Head to Rio this weekend and you'll find an entire city getting down. Every block is an explosion of music. Scantily clad beauties shimmy down spectator-lined streets, and well-heeled partygoers gather in liquor-stocked suites at the Sambadrome, the festival's unofficial headquarters.
Rio Carnival is just one of a number of global hot spots that welcomes thousands of visitors looking to take part in the most decadent of celebrations. Among the more popular: Munich's Oktoberfest, Mardi Gras and The Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain. While some started out as pious events and others commemorate human achievement, all the bashes on our list are testaments to the pursuit of a good time.
Of course these events also mean big bucks for their host cities. Although Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans aren't at pre-Katrina levels, the city expects this year's festivities to bring in over a billion dollars.
Big Business
The world's largest Carnival celebration draws over 700,000 tourists and $500 million to Rio de Janeiro every year, according to city officials. But a prime seat in the Sambadrome, built in 1984 and designed by noted Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, will run you as much as $1,500. It may be well worth the price as the spectacle put on by the samba schools in the 65,000-capacity arena is the centerpiece of the world's craziest party.
Not to be out done, Munich sees $1.4 billion from the 17-day Oktoberfest, according to the city tourism office. During this period, the Bavarian city of just over a million people handles some six million visitors who consume over six million liters of beer.
But if you're seeking a truly decadent time, however, it's going to be hard to top Las Vegas on New Year's Eve. A city known to blow up buildings to welcome midnight is notoriously kind to vast sums of wealth and offers some truly amazing amenities like hotels with 24-hour butler service, rain forest steam showers and private salons, and personal concierges to book booths at exclusive lounges.
Hedonist Haunt
While some celebrations tend to be based on traditions that span centuries, others, like Burning Man, are more recent and resemble raves more than festivals. The communally organized event in the Nevada desert starts in August with volunteers constructing an entire village, Black Rock City, to house what can be up to 50,000 attendees. An expression of self-reliance and self-expression, the six-day spectacle includes radical art displays and culminates in the burning of a wooden effigy that in past years has topped 80 feet.
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Not your mom's Rose Parade, Germany's one-day Love Parade features internationally famed and local disc jockeys who blast electronica music from trucks as spectators choose their favorites to follow. Revelers make a weekend of it by attending both exclusive and public dance parties throughout the city. The 2007 Love Parade drew twice the population of its host, Essen, a small coal-mining city on the French border.
At both Burning Man and the Love Parade, the drug culture is said to be extremely active. Drug overdoses aren't unheard of at either festival, and law enforcement closely monitors the crowd. Organizers have been trying to change this perception in recent years; sponsors of the Love Parade have tried to discourage drug use by handing out candy to maintain energy levels.
Luxe Lodging
Of course no two people are going to party alike, especially if one of them is willing to open his wallet.
Those traveling to Rio to commemorate Carnival might choose to do it at the Copacabana Palace. One of South America's first luxury hotels, it is home to Cipriani restaurant and features 150 luxury suites with beds decked in Troussardi linen. Munich's top spot is the Mandarin Oriental; its 22 suites feature state-of-the-art entertainment systems. And in San Francisco, the 336-room Ritz Carlton offers valued guests complimentary iPods.
Perfect for handling that hangover.
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IN PICTURES:World's Most Decadent Parties
Mardi Gras
Where: New Orleans, La.
When: Feb. 2-5
The city's celebration is concentrated around Bourbon Street, where you can enjoy Fat Tuesday Cajun style by sipping Hurricanes and eating King Cakes as floats filled with participants in masquerade parade by. Procrastinators better act now: Over 90% of the city's hotel rooms are already booked.
Burning Man
Where: Black Rock City, Black Rock Desert, Nevada
When: Aug. 25 through Sept. 1
Originally started on a beach in San Francisco, Burning Man moved to the Nevada desert when a permit to burn the festival's trademark effigy was denied. Now in its 22nd year, Burning Man is testament to self-expression and pyromania. Unfortunately, if you want easy comfort you're out of luck. Entirely built by volunteers for the festival, Black Rock City doesn't have hotels. Other than grabbing a tent and camping out, your best bet would be to rent an RV. Check out cruiseamerica.com for clearance RVs and rentals.
Bastille Day
Where: Paris, France
When: July 14
Called "La Fete Nationale," or "le quatorze juillet," this one-day party officially marks the "Fete de La Federation," a 1780 feast held to commemorate the end of the French Revolution. To many, though, the celebration is about the anniversary of the 1789 storming of the Bastille. Military parades are held in the morning, with the city's largest on the Champs-Élysées; come evening, the city celebrates with fireworks and "bals" along the Seine.
Gay Pride Parade
Where: San Francisco, Calif.
When: June 28-29
What was originally founded in 1973 as Gay Freedom Day has become one of the hallmarks of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender movement. Now a two-day festival held at and around the city's Civic Center, the San Francisco Pride Parade hosts hundreds of groups bedecked in everything from candy-colored wigs to frothy tutus on floats ambling down Market Street. Evening street parties take place in the Castro.
The Love Parade Where: Dortmund, Germany
When: To be determined
Stalled in 2004 and 2005 due to lack of funds, the Love Parade returned to Berlin in 2006 with corporate sponsorship, McFit, a German fitness company. In 2007, it was held in Essen. Featuring a parade of trucks outfitted to play dance and electronica music, the Love Parade often draws comparisons to raves. But it's keeping local coffers full; the 2006 parade added nearly $100 million to the local Berlin economy. This year, the parade will be held in Dortmund, near the French border.
Lizard Island Resort, Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Best Place To Pet A Potato Cod
Luxury lodges, snorkeling right off the beach and huge potato cod so tame divers can pet them are just some of the reasons worldly travelers seek out Australia's northernmost resort. Located smack on the spectacular Great Barrier Reef, Lizard brims with vibrant coral reefs and 24 pristine powder-white beaches. Prefer dry land? Try bushwalking or surrender to the resort's luxurious Azure Spa.
Longitude 131, Ayers Rock
Best Luxury Wilderness Camp This African-style luxury safari camp set in the sand dunes offers total immersion into the wilderness that is Ulur-Kata Tjuta National Park. From under the crisp white sheets of your king-sized bed in your palatial tent, you can watch the sun rise slowly over Ayres Rock. Experience stunning 360-degree views of Uluru and Kata Tjuta while enjoying pre-dinner sparkling wine and canapés, then enjoy a three-course dinner showcasing the best of outback cuisine and Australian wines under the night sky.
Fairmont, Vancouver Airport
Best Place To Take A NapThis ultra-convenient hotel, which offers floor-to-ceiling views of the surrounding mountains and ocean, has been completely soundproofed to block out jet noise. Plus, an entire floor has been earmarked as a "quiet" zone, where housekeeping is deferred during daylight hours. There's more: To get to your flight, you simply take the elevator--no shuttle required.
ENJOY!!!!!!!!!
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