Who’s on The Goon? Let’s find out. Photos by author, unless noted otherwise.
Last year’s list of party hostels was more popular than an ATM at a strip bar. Fresh from a year on the road, Tom Gates compiles another round of hostels that are known as much for partying as they are for sleep.
Base
Location: Magnetic Island, Australia
It’s not uncommon to see patrons of this hostel walking the shore with big, silver bags of goon ripped right from their boxes, spouts pouring freely into mouths of anyone who will have them. The A-frame dorms are filled to the brim during the summer and there are plenty of corners for late night nookie, including a much-abused tent used to store linens.
The main bar is a striking party space; huge and communal. Most nights the action gets going as the sun goes down but it’s not uncommon for the whole thing to kick off in the afternoon, next to the hostel’s excellent pool.
India House
Location: New Orleans, LA
New Orleans is the home of some of America’s greatest parties, from Voodoo Experience to Mardi Gras. India House serves as the backpacker base of choice. A September 19th review on Tripadvisor explains, “The second I walked into India House I was greeted by a drunken staff member that offered me a swig of whiskey, and it only went uphill from there.”
Aqua Lounge Bar & Hostel
Location: Bocas Del Toro, Panama
Bocas Del Toro is quickly becoming a huge party destination, often with travelers on the last stop of their South American loop. Mondo Taitu remains the mainland’s party spot of choice but more adventurous travelers will be rewarded if they seek out this island hostel, just a stone’s throw from shore.
You have to love a budget accommodation that lists itself as a bar first and a crash pad second. Aqua Lounge sits precariously on the water’s edge, with a pool made for backflips and beer drinking. It’s the perfect spot to take over if you’re traveling in a pack or meeting up with another squad of friends.
Beachcomber Island Resort
Location: Mamanuca Islands, Fiji
Party at Pudu in Bariloche. Photo tandra2008
This resort sports a mammoth dorm with 86 beds, making it one hell of a devil’s playground. The day drill involves wallowing and drinking – at night, carousing and drinking.
The only property on this small island, there are all kinds of places to make mischief. Most partiers stay on the close-by private beach, where there’s a stocked bar and always a friend with a bottle fresh from duty-free. The bunks tend to thump a bit after 2am.
The Tiger Paw Hostel
Location: Medellin, Colombia
The Tiger Paw was recommended by many as Columbia’s great party hostel. Stock and standard are events that make for the beginnings of a wild night; beer pong and poker nights to name a couple. Its location close to Zona Rosa makes pre-gaming all that much easier.
Blue Moon
Location: Lafayette, LA
We kept hearing reports about this guest house (with dorm beds), which contains a fully stocked back porch saloon with a stage for live music. According to the site, “It’s become a meeting place where world travelers, community organizations, families, artists and politicians rub elbows, dance, drink a few and thank their lucky stars they have the good fortune to spend an evening together in Lafayette, LA.”
Samba Villa Hostel
Location: Lapa, Rio De Janero, Brazil
A hostel with an Irish Pub downstairs can only spell danger. Place that danger in Brazil and you have one hell of a party. Word on the street is that Samba Villa is cracking on the weekends, with Lapa’s legendary street parties spilling over into Samba at all hours.
One hostelbookers.com
review sums it up: ‘Right in the heart of the Friday night action, which is very useful for toilet stops and replenishing cash reserves. Don’t expect any sleep.”
Snooze & Booze
Location: Split, Croatia
DTravelsRound turned us onto this Aussie-run hotel in Split, saying that it is “known for its social setting, regularly leading packers on tours of the town, hitting up pubs throughout the old town, allowing travelers to get a guided tour of the nightlife.” So basically, guided drunkenness.
Yes! Lisbon Hostel
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
To be fair, nothing can top the party that happens during weekends in the nearby Bairro Alto. Yes! takes a stab at it though, especially on weeknights when many prefer to keep the party at home. 2 for 3 beer goes down fast, as does any €2 bottle of wine that you can find at a local grocery store.
During my blurry night here I met a curvy mom (a buzzed cougar?), a slurry Brazilian with come-hither eyes (and a girlfriend back home) and two terrifying Russian men, both quite toxic and looking for something to punch. The common room has loads of beanbag chairs should you pass out. There’s also a king sized bed underneath the TV, for those who can’t muster the strength to take it upstairs.
Villa Saint Exupery
Location: Nice, France
We’ve written about this one before but it bears repeating that this might be one of the prettiest party hostels in the world. Gorgeous or not, this place goes off. €1 beer awaits anyone who can operate a vending machine and after 8pm the main area is awash with revelers on the drink.
Pudu Hostel
Location: Bariloche, Argentina
Pudu is haphazardly placed on some sort of cliff – the upstairs rooms have gorgeous views overlooking Patagonia but most guests head to the kitchen each night, where everyone kicks in a few bucks for food and drink. Quiet hammock-side conversation often turns to a full-out party by midnight in the garden.
Pudu is run by an Irish couple who have a history of radical travel and an Argentine who loves all things rasta. I wouldn’t say that anything goes here, but I would say anything within reason.
Casa Caracol
Location: Cadiz, Spain
It doesn’t seem like anyone sleeps here, or at least not while the moon is out. This is one of those places that’s either described as the best party of someone’s life or the worst nightmare of another’s. One stop might even be enough to do you in. As one person said on hostels.com, “I really enjoyed my stay; but I don’t think I’ll come back.”
Hanoi Backpacker’s Hostel
Location: Hanoi, Vietnam
The only hostel that I could find in Vietnam, Hanoi Backpacker’s throws a party at the drop of a hat. Started by Australians, this hostel has a legendary Sunday bash that includes traditional barbie and a free keg. Happy Hour starts at 5pm every day on the roof.
