Last Updated: 10/25/20 | October 25th, 2020 (Originally Posted: April 2012)
Some people travel to explore ancient historical sites, others to sample the culture or food or language of new and exciting destinations.
And, sometimes, people travel to party.
When it comes to budget backpacking, one of the most common ways travelers break the ice is over a drink. Or two. Or three.
Whether it’s at bars, clubs, lounges, beach parties, or just in small groups sitting around talking while sipping a bottle of wine, alcohol — for better or worse — is often a staple of life on the road.
If you’re looking to embrace your wild side and party hard with other travelers, here’s my thoroughly researched list. I’ve been to over one hundred countries and have drunk heavily around the world, so I know a good party when I see one!
If you are looking to party when you travel, visit one of these places:
1. Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok is a major destination for travelers. It’s where the infamous Khao San Road is located. It’s filled with travelers drinking out of alcohol filled buckets every night. They take after the locals who go out every night drinking from alcohol-filled buckets. Seriously. Stop by the ex-pat bars on a Tuesday and everyone is drinking. Then, when official bars close, everyone heads out to the after-hours clubs until 5 am. Visiting Bangkok won’t do anything good for your liver. Khao San Road, the ex-pat bars, Patpong, Thong Lor, or the new scene cocktail brewing in Chinatown – Bangkok has something for everyone.
Related Articles on Bangkok:
2. Barcelona, Spain
Any city where people eat dinner at midnight is a city that will start and go late. Barcelona is a city for night owls. The clubs here don’t get busy until about 2 am and stay packed until dawn. It’s why residents don’t even wake up before noon. Here tourists mingle with locals who all the love the nice weather and rooftop gin bars. Drink sangria until the sun rises, go on a pub crawl, get wasted at the famous Kabul hostel, and roam the Barri Gothic looking for hole in the wall pubs. The waterfront gets especially nuts on a weekend.
Related Articles on Barcelona:
- Barcelona Itinerary: How to Spend Your Time in This Incredible City
- Barcelona City Guide
- Gaudi’s Barcelona
3. Rome, Italy
Rome was a great city to party in. There are lots of bars, lots of kicking clubs, and lots of beautiful people. The pub crawl tours are a great way to meet other travelers. You often get pretty friendly and do crazy things with the people you meet. (See exhibit above!) While Romans themselves are a bit tame, the backpacker party scene here is crazy with tons and tons of bar crawls littering the city. The Spanish Steps Bar Crawl gets especially wild.
Related Articles on Rome:
4. Prague, Czech Republic
Cheap beer (and cheap flights) makes this city a major party destination for people around the world. While I didn’t encounter any of those notorious stag parties, the nightlife in this city will leave you in a haze wondering what you did last night and whose number that is on your arm. Multiple story clubs, strong cocktail bars, cheap beer halls — Prague has it all. If you want a wild hostel, stay at the Mad House.
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5. Miami, Florida
Miami is not cheap but it’s a great place for the clubbers out there. Lots of music, lots of great DJs, lots of dancing, lots of pretty people, and most importantly, lots of booze. Even on a backpacker budget, you’ll be able to find some fun. Maybe you’ll even run into a celebrity or two.
Related Articles on Miami:
- Miami Travel Guide
- My 28 Favorite Places to Visit in the U.S.
- 21 Amazing Restaurants From My Road Trip Across the United States
6. Sydney, Australia
Aussies know how to party and well, they do it really well. The hostels in Sydney organize great hostel parties to meet other travelers but if that is not your thing, you can find your own crowd at any of the clubs and bars around the area. Aussies love to party and are more than happy to welcome newcomers with a drink.
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7. Ios, Greece
Any top party list has to include a place in Greece. Ios is party central (though Corfu does give it a good run for its money). During the summer, the Greek Isles heave with people and this island heaves the most with travelers coming here to party all night so they can sleep on the beach all day. Here on Ios, travelers come with the goal getting drunk and…well, that’s about it. There are shot bars and bar crawls and bars that make you drink while playing weird games. Ios is where morals, sanity, and dignity are left on the ferry to be picked up when you get ready to leave. It’s one of the wildest places I’ve ever been.
