Now that we’ve all had a week to recover from the hangover sustained from St. Paddy’s Day, I thought it would be fitting to list some of the best cities to party on the cheap. For many of these destinations, $15 will be more than enough to purchase enough drinks for a memorable (or forgettable) night out.
Vang Vieng, Laos
Vang Vieng takes barhopping to another level. Instead of walking from bar to bar, you can rent an inflatable tube to float down the Nam Song river where the banks are lined with drinking establishments. Picture the lazy river ride at an amusement park but with $2 large beers. After playing a game of beerpong at one, you can hop back on your tube and float a few hundred metres to the next bar where staff toss a rope to pull you in. The party continues after you float back into town where several bars offer the happiest of happy hours where drinks are free.
Berlin, Germany
Berlin is often regarded as having the best nightclubs in the world. Considered the techno capital of Europe, there’s an opportunity to see a world class DJ every week. The most famous club in the city, if not the world, is Berghain. Built in a former power plant, this massive club has a world class sound system pumping out techno beats for days on end. In fact, it’s common for people to fly into Berlin Friday night, head straight to Berghain, and party continuously until their flight out Monday morning. One thing to note is that the club is notorious for having extremely strict and selective bouncers. I’ve been told by locals that the key to getting through the doors is to refrain from talking, smiling, laughing or generally any actions that would look as if you’re enjoying yourself in line. If you do manage to make it in, it’s an experience of a lifetime.
Warsaw, Poland
Although not on par with the likes of Berlin or even Belgrade yet, Warsaw is a budding destination for its nightlife. Most bars and clubs are unpretentious which is perfect for the backpacker. To start off the night, I recommend heading to Pijalnia Wódki i Piwa which is a 1950s diner themed bar where practically everything on the menu is around 1 Euro.
Koh Phangan, Thailand
Koh Phangan is home to the famous full moon party. During every full moon, up to 30,000 neon painted tourists flock to the island to party on Haad Rin beach until sunrise. With several DJs scattered along the shore, it’s not hard to find a set to jam too. For $7, you can purchase the infamous cocktail buckets filled with an entire bottle of Thai rum (which I’m pretty sure is Kerosene) and mix of choice. A common activity after building up the liquid courage is skipping through the jump rope soaked with Kerosene (or probably Thai rum) and lit on fire.
Prague, Czech Republic
If you love craft beer, Prague should be on the top of your list. Every bar I went to during my time there seemed to have at least a few new beers that I haven’t seen in any other pub. But the best part about the bar scene in Prague is the price! Half a litre of beer at most pubs cost no more than $2. You could make a week trip visiting all the underground cellar bars and beer gardens across the city, but if you wanted to take things to another level, the clubbing scene is not too shabby as well. The city is home to Central Europe’s biggest club, Karlovy Lazne.
Of course you can’t travel to Prague without trying Absinthe. Contrary to how it’s been portrayed in the media, it doesn’t actually cause hallucinations, but with its alcohol content ranging from 55%-75% be prepared for an interesting night.
Bangkok, Thailand
Considering the fact that one of the instalments from the Hangover series was filmed here should be a clue of the debauchery that takes place in Bangkok. Albeit extremely touristy, Khao San Road is where backpackers from all over the world go to party on the cheap. With no shortage of bars and cocktail shacks along the stretch, there seems to be a happy hour within at least one of the establishments at all hours of the night. Bars on both sides of the road seem to compete to see who can blast their music the loudest as the party almost always extend out onto the street where you can dance to a mixture of tunes.
Tip: Although there’s no shortage of exotic food for sale that may look enticing in a drunken state, I recommend avoiding them. I decided to purchase a scorpion skewer from some lady wandering the streets and I regretted it for days. I’m confident she just picked one up from the ground and was targeting idiots like me for a quick buck and a good laugh.
Budapest, Hungary
What better way for a bars to cut down costs than taking over abandoned buildings in a crumbling neighbourhood? Say hello to the famous ruin bars of Budapest. Once the site of the Jewish Ghetto, the VII District was destroyed during World War II and never restored. However, in the early 2000s, some clever entrepreneurs decided to set up a bar within the abandoned structures and pass on those savings to its guests. Now these bars are taking over abandoned buildings in several neighbourhoods throughout Budapest. From the outside, they may look like an ordinary home, but once you step inside, it’s a completely different world. The decor consists of graffiti all over its walls, used furniture and eclectic pieces of art. A few of them occupy an entire courtyard with bars along the side and a dance party in the middle. It’s completely unpretentious and you can score a large beer for just $2.
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