Rave redux

via CAAI News Media

Friday, 26 February 2010 15:02 Post Staff

PARADISE Eco-Resort, discreetly tucked well out of town near Pouk village, is the unofficial home of Siem Reap’s rave scene, with the venue hosting full moon soirees when the vibes are right.

The last full moon blast was in January and organisers are gearing up for another assault on the senses, this time with a live band and a new DJ.

“We need someone who can keep the party going strong at 6am with techno going boom, boom, boom,” says Awen Delaval, who owns the resort with fellow Frenchman Andy de Ville d’Avray.

Awen started throwing the parties at the same place four years ago when it was called Seven Paradise Guesthouse. He subsequently bought the business, reopened it as Paradise Eco-Resort in August, and has since had five lunar fiestas.

However, the parties have been a little chilled, and he’s looking to inject a bit more energy into the night.

“We’ve been playing reggae, ragamuffin, jungle and drum ’n’ bass,” says Awen. “But now we’re looking to add techno.”

Awen is using Facebook to look for a new DJ, most likely from Thailand where the original infamously drug-fuelled full moon parties began. But he’s careful to differentiate what they’re doing at Paradise from the Thai isles.

“It’s not a place to take drugs like Koh Phangan. There might be a few joints of course, but everything’s very soft,” says Awen. “The challenge is to make it groovier without drugs.” But the scene at Paradise hasn’t been entirely tame. “Mostly a group of expats finishes naked in the pool at 6am,” says Arwen.

So the DJ search begins, with the next party, hopefully in March, set to be more vivacious than ever.