Related Articles on Ios:
8. Bali (Kuta), Indonesia
Bali is a great place to get down. After a long day in the sun, all the backpackers want to do is relax and get silly on Kuta Beach. It’s a hotspot on the travel trail for a reason. The foam party is a blast (any foam party is) and, on Bali, you’ll spend your days hurting your skin in the sun and the nights hurting your liver with alcohol.
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9. Florianopolis, Brazil
This place in Brazil is a big travel destination. It’s known for its hot weather, hot bodies, and hot parties. In fact, everything is just hot here. The beaches have great night parties and there is a famous pool party run by one of the hostels.
Related Articles on Florianopolis:
10 Ko Phangan, Thailand
This island in Thailand is home to the monthly Full Moon Party which sees 20,000 people on average and goes until dawn. ’nuff said. (But if I had to say more, I would also say there’s jungle parties, half moon parties, people getting wild on the beach, going down slides, and playing tons of drinking games. It’s one of the biggest party places in the entire region.)
Related Articles on Ko Phangan:
Honorable Mentions
These are just some of my favorite places in the world to have fun and party. Other destinations that I’d recommend are:
- Montreal, Canada
- Las Vegas, USA (duh)
- Budapest, Hungary
- Krakow, Poland
- Cancun, Mexico
- San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
- Queenstown, New Zealand
Not only are these great party destinations, but they are some of my favorite cities in the world. If you are looking to cut loose and flex your party muscles, be sure to check out these cities. They are some of the best places to party in the world!
Note: I know Ibiza is a great place to party so before everyone asks why I didn’t include it on the list here’s why: It’s pretty much club central so if you aren’t a clubber, then Ibiza isn’t a good place. Plus, I didn’t want a list loaded with just Europe and Asian destinations.
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Photo credits: 2 – G E M, 7 – Eva Rinaldi
Susan
I’ve got to get out more. These pictures are awesome and that girl in Rome is crazy!
Jeremy and Eva Rees
Those pictures are insane!
Pam
Alright, I’m 4 for 10! Ios is a little crazy. I was there at the end of season and they were advertising all over town for the “last party of the year” because the island was basically shutting down for winter. You could hear the nightlife all they way down the hill at the docks. I’d add Saigon (HCMC) too. Cheers!
Nomadic Matt
there’s just so many….
Graham
Great list and great photos. This really just illustrates how much more I need to get out. I’ve only been to 3 of these places!
Benny
I definitely agree with Floripa (Florianópolis if you must) being on the list; spent 2 months there. Loved it! If you speak Portuguese you get invited into the REALLY good parties 😀 I have yet to find anywhere else in the world with a greater concentration of beautiful people 😛
In Europe almost any city can be a party city if you find the Erasmus crowd and follow them, and that is especially true for all cities in Spain that I’ve lived in. But Barcelona is indeed among my favourites!
I’m very glad to see Prague on your list though! I’m moving there for the entire summer from Monday. My mission is to see if it’s possible to learn Czech in just 3 months now that I know how to learn languages, and blog about my general language learning tips. I imagine you hung out mostly with the expat crowd there though? Can’t wait to get there 😀
Nomadic Matt
I’m going to try to get to Prague around september…..maybe you will be there.
I hung out with the backpackers while i was there but i’d love to meet the local…women… 🙂
Pawan
HI Benny, im goin to florianopolis tom. Pls gimme some party contacts.
Regards
Stevo
Great list. I’ve been in love with Miami since Miami Vice
You forget Shenzhen, China. Everyone here parties like Rock Stars.
Anthony
Hi Matt, nice list. I’m guessing that from this list of places to party, that you’re probably not a suitable candidate for the Liver Donor Register? I would add another city to this list – Cape Town, South Africa. Another great place to lose your liver. Lots of places to club at, every night of the week.
