The five best destinations to attend a carnival

Carnival – some love it, others hate it. For all these carnivalists, dailynewsfortravelers.com has brought together the five most colourful festivals in the world. As each carnival carries different traditions, dailynewsfortravelers.com offers its insider tips to fully enjoy the experience. Costume, dance, music… Everything is in place to have a good time.

Halong Carnival – Vietnam – From late April to early May.

The « Halong Carnival » is the largest festival in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. It takes place between the last week of April and the first week of March. Each year, a different theme is imposed on its participants, who can be as much residents of the city as actors, dancers, singers and musicians from the region. Over several days, spectators will have the opportunity to see colourful costume parades, musical and water shows, sound and light performances and a fireworks display.

Copenhagen Carnival – Denmark from 7 to 10 June 2019

The Copenhagen Carnival is an annual event that takes place in the spring in the streets of Copenhagen. He is a newcomer to the carnival scene, but it has become the world’s largest music festival with traditional samba, steelpan and electronic music with nearly 2,000 dancers, 120 groups and over 100,000 spectators participating.

Insider tip: Carnival lovers should take their families to Copenhagen. There is a special program for children with various workshops, performances and separate parade.

Recommended hotel: Tivoli Hotel Copenhagen is located close to the famous Tivoli gardens, only a ten-minute walk from Copenhagen Central Station. It is therefore a fantastic place to stay during the carnival. Children will not be bored in this hotel thanks to its playroom, large swimming pool and outdoor playground.

Notting Hill Carnival – London, United Kingdom August 24-26, 2019

Every year in August, in the very chic Notting Hill district, carnival takes place over a long weekend and allows West London to sip coconut water, eat chicken and dance until late at night. This carnival is dedicated to the traditions of the British Caribbean community. The Notting Hill Carnival is music-based and includes the use of large-scale sound systems and performances. Its five main elements are: the masquerade, the sound systems, the Steeldrum, Calypso and Soca groups.

Insider tip: The « Notting Hill Carnival » application is the best way to navigate easily through the neighbourhood and the various events.

Recommended hotel: The Royal Garden Hotel is close to the High Street Kensington metro station and offers excellent access to transportation. The hotel offers a panoramic view of the palace and gardens of Kensington, Hyde Park and the rooftops of London. After the celebrations, guests enjoy the picturesque view while enjoying a selection of delicious award-winning pastries.

The Baranquilla Carnival – Colombia

Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for 11 years, the Baranquilla Carnival is the most important folk and cultural festival in Colombia. However, internationally, the Baranquilla Carnival is somewhat starred by its Rio neighbour. And yet, it includes about fifty villages in the Baranquilla region and is spread over 4 days of celebration. It begins with the « Battle of Flowers », a parade where participants happily confront each other with flowers while paying tribute to the country’s Afro-Indigenous culture. It ends with the symbolic funeral of Joselito Carnival, the giant puppet that symbolizes the carnival.

Basel Carnival – Switzerland

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, the Basel Carnival brings three days of intense celebration to life for Basel residents and visitors, known as the drey scheenschte Dääg (the three most beautiful days). It begins with the Morgestraich, the parade of lanterns, and continues with the parades of « cliques » that wander around the city to the sound of fife and drums. The carnival is intended to be satirical. The main attraction of the festivities are the schnitzelbanks, satirical and amusing poems for the region’s leaders, proclaimed by the participants. The carnival ends with the Endstreich, a last giant concert of fife and drums.