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Summertime!!! The summer is a synonym for a sunshine overload, long hot days and short easy nights. And.. for the best music festivals, mud and music.

No summer is complete without at least one music festival. Nothing beats a good old week of partying, being covered in mud and happy as a child, discovering obscure bands, drinking way too much and sleeping way too little… Whether the festival takes one day, a whole week, takes place in your own country or abroad just isn’t important as long as the vibe is chilled out and the music loud.

Being on a festival for the first time is quite an experience. Therefore, to prevent rookie mistakes, Travelspecs presents to you:… The ultimate (but tiny) guide to a musical high! The Best Summer Music Festivals around the world

Where to go? Top 10 Best Music Festivals around the World :

1. Burning Man (USA)

(+-35,000, 7 days) (August/September)

This festival is the dream of every party-addict. Thousands of people from all over the world gather in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert in the USA for the culmination of good music, feasts and art. First-timers will be blown away by the Las Vegas style city Black Rock City that for the purpose of this festival has risen from the earth. Every year the festival has a special theme and visitors bring or construct the creaziest structures accordingly. Normal rules do not apply in Black Rock City: for example no one is allowed to sell food or water: giving and sharing are the law in this place. Don’t forget to take water to the festival, without the obligated 1.5 gallons of water per day per person you will not be able to attend the festival. The Burning Man festival builds up to the very climax on the last night when the Burning Man, a massive wooden structure is lit on fire.”

http://www.burningman.com/preparation/event_survival/water.html

2. Boom (Portugal)

( +- 26,000, 8 days) (August)

Boom promotes itself as a festival for all the free spirits: The idea behind the Boom is to create a space in this time continuum where people from all over the world can live an alternative reality. This hippy-like festival takes place in the last week of August in Portugal. The DJ’s mainly play Goa-Trance and Psychedelic: so be prepared for a trippin’ time!

http://www.boomfestival.org/boom2010/home-news/concept

3. Sziget (Hongary)

(+- 400 000 visitors, 7 days) (August)

Sziget is growing out to be the biggest and most popular music festival in Europe. With headliners like The Prodigy, Kaiser Chiefs, Good Charlotte, Richie Hawton and Amy Winehouse this island festival is a must for festival freaks. The festival takes 7 days and is situated on an island in the Donau in the heart of Budapest. Camp on the riverbanks of the Donau or be a real music-freak and camp next to the main stage: it’s all is allowed at Sziget!

http://szigetfest.eu/en

4. Splendour in the Grass (Australia)

(+-30.000, 3 days) (July)

Splendour is Australia’s most popular festival. So popular that you’ll need to be in real luck to obtain a ticket. Only half an hour away from the beautiful Byron Bay you can hear world famous artists like Kanye West and Coldplay. On this party you will not find your typically festival drunk participant: Splendour is open to everyone, from every age and has something to offer for all its visitors. For example a kids relaxation corner and a full on beauty spa!

http://splendourinthegrass.com/#home.html

5. Glastonbury Festival (Glastonbury UK)

(130.000,  5 days) (June)

This is the BIG one. Glastonbury is the largest festival in the UK.
What started in the 1970s as a gathering of hippies and free-minded folks has grown into the festival of festivals. Although the festival still breathes the atmosphere of free spirit obviously it has become more commercialized. Yet, the festival guarantees a stunning line-up every year. The festival hosts a staggering 60 stages covering all music styles you could possibly imagine. The nr of artists and big names (in all styles) is simply incredible.

The festivities are located in Somerset, south-west England, just a few miles away from Glastonbury. There are lots of different camping areas, each with its own atmosphere. Some are busier, others a more laid back. There is something for every liking. So what are you waiting for, start arranging your monster festival experience to the Glastonbury!

http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/

6. Fusion(Germany)

(+- 50.000, 4 days) July/August

Fusion is the biggest techno festival in Germany. Every year thousands of people gather in Mecklenburg at a former Russian Airbase to have their fair share of musical violence. The organization of Fusion call their festival pure freedom where people can be happy as a child, without worries and unkontrolliert! Not a festival for the faint hearted.

http://www.fusion-festival.de/

7. Antilliaanse Feesten (Belgium)

(+- 35.000 2 days) (August)

The Antilliaanse Feesten is  the largest and possibly the best Carribean music festival in the world and is held every year in August in Hoogstraten, Belgium. Tens of Thousands Latin music aficionados meet come together to enjoy a fabulous line up of some of the world’s best Latin acts. Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, but also reggaeton and more tropical music styles like soca, African styles, cumbia, latin rock can be found here. The festival is held on Friday and Saturday and an incredible camp site is build up during this time. In recent years the festival showcased Latin super stars like Oscar d’Leon, La India, Yuri Buenaventura, Don Omar, Joe Arroyo, Jerry Rivera, Willie Colon, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Fruko, Africando, but also Wyclef Jean, the list is endless. A gozarrrrrrrrrr!!!!