Nomadic Matt
I hear a lot of good things about cape town but I can’t vouch for it so I left it off. I’ll check it out!
ade
“It’s pretty much club central so if you aren’t a clubber, then Ibiza isn’t a good place.
the party capital of the world and you dont mention ibiza ?
p.s. you do realise that only 20% of ibiza tourists are actually clubbers – so if you arent a clubber it is actually a good place to visit
but that would spoil a good tabloid shoddy journalistic story wouldnt it….
Corbin
I’ll have to remember this list. Sounds like i’ve got some catching up to do. Good choice in the pictures, definitely makes me feel like I’m crazy drunk and sweaty with a torn up Pub Crawl T-shirt on right now.
PS: Ade, You do realize there’s a saying here on the internet. Believe it goes “Suck it up princess” – Matt gave a plug to Ibiza, and because of that smaller plug it probably got just as much reception as those with photos. He even said he was trying to keep a good ratio of Global locations, not just handpicking certain areas. Congrats though on being that cliche angry guy.
Good post matt
Geoff
Yeah, I have to agree there – sure, Ibiza is most famous for it’s clubs, but there is seriously plenty to enjoy, both partying and chilling that doesn’t involve going anywhere near a club – there are loads of really cool bars and restaurants on the beach or in the mountains where you can have just as much fun partying for cheaper than in the clubs. And if you’re sick of even that, there aren’t many places better in the world for chilling out too
Andy Hayes
Great list. To be honest, though, I would have voted for Melbourne instead of Sydney. But everyone has their favourites!
lakshmi
Thats a great party list..Though Im not too much of a partying variety , I always step out to meet travellers..and the cities have some amazing energies in the night
Mary R
Hi Matt,
I think someone already mentioned this, but I’d like to second it– Cape Town, South Africa is an amazing place to meet other travelers and have fun…I once participated in a drinking Olympics there against backpackers from all over the world and it’s one of my fondest memories.
Todd
What, no Las Vegas on this list? I suggest some more “thorough research”! Guess its not much of a backpacker stop…but definitely a place where the world goes to party, and there is a party to found every night of the week!
I like the list, and glad to say I’ve checked off 9 of these…a couple others I would throw in the mix:
Munich (beer-centric of course, but really good beer), Madrid (I’ll concede the nod within Spain to Barcelona), and Edinburgh (great mix of pubs and clubs all within a very walkable area).
Priyank
Tel Aviv is great during the summer too!
btw, did you take these pictures?
Eric
@Todd Vegas is not a party town it is a gambling town. There is a difference.
pj
what, no montreal on your list?…i know canada has a reputation for being somewhat boring, but i lived in montreal for 4 years and it really is a party town…and it has great style to boot!
DJ Yabis
Barcelona is so last decade. Have you tried partying in Berlin yet? ;D
NomadicMatt
Yes and that is a pretty wild time.
DJ Yabis
Wild is an understatement. Berlin is my favorite (Friday) Saturday (Sunday, Monday!) city! This article needs to be updated ;P
viajeronomada
Madrid is missing in that list. Is without no doubts the best party city in Europe
jorge
So wrong… World is bigger than spain you know??
Sonal
Ahem – you need to visit Goa for an underground party. It will kick butt of all the party destinations that you have mentioned. 🙂
PS: do watch last hippie standing (a short documentary about Goa that was made years back by a few backpackers)
Fran
Good post dude. But if I may, I would also suggest Tel Aviv. I have travelled around the world and it is difficult to find a best place to party.
I am a Spanish guy on my 30s…I have partied crazy in Barcelona and Madrid, and you cannot mention Barcelona without mentioning Madrid. Even if Barcelona is made more for tourism because of the beach, etc. Madrid party is 10 times better and craziest.
Best
Fran
pat
New Orleans parties harder than anywhere on earth year round and city wide come visit!
Dexter
Everything good except you missed Goa..
Anna
I give my vote to Hong Kong. Great and fun vibes there