We are fast approaching the end of the year, which means two things: end-of-year bonuses and leave to clear! We bet you thought we were going to say Christmas and New Year, but you’re wrong. We love presents and all, but paid leave and bonuses are, well, a bonus.
Now you’re probably wondering what to do with all that free time. Should you travel? Just lepak at home? How about a festival experience overseas? Discovering new music, making new friends and just having a ball of time is the best way to end 2017. With Neon Lights taking a break for this year (sad face), there are plenty of other festivals that are equally as exciting to choose from, including our own annual rite of passage, ZoukOut.
We sorted out our favourite festivals happening at the end of this year by destination below!
Thailand: MAYA Music Festival
This festival was so good that they are holding it again in the same year. So far, only Flume has been announced for the upcoming date in December, but judging from the earlier festival’s lineup, you can expect DJs from all sorts of genres. Because it’s so close to DWP and ZoukOut dates, we think that the lineup will probably be quite similar. But it’s in Thailand, and they do know how to party a lot better than we do. Case in point: Songkran Festival and their monthly Full Moon parties.
When: 10 December 2017
Hong Kong: Clockenflap 2017
The name doesn’t mean anything because you can’t describe Clockenflap in one word – it’s an amalgation of everything. Arts meets music and dance at this annual festival in Hong Kong. This year sees the likes of The Prodigy, MØ, The Dandy Warhols, Dean and Bob Moses taking the stage at Central Harbourfront, with Massive Attack and Feist headlining the festival. It’s also going to be cold in Hong Kong at this time of the year, giving you a whole new partying experience (not like in Singapore where you will be sweating buckets).
When: 17 – 19 November 2017
Tickets
Thailand: Wonderfruit 2017
Held in the fields of Pattaya, this eco-conscious festival is a celebration of the community and arts. If you need a replacement for Neon Lights, Wonderfruit is your answer and more. Don’t expect EDM giants or pop groups; the music here borders more on indie. Some artists to look out for INCLUDE Gui Boratto, Izzy Bizu, KFC, Curtismith, and Eduardo Castillo. Other than the awesome bands, you’ll also be able to witness art installations and attend workshops about sustainability in the middle of a dusty field (it’s nothing like Burning Man though). The food offerings at the festival all practice the farm-to-table concept, and there will be various tents sporting everything from flea markets to salons and yoga classes. There’s even a tent for power-napping, because why not, right?
When: 14 – 17 December 2017
Tickets
Indonesia: Djakarta Warehouse Project 2017
You don’t need to wait until New Year’s Eve for those amazing pyrotechnics! Indonesia’s biggest EDM festival will satisfy your fireworks cravings. Cheap flights, cheap hotels, and cheap tickets for a weekend of fun and a lifetime memory? Worth it. This year sees an explosive lineup that includes Flume, Gallants, Marshmello, Hardwell, Rehab, Tiesto, and Robin Schulz. Hip hop lovers will also be in for a treat, with Rich Chigga, Keith Ape, Higher Brother and Joji all scheduled to take the stage too.
When: 15 – 16 December 2107
Tickets
Singapore: Zoukout 2017
Of course, if you don’t have too many days of leave left, you can just make do with our very own EDM festival here in Singapore. The annual beach fest is the only dusk to dawn party that will really put your partying endurance to the test because you can literally party the night away in your best beachwear. Just remember to take the next Monday off so you can fully recover from the weekend (trust us, you’ll need it when Monday rolls around). Only a couple of names have been released with more to be announced soon, but we’re pretty happy with the lineup so far. For now, you can look forward to Axwell and Ingrosso, Claptone, Yellow Claw, Robin Schulz and Rehab. Crossing fingers that we’ll get more EDM heavyweights!
When: 8 – 9 December 2017
Tickets
I don’t care where I go: It’s The Ship 2017
It’s The Ship is the Asian version of Holy Ship, where the party doesn’t stop for four whole days – and they really mean it. This cruise festival is perfect if you don’t have a destination in mind and you just want to party the entire weekend away. You’ll be on the ship with hundreds of partygoers and DJs (yes, you’ll bump into them A LOT) for 96 hours of straight up partying. There will always be something going on, with all sorts of after-parties (or pre-parties?) happening in the various cabins. You just gotta know the right people. The lineup this year includes Krewella, Peking Duk, Yellow Claw, Coone and Oliver Osbourne.
The cruise also docks at Phuket, where the legendary beach party returns this year! With meals included and your room permanently a couple of floors below the party, there will be no need for camping or all those annoying things to deal with when flying to another country for a festival. But if that sounds too good to be true, just take note that your ticket includes everything including food and accommodation, except alcohol.
When: 17 – 20 November 2017
Tickets
Time to start planning your leave.
