Haad Rin, Thailand
The legendary Full Moon Party springs into life every third week of the month on Sunrise Beach in Haad Rin, Koh Phangan.
It’s a backpacker’s rite of passage, guaranteed to be crammed with half-naked, neon-covered revellers partying hard in paradise. To get the juices flowing, literally, drinks are served in colourful buckets, the like of which you used to build sandcastles with as a kid. These buckets promise a far less wholesome form of entertainment, with a straw popped in and filled to the brim with Thai moonshine, plus Red Bull or juice.
Aside from drinking yourself into beach-fringed oblivion, other popular activities include leaping over a rope lit on fire (at some point in the night you will start to think that fire rope skipping with a bunch of strangers is the best idea ever. It’s not), and dancing to the DJs scattered across the beach, who are playing everything from techno to reggae. We’re just going to get our oldies hat on for a minute as things can go wrong: don’t drink too much if you want to make it through to morning, wear good shoes (broken glass is not uncommon underfoot), and don’t bring out any valuables.
Don’t be put off, though. With bars and restaurants at every step, it isn’t hard to find cheap food and drink to keep you going all night long, and it really does have a great atmosphere. Entrance is only about 100baht, or £2, and Full Moon is well worth attending at least once, if only just to say that you did it. Missing out on this experience would be like missing out on the pyramids or Machu Picchu, only less cultural. One final word of warning: there’s nothing quite like a Thai moonshine hangover.
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Super Paradise, Mykonos
Super Paradise is Mykonos’s most fabulous beach and it has a reputation as the best party beach in the Cyclades, where you can dance until dawn if you have the stamina. Expect skimpy bikinis and stylish sunworshippers at every turn, and nobody bats an eyelid at nude sunbathing. In the past a mainly gay beach, now men, women and everything in between party (and get rather friendly) here.
Ibiza, Spain
It’s an obvious choice, but Ibiza is the kingpin of the beach party thanks to its world-famous wild club scene and balmy weather. Attracting clubbers and top DJs from around the world, the newest and loudest house music is pumped out over the beaches all day and night. Playa d’en Bossa is home to a long stretch of clubs (try Bora Bora) while you’ll also find parties at Las Salinas beach and Blue Marlin at Cala Jondal.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rio de Janeiro may be best known for its crazy carnival, but it hosts one of the biggest New Year’s Eve parties on the planet. The magical midnight on Copacabana beach is something else, with more than two million revellers descending on the sands to watch a spectacular 16-minute fireworks display. There is more booze than you could ever hope to drink, plus indoor bars and clubs.
Gordon Beach, Tel Aviv
When you think of parties, Israel might not immediately spring to mind. Tel Aviv, though, is one of the coolest cities on earth and the people sure know how to party.There are 16 beaches in the city, but Gordon Beach is undoubtedly beach party central and it proudly hosts a huge and pretty boisterous LGBT party during Gay Pride Week (yep, in the Middle East – go Israel!).
You should also expect to see bronzed men playing the much loved Israeli paddle and ball game of matkot.
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Image credit: Getty/Thinkstock
