DJ Nakadia: Why Koh Samui is Asia's Ibiza
Youtube video of DJ Nakadia performing at the Liberty Dance 2009 festival in the Netherlands
DJ Nakadia, Thailand’s hottest DJ export, has spent the latter half of the past decade terrorizing the world’s dance floors with her hard-hitting blend of techno and electro. It’s been a turbulent 10 years for DJ Nakadia, who started off as a model before succumbing to the allure of Europe’s nightlife scene by trying her hand at DJing.
Nakadia splits most of her time between Koh Samui and Berlin, her second home. Her trips back to play in Thailand have been more frequent this year than in the past. Naturally, the DJ vixen has a couple of nightspots to recommend that she says should be a priority for any dedicated clubber this month.
“I would spend Christmas Eve at the new Fusion in Lamai on Koh Samui. The club just re-opened and is one of Thailand’s best I think,” says Nakadia, who can’t get enough of the nightlife scene on Koh Samui.
While 2009 has been a rocky year for Bangkok’s clubscene, Samui picked up the slack as promoters tried to outdo nights on neighbouring Koh Pha-ngan, says Nakadia.
“As with the rest of the world, in Thailand we had to fight with many problems in 2009. Bangkok’s clubbing year started with a disaster at Santika and clubbing in Bangkok was kind of boring most of the time in 2009. Less people went out and many clubs had empty nights.
“On the other hand, Koh Samui developed more and more into Asia’s Ibiza,” she adds. “Every month more clubs opened and hundreds of international DJs spend their holidays on the island. It was so much fun to play on Samui this year. I would call Koh Samui the party centre of Southeast Asia in 2009.”
Where to bid 2009 goodbye in Thailand
Standing out for Nakadia this festive season are the parties slated to be held at Chaweng beach.
“At Monkey Bay on Chaweng beach and at Lake View next to the Chaweng Lake you will find two of the best open air venues in Southeast Asia,” she adds. “For New Years Eve I would recommend Koh Pha-ngan. Since December 31 is also full moon, the Full Moon Party on Koh Pha-ngan will be huge this year. If I were staying in Bangkok, I would probably be on the State Tower for a New Years Eve dinner and then party through the night at Demo in Thong Lor.”
True to her word, Nakadia will be spinning at Thong Lor’s most talked-about venue on January 2 before gigs on Samui, Pha-ngan and Phuket.
Although short in stature, Nakadia is well-endowed with a zest for her chosen career. The lady-jock took on the world and won in 2009, and 2010 promises to deliver more of the good stuff.
“This year was very crazy,” she says. “Always up and down like a rollercoaster. All together there was not one highlight that I have to point out, but the amazing thing was that out of the 10 best gigs of my life, nine where in 2009. So you know my goal for 2010 now.”
As a perpetual globetrotter, Nakadia is going to be all over Europe this month before heading to Northern Africa to bring in the New Year.
“Christmas I will spend in Holland, Germany and France. I have four bookings in this time and a lot of travelling. On New Years Eve I fly to Tunis for a few hours. It will be my first start of the New Year in Africa.”
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