The next edition is held on August 12 & 13^th 2011.

http://www.antilliaansefeesten.be/en/index.html

8. Bonnaroo (Machesterm Tenessee, USA) (80.000 4 days)

Bonnaroo is a 4 day music festival held annually in June on a 700 acre farm, in Manchester, Tennessee. The festival is known as one of the largest festivals in the States and if you look at the line-ups of this festival in the past years it’s no surprise that it attracts over 80.000 visitors yearly. Jay-Z, U2, Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Green Day, The White Stripes, Stevie Wonder, Nine Inch Nails and Norah Jones are just a few of the big names that have performed here.

http://www.bonnaroo.com/

9. Roskilde (Denmark)

(90.000, 4 days) June/July

Roskilde is one of the largest open air music festivals in Northern Europe. It is held yearly since 1972 and as such is one of the oldest festivals as well. Roskilde is situated about 30 kilometers outside of Kopenhagen, Denmark and attracts visitors from all over the world. Over 90.000 visitors gather during these 4 days to enjoy a great variety in music including rock, pop, hip hop, and electronic music styles. Over 180 bands and artists drive the crowds mad at 7 different stages. There is a massive camp site next to the festival.

http://roskilde-festival.dk/uk/

10. Rock Werchter (Belgium)

(130.000 visitors, 4 days) June/July

Rock Werchter is another great highlight on Europe’s festival calendar. What started in 1974 as a festival for die hard rock fans has grown into one of Europe’s largest and most popular rock fests. All the greats have performed here and in recent years, the visitors can expect the cream of the crop here. In 2011 the festival hosted Coldplay, Linkin Park, The Chemical Brothers, Bruno Mars, Underworld. As you can see it’s not all about rock anymore with different genres being well presented. But those in search for some serious guitar and metal, no worries, Rock Werchter stays true to its origins. Top festival!

http://www.rockwerchter.be/en/home/

11. Nature One (Germany)

(45.000, 2 days/ 5 days camp site (July/August)

Here's another German classic. Nature One is probably the best techno festival worldwide. Each year tens of thousands of lovers of electronic music gather in Kastellaun at the Spydna Rocket base. This former US army base used to house the nuclear missiles which were aimed at Russia during the cold war. Since all this is a long time ago the rocket base is now used for this awesome festival. The area containing several missile silos are used now to hold awesome rave parties. All electronic music styles are well represented at Nature One. If the festival itself wasn't good enough by itself it even gets better.

The festival camp site itself is also a mayhem of electronic music as seamingly every visitor brings some form of amplified music. This can vary from a car speakers till complete dance clubs being built in the open air. It's just great to see what people manage to bring to the site. A must for every lover of electronic music.

http://nature-one.de/events/nature-one/englisch/

Since we love music festivals follow this blog as we’ll continue posting about the best, funkiest and exciting festivals around the world.

Festival Do’s & Dont’s

For those that are going to experience a music festival for the first time we've listed a couple of vital do's and dont's :

- Don´t place your tent under a hill. Common sense. Being flushed by the rain and having to sleep in a wet tent for a week is not a good idea.

- Don´t go to a massive concert on flip-flops: you will never survive a mosh-pitt.

- Don’t go into a portable toilet when you are hung over a few days into the festival.. Actually avoid going completely and find a quiet spot in the open air!

This said,

- DO bring toilet paper with you!

- DO place your tent on a spot where you can actually find it back. Believe me after a long night of partying you do not want to be looking for your tent and not be able to find it because of the thousands of other people that have EXACLY the same tent. Therefore DO decorate your tent with funny gadgets and remember some landmarks near your tent.

- DO rent a locker and put your passport and other valuables in it. Believe me: nothing is more annoying than being on a party without cash. Without money, passport and bankcards your way back is going to be pretty impossible (but none the less very adventurous!)

- DO check out the most random bands, enjoy watching weird hippy like festival go-ers and eat local food

- DO take an old tent. Ancient festival tradition dictates that all tents should be daubed or trashed at the last day of the festival so be warned

Now you know where to go, what to do and what not to do in music festival season! Have fun, drink a lot, don’t sleep at all, share showers – save water… but always remember the most important rule of all… ‘What happens on festival grounds…

stays on festival grounds!!’.

This article about the best music festivals around the world is contributed by Ingrid Gercama – 2011