A travel guide to Coachella 2018

4 January 2018

The line-up for Coachella 2018 has just been announced with the likes of Beyonce, Eminem and The Weeknd announced as the headliners of the six-day event in April.

The crème-de-la-crème of music festivals, Coachella is held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California over two weekends (April 13-15 and 20-22) and draws a crowd of over 250,000 people, from celebs and fashionistas to top Instagramers.

It trends every year on social media as festival-goers wait patiently for the line up to be announced so they can blast-post their mix of raw emotion online as soon as its released. That happened this week. 

Coachella 2018 line-up

This year, Coachella 2018 leans to more contemporary dance, pop and rap artists as their names appear big and bold in the line-up list, but there is still enough alternative acts to keep the subtle head-bangers happy, such as Borns, Haim and Alt-J.

Some of the staple favorite electronic acts include Odesza, Kygo and Jamiroquai, with plenty new ones on the scene such as Petit Biscuit, X Japan and Blackbear.

Proudly representing South Africa, is Black Coffee who will also be performing on both Fridays, however it’s the prominent trio of The Weeknd, Beyonce and Eminem who are sure to keep up the hype before and during the festival weekends.

 

Coachella  2018 Tips

It’s a once-in-a-lifetime trip for South Africans so you need to make the most of it, explains Sue Garrett, Flight Centre Travel Group South Africa Product and Marketing. “This is long-haul at its best so you’ll want to consult with a travel expert to make sure you cover all the detail and buy travel insurance just in case something unexpected happens.”

Several Flight Centre travel experts have experienced Coachella first-hand and have these handy tips for festival-goers.

1. Watch performers you’ve never heard of. You’ll most likely find yourself returning home with a whole list of new artists over which to obsess in 2018.
2. Coachella rookies are usually so excited for their first weekend of Coachella that they forget to drink water. Make a point of carrying a bottle with you that you can refill when you need, along with plenty of sunscreen (on your body not just in your pocket).
3. Use a tag to stick your contact information onto the case of your phone and even on your wallet too. These items can go missing in the excitement of a festival like Coachella, but you’d be surprised at how many are actually returned.
4. Create a defined meeting point with your group so that if you get lost and your phone dies, you won't find yourself wandering aimlessly looking for your mates.
5. Consider flying in to Los Angeles instead of Palm Springs International. Not only is it cheaper, Coachella also offers shuttles from LAX to the festival.