Location: Porto Belo, Brazil
Capacity: 8,000
Combine an idyllic beach in Porto Belo, Brazil, with a vast dome lined with speakers and you’ve got El Fortin — a globally celebrated club inside what is essentially an overgrown beach hut.
Founded in 2006, the team behind El Fortin have managed to blur the line between a big-room techno vibe and tropical, tech-house-heavy events. The likes of Green Velvet, Lee Foss and Paco Osuna have previously upended El Fortin, while the club’s resident DJ, Slow Motion, has warmed up for international headliners along the way. With three stages spread across a rich landscape of palm trees, rock and wooden sculptures, each platform was built to align human energy with nature and add a paradisal aesthetic throughout the sprawling space.
The club’s Funktion-One soundsystem has sadly remained untouched during the pandemic, as El Fortin remains temporarily closed while management and staff await guidance from the Brazilian government. This means El Fortin's legendary Anniversary party won’t occur in August, and the club won’t host part of Brazil’s carnival celebrations. For now, though, the team are keen to re-open when safe to do so and provide the best possible service upon the return of their loyal, passionate punters.