Holidays are a time for letting your hair down and if it’s a rocking nightlife you’re after, look no further. From the biggest open-air clubs, to the glitziest New York bars, we’ve rounded up our pick of the top five clubs from around the world.
Pacha, Ibiza
Best for old-school
It may have been one of the top clubbing destinations for more than 40 years, but the sun still hasn’t set on Ibiza. More popular than ever with fun-loving holidaymakers, this party island is home to some of the world’s most-renowned clubs. And they don’t get any bigger or better than Pacha. The club has been open since 1973 and more than 30 years later it is still a must-visit nightspot. With a capacity of 3,000 it’s one of the world’s true superclubs: there are a total of five different rooms all banging with music on any given night, a restaurant and even a sushi bar on the summer terrace.
Search and compare: cheap flights to Ibiza
Cocoon, Frankfurt
Best for style
With its urban bars and secret underground clubs, Berlin may be the city that first springs to mind for the best nightlife on offer in Germany. But financial Frankfurt has a serious weapon in its armoury: the super-slick, super-cool, super-stylish Cocoon. Owned and designed by Sven Vath, Germany’s most-respected DJ, Cocoon takes club style to new levels. Decorated to resemble the inside of a giant cocoon, its surfaces are all slippery membranes and organic leather pods. The VIP areas boast adjustable lights and, in case you feel left out of the general melee, the technology to spy on and listen to the rest of the clubgoers. A membrane wall surrounds the dancefloor, acting as giant screen for visuals that envelop the enthusiastic clubbers. The music is predominantly techno and Vath himself has a residency on Friday and Saturday nights.
Search and compare: cheap flights to Frankfurt
Bed Supperclub, Bangkok
Best for feasting
Bangkok is notorious for its entertainment, but Bed Supperclub is about as far-removed from the red light district as you could imagine. As the name suggests, the venue combines a restaurant with a club and, erm, a bed. The surroundings are fitting for the glitziest high-end dining and clubbing imaginable: the all-white pod has long divan beds suspended from the walls, with a huge raised bar along the back. At the weekends the restaurant serves a four-course meal – with one sitting only at 8.30pm – to stimulate the taste buds. What follows is designed to be a feast for all senses. Along with the usual music and dancing that you’d expect from a club, there are performances (both theatrical and artistic), silent films and videos projected onto the walls and staff dressed as space-age travellers.
Search and compare: cheap flights to Bangkok
Marquee, New York
Best for exclusivity
Red-hot nightclub Marquee has been declared the best club in the world time and time again. Situated in West Chelsea, New York, its interior is plush and glamorous, with clusters of leather sofas, bright red walls and sparkling chandeliers. The waitresses are models, the dancers are models and the clientele are, well, models, actors, artists and other celebrities. And therein lies the rub: it is almost impossible for mere mortals to gain entrance. If you just can’t resist joining the beautiful people, be prepared for a long queue and some of the fussiest doormen on the planet.
Search and compare: cheap flights to New York
Halikarnas, Bodrum
Best for open air
Bodrum is not the classiest spot on Earth for clubbing. At the centre of Turkey’s tourist coast, it’s full of package holiday tours and English pubs. But Halikarnas offers something unique – a theatrical nightclub experience, all out in the open air. The world’s biggest open air club is situated right on the waterfront, with views out across the sea. The entertainment might not be cutting-edge (the weekly line-up resembles that of student parties, with foam nights, beer nights and ladies night) but the displays are spectacular and over the top. The best Vegas-like fun you can find out of Vegas…
Search and compare: cheap flights to Bodrum
Agree or disagree with our choices? Have we missed anything off? Let us know your favourite clubs around the world by sending feedback at the link below.
Sabrina Wolfe
© Cheapflights Ltd
Updated April 2009
