When it comes to music festivals and events, the list is endless! Here are some of the crazy festivals to experience before you’re 30:
Tomorrowland, Belgium
There is no music festival quite like this one. However high your expectations are, Tomorrowland will exceed them! The minute you walk in you will feel the explosion of positive vibes & happiness. Where should I begin? The line-up of artists is always top-notch. All the great and up-and-coming names in EDM will be there & you will get confused about which stage to run to, because of so many amazing DJs playing at the same time. Each stage has a completely different design and theme, so every time you go from one to the other you will feel like you’ve entered a whole new festival. Then comes the venue… The festival is set in an incredibly beautiful area with green fields, a huge lake, and beautiful nature surrounding it. Even if you’re not dancing your heart out, you can relax and take in the amazing surroundings. So here are my tips & tricks:
- Securing your tickets: anyone who has been trying to go to this festival knows how hard it is to get tickets that get sold out literally minutes after ticket sales open online. There are some ways to better your chances of getting them. First, if you have any Belgian friends, get in touch with them, because sales are opened to Belgians a few days before the rest of the world. If not, then make sure you have a super fast internet connection & try to purchase the hotel + ticket packages. We all know the demand is so high for regular tickets, but fewer people will be interested in buying the fixed packages. This is how we were able to get our tickets & yes we did celebrate when we got them!
- What to wear: Go wild and crazy!! This is the place to pull off all the fun costumes you ever wanted to try! Indian feather hats, flowers in your hair, or glow-in-the-dark accessories are the way to go!
- What to take with you: a) The most essential item is a raincoat. Don’t go without one! Even on the sunniest and warmest days, we got soaked in the evening. But hey, what’s better than dancing in the rain? b) Lots of memory space on your phone to fit all the pictures c) A portable phone charger d) Pre-purchased drink tokens & locker vouchers, so that you can skip the long lines.
- Don’t miss the bus! The venue is far from the city center and about 45 min to get there by bus. If you miss it, especially on the way back when everyone is leaving at the same time, you will be stranded, unless you hitchhike!
- Don’t miss the fireworks and special effects on the main stage when it starts getting dark. It’s absolutely amazing!
- There’s a secret cave that’s not usually on the map. It’s on the path when you’re walking from the entrance to the main stage. Find it! It’s a small cave with a DJ booth where the sound effects are amazing & everyone inside is jumping!
Awakenings, Amsterdam – For Techno Lovers
I’m a techno lover and I will tell you some of the best music I’ve heard between all the festivals I’ve been to was at Awakenings. Get ready to travel to a different planet! Two things will amaze you at this event: the quality of the music and of course the famous special effects. The laser show transforms the whole area and it’s so incredible that you cannot stop dancing till the last minute! There’s usually only one stage and once you are inside you can find a great spot and stick to it. The event is very well organized as are most of the Dutch festivals I’ve been to & tickets are easy to find online. I recommend going to the New Year’s Eve special parties.
Full Moon Party, Thailand
The full moon comes out and people lose their minds… literally. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a crazier party than this one. This event occurs on the full moon of every month & on New Year’s Eve. It’s set on a beautiful island called Koh Phangan in Thailand & the whole island turns into one big wild party! There are so many different DJs playing all along the coast and you can find all types of music. Why do people lose their minds? I can think of a good reason… alcohol is sold in buckets! Yes, buckets! Not in glasses or bottles, but in big plastic buckets and for ridiculously cheap prices. My advice is to stay on the neighboring island Koh Samui, which is 30min away by speedboat. You can easily find tickets at the port. Koh Phangan gets very crazy and sometimes a bit trashy, especially during the parties. Koh Samui is much more beautiful with so much to do during the day. Don’t miss the Big Buddha temple there!
Dance Valley, Amsterdam
Set in a lush green valley a little outside of the city, Dance Valley is a happy festival that happens every summer. One of my favorite things about this event is the venue. You can start your day by sitting at the top of one of the hills and enjoying great music while watching the crowd gather in. There are many stages with so many DJs playing and great special effects in each one. Try to get to the festival when the doors open & enjoy the incredible vibe inside.
Ibiza, Spain
I never believed in love at first sight until I went to Ibiza. It’s not called the party capital of the world for no reason. There’s something happening every second of every day. The cool part is that partying is not the only fun thing to do. During the day you have amazing beaches, restaurants, cafés and a beautiful old town to walk around. Before you go, check the party calendar that will show you what’s happening every day. The high season is in July – August, so buy your tickets online for the famous nights before they’re sold out. Most of the parties happen in the Playa D’en Bossa area, so it’s good to stay close if you’re there just to party. Other beautiful areas to stay in are Old Town & San Antonio. Some recommendations for the daytime: watch the sunset from Café Mambo or take a ferry to the neighboring island Formentera for incredible white sand beaches.
Kingsday Festival, Amsterdam
If you love Amsterdam, you will love celebrating Kingsday with the locals! This is the day where everyone is wearing orange from head to toe. Most of the streets are closed & anyone can set up a stand or outdoor shop selling just about anything! Kingsday Festival is exciting because of the amazing energy inside. They have one big outdoor stage where you will find everyone jumping all day long, along with some indoor stages. The famous Dutch DJs will be playing of course & you will love celebrating the national pride & feel right at home.
