for a two-million strong carnival of colour and sound. In 2016, if you want to visit a slightly lesser-known beach that still parties hard, check out our handy list below.
#1 Hvar, Croatia
Hvar is a gorgeous spot, a fishing village trickling down the hills to a bay of bobbing boats and perfect blue water. It’s also a massive party destination for travellers of all stripes, from Americans to Europeans and far-flung Aussie tourists. Filling out bars and clubs around the town, the action spills over to Carpe Diem, a small island club in Hvar Bay that is 100 percent devoted to drinks and dancing, which has played host to Jay-Z, Beyonce and Prince Harry.
#2 Benicàssim, Spain
In the height of the hot Spanish summer, the Benicàssim Festival takes over a small resort town between Barcelona and Valencia. Over 50,000 music lovers flock to hear the biggest rock, indie and electro acts in the world over four sweaty nights. Visitors camp beside the sea and spend the daylight hours in the ocean, with music kicking off at 5pm each night and a massive beach party on the final night of the festival. Jamie XX, Major Lazer and Kendrick Lamar are already announced for the 2016 event, making Benicàssim the best beach party Europe has to offer.
#3 South Padre Island, Texas, USA
South Padre Island is on the Texas Gulf Coast, connected to Port Isabel by a huge coastal bridge. A family-friendly strip of sand for 11 months of the year, South Padre lights up for Spring Break – the notorious college holiday season that happens each March. College kids descend on South Padre in the tens of thousands to sunbake, water ski and indulge in intense late-night fun, while dancing at epic beach parties headlined by the likes of Tiesto and David Guetta. There are many places to Spring Break, but South Padre has all the cowboys.
#4 Seven Mile Beach, Negril, Jamaica
Reggae, rum and pungent smoke drift through the air at Seven Mile Beach, the party capital of the Caribbean. Lined with all-inclusive resorts at the north end and smaller hostels in the south, the white sands of Seven Mile are spotted with night-time bonfires and dozens of beachfront bars, including the in-house reggae tunes at Rick’s Café. For a harder-edged party, the Hedonism II resort on nearby Negril Beach has a built-in club and weekly theme parties, while the summer season of ‘Black Beach Week’ brings foam parties and dance DJs onto the Seven Mile shore.
#5 South Beach, Miami, USA
All the beach party clichés live large in Miami, a year-round hotspot on the Biscayne Bay. In daylight hours, South Beach visitors lie on vast stretches of sand abutting turquoise water (enjoying the view of super yachts and mega-sailboats) or hit one of many beat-drenched pool parties at nearby SoBe resorts. At night, people bling-up and try to sneak past the door people at celebrity-friendly beachfront haunts like Nikki Beach and Mansion. Miami’s beachside party scene peaks in March, when 150,000 clubbers descend for the Ultra Music Festival – the world’s most bananas dance music event.
#6 Super Paradise Beach, Mykonos, Greece
Mykonos has a similar vibe to Ibiza, with a fraction of the crowd. A haven for Italian, English and Australian tourists, the tiny Greek cove of Paradise Beach is lined with beach bars and bracketed by two major open-air clubs – Cavo Paradiso and Paradise Club. Parties kick off at the Tropicana bar on the beach at 4pm then move to the clubs around midnight, when the crowd is good and lubricated. Inside the clubs, clustered around the indoor pools, punters listen to world class DJs such as Armin Van Buren, Tiesto and Australia’s own Will Sparks.
#7 Utila, Honduras
Off the beaten track but growing rapidly, Utila is an island just north of Honduras in the Caribbean Sea. A favourite with budget-conscious backpackers, Utila is a place that time forgot; a rusted, technology-spare tropical paradise with world-class diving and a robust party scene. In fact the diving and partying go hand in hand, with hostel/dive centres like Parrots and Underwater Vision hosting beachside rave-ups all summer long. Twice a week, the Kamikaze Club hosts parties on the beach complete with DJs, lazers and literally everybody in town, while over at Tranquila Bar people slam 50 cent shots then jump off an eight metre dock into the ocean.
#8 Gordon Beach, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Named the top party beach in the world by USA Today, Gordon Beach is home to Tel-Aviv’s massive gay pride parade, and host to thousands of pleasure seeking Israeli youngsters during the summer. Clara’s Beach Bar is a massive draw, with hammocks, a lawn and electro/house DJs, but there are regular concerts and events up and down the beach – a gateway to Tel-Aviv’s notorious citywide nightclub scene.
#9 Paris Plages, Paris, France
Nowhere near the ocean? No problem. From mid-July to mid-August, the banks of the Seine are covered in five thousand tonnes of sand, 550 deckchairs and 450 beach umbrellas, to help city-bound Parisians have a proper summer holiday. Along with beach volleyball, petonque and sandcastle competitions, Paris Plages hosts a weekly dance party in the Tunnel des Tuileries, so there are ample opportunities to sip champagne as you dig your toes in the sand.
#10 Palolem Beach, Goa, India
Ajuna Beach is the place to experience Goa’s legendary full moon trance parties – the legacy of 50 years’ worth of hippy ingression – but Palolem Beach has its own unique party scene. While the days drift along in a quiet haze of West Indian tropicalia, the nights are filled with silent raves. Held multiple times a week in Palolem, the Silent Noise parties let you get down to banging techno while in your own little bubble, with the help of a pair of radio-receiving headphones.
(Lead image: Cavo Paradiso Mykonos/Facebook)
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