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Browsing Category " Asia Nightlife "

Tashkent Nightlife (Uzbekistan) - Best Bars and Clubs

By Tibs →
As the most populous city in Central Asia (> 2 million people), Tashkent has a rather disappointing nightlife, especially when comparing with Almaty or Astana . Still, it is decent enough for a few days of party while visiting Uzbekistan. I have only spent a few days there, so this will be a short overview of the best bars and nightclubs. I noticed that venues open and close really fast, so make sure to check the Facebook or Instagram of the ones I list below. I invite you to leave a comment as well at the end of the article if there you have any updates.

Dhaka Nightlife (Bangladesh): Best Bars and Clubs

By Tibs →
As you would expect, Dhaka nightlife is far from being interesting, mainly because alcohol sale is very restricted. That's easily understandable considering Bangladesh is a country both conservative and Muslim. Poor and middle-class Bangladeshis will very rarely party, and if they do (for instance at weddings), there won't be any alcohol. Some members of the elite might be more open-minded, but they will prefer drinking discreetly at home or inside private clubs. The richest will just fly to nearby countries for short holidays. There are also very few tourists visiting the country apart from adventurous backpackers. As a result, there is not a real nightlife scene in Dhaka, nor in any other cities like Chittagong or Cox's Bazar. Partying and drinking is not completely impossible, though. For foreigners, there are still a few options to have fun, mainly at hotel bars and private clubs.

Karachi Nightlife (Pakistan): Bars, Clubs, Alcohol

By Tibs →
Karachi is an enormous city, the largest in Pakistan, and yet it has a poorer nightlife than most small towns in Europe. There are no nightclubs, no public bars serving alcohol, and the sale of alcohol is highly restricted. Pakistanis will tell you that behind closed doors, there are plenty of secret parties and underground clubs, but I was not connected enough to find out if this is true or not. If you are an expat living in Pakistan, or if you have high-level local friends, you might be able to access those. If you do, please don't hesitate to share your experience with us in the comment section below. For the rest of us, tourists and temporary visitors, we have to rely on a handful of cafés, bars and restaurants, with only a few that allow alcohol. Karachi Bars and Cafés (No Alcohol) If you don't mind not drinking alcohol, there are several trendy cafés, restaurants and bars in Karachi where you can socialize with upper-class Pakistanis. Since new pla

Almaty Nightlife: Best Bars and Nightclubs - Kazakhstan

By Tibs →
I spent around 10 days in Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan. I was told it had the best nightlife in Central Asia, and it is probably true. While it is sometimes still rough around the edges, I can say that it is one of the most underrated party destinations I've ever been to. The city has at least 10 decent nightclubs and 30 bars worth visiting. It is generally cheap: Drinks costs between 2$ and 5$, even in nicer venues, with an entrance fee always below 10$. Foreigners are rare and they are treated like royalty. A few times, I was able to avoid queuing after the bouncers heard me speaking in English.

Bishkek Nightlife - Best Bars and Nightclubs - Kyrgyzstan

By Tibs →
I stayed in Bishkek for a short week while visiting Kyrgyzstan in June 2017. Naturally, I was curious to discover its nightlife, which was recommended to me by several friends. Since I was there during Ramadan, I was afraid the bars and nightclubs would be closed, but everything was normal, albeit slightly quieter than usual. My first difficulty was the lack of information about partying in Bishkek. Almost everything you'll find online is outdated or in Russian (Retro and Golden Bull are closed for instance). Luckily, on my first night out I met an expat who lived in the city for 3 years and he took everywhere I needed to go. This review is a summary of everything I learned about Bishkek nightlife. I hope you can leave comments about your own experiences as well to make it more interesting and to keep it updated. Nightlife Areas + Recommended Hotels Nearby Most of the best bars and nightclubs in Bishkek are located within 500 meters from Ala Too square, and parti

Singapore Nightlife: Bars and Nightclubs Guide

By Tibs →
Since my first visit in 2004, Singapore nightlife has seen tremendous changes, though not always for the best. As the GDP of Singapore almost tripled during that time, the number of foreigners went from 875,000 in 2006 to 1,632,000 in 2015. In the meantime, more and more Singaporeans went working or studying abroad, often in prestigious universities . Combined with the Government's ambition to develop Singapore as a tourist destination, this cosmopolitan atmosphere has encouraged restaurants, bars and nightclubs owners to open always more sophisticated and ambitious venues. As a result, Singapore nightlife has become one of the best in Southeast Asia. You have 28 restaurants with Michelin stars,  3 bars among the 50 best in the world , and 2 nightclubs in the  DJ Mag Top 100 . On the downside, prices have reached a ridiculous level, especially for wine and alcohol. If you are planning to go to the best nightclubs, bars and restaurants, you can expect to easily burn 300$

Gili Trawangan