Friendly Fun Franks Backpackers Hostel Riga, Latvia
Location: Riga, Latvia
Franks enjoys a worldwide reputation on the backpacker scene. British, Australian and Latvian owned, this backpacker not only offers pub tours, they also offer bobsled riding and AK-47 shooting. There’s a 24 hour bar on premises, if you’d like to load up before pumping bullets.
Stone Of A Beach
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Just two blocks from Copacabana beach, Stone Of A Beach gets consistent raves from partiers, with constant mention of its rooftop bar and late nights. The caipirinhas are said to be especially deadly. Typical of hostels in this category, reviews are either raves or vehement slags.
Eastern Comfort
Location: Berlin, Germany
The Eastern Comfort is a hostel boat parked on the Spree River in Berlin, just next to the heavily-partied districts of Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg. The boat itself has a fascinating history, having been transported on a barge from another part of the country by an owner with a dream.
The on-board bar gets packed on Wednesdays for language-swap night, which later turns into tongue-swap night.
Base
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Whooo doggy, this one’s a party. You’d think that a place this central in a town this quaint would lend itself to a nice, Kite-Runner-reading crowd. Instead it’s rammed with a severe party people, all of who make the trip to the accompanying Saints and Sinners nightclub.
Traveler’s Hostel
Location: Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic
Peeking through the Tripadvisor reviews makes me feel bad for those who came here to rest up. Upon arrival one person notes “everyone was still asleep because of a tequila party the night before” and another confirms, “This place is loud all night and I mean all night until 6 in the morning.”
Global Village Backpackers
Location: Toronto, Canada
Although not reportedly the cleanest hostel in North America, Global Village is known for a legendary New Year’s Eve party. The hostel is located in the former Spadina Hotel, which once hosted The Rolling Stones, Jack Nicholson and a bunch of Canadian bands we don’t know. 180 beds and hundreds of conflicting reviews make this a sure bet for an interesting night.
Koala Beach Resort
Location: Airlie Beach, Australia
I was there a few years ago but reviews substantiate the place as I remember it: a rat trap with a severe amount of punters pounding pints. If you want to stay in the middle of the craziest night of your life, then this is the place. Rabble-rousers rave about the mad nights at Koala Beach, while others bemoan the property’s condition. You’d probably hear the same reviews of most frat parties.
Bug Backpacker user reviews say “the staff were idiots and everything was dirty” and “as for the bathroom, I wouldn’t let my dog even go in there!”. This still doesn’t stop the party on Airlie Beach, which never seems to end.
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18 Comments... join the discussion!
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Wow, party hostel in Lafayette–speechless!
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You missed the Pink Palace in Corfu, Greece!!!! It’s a non-stop party!
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There’s not much of a party scene in Luang Prabang, but those who do party tend to stay at Spicy Laos Backpackers. Free coffee and bananas are nice touches.
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You must gotten there during a good time because I experienced no partying there at all! Just a few good people and exploring the area. Everyone seemed to be waiting for the big partying for tubing.
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Tim – the REAL party is at Lao Lao Garden
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Warning! Do not feed the tiger!
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Hue also has hostel which I believe is related to Hanoi Backpacker’s. Possibly a place check it out for the next hostel posting. I stayed in a hotel down the street from it and it seemed pretty fun and definitely a place I would look into for my next trip.
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thanks for places to AVOID. when I want to sleep I want to sleep!
I’m getting old…
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You misspelled Colombia.. it’s not Columbia.
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You are correct! Thank you.
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You missed Budapest on both list, Carpe Noctem is the best hostel in europe, it’s the only one which forces you to have a great night, if you don;t believe me just look at the review on hostel world
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went to India House in NOLA last summer. in my book, it wouldn’t even come close to getting on this list. definitely no drunken staff offering whiskey… or anything of the sort. now, the Banana Bungalow in San Diego were some of the best times I’ve ever had.
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Yikes, you must have picked a bad time! I was there for a month a couple years back and the place was non-stop. Pass the Jell-O shooters and crawfish curry, please…
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Mondo Taitu in Panama was the best party hostel I’ve ever stayed at! The main floor has the most packed-and-popular bar in town (with theme parties, martini nights, 80’s parties ect every night of the week) and the staff and guests are just fantastic, the best!
I went for a few nights at the beginning of my trip and ended up back there in my final week just because I wanted to get some more partying in before I headed home- the plan was to stay for 2 or 3 nights but every day when I tried to leave…happy hour hit. Finally on day 9, after having not slept for a week and not showered for 4 days, the hostel owner saw me with my backpack and said “You’re not actually leaving, are you?” I said “My flight is in 23 hours and I’m in the wrong country.” My flight was leaving from San Jose but I just couldn’t tear myself away from the fun!
Anyway, long story short, I did make my flight but I will NEVER forget that week
All of that being said, the Aqua Bar was a really close second, I never stayed at their hostel but had so many drunken nights skinnydipping off the dock/dance floor, plus they one-dollar shots of tequila once a week (tuesdays I think?)! Can’t beat that.
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Scum of the earth, over-privileged youth of the arrogant middle-classes. You swan around the world like lobotomised monkeys, pickling your livers in the vain hope that you won’t have to check in for some dead-end office job one day…
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A question for the third person Tom the author is pretending to be: which one of these hostels is Tom’s favorite? Or does he have to visit each one again just to be sure?
I love attending parties while traveling – and not just parties with other travelers. I also like to party with locals, and for that I use Tripping (http://www.tripping.com); it’s a site that lets travelers connect with locals to show them around town or offer them a place to crash.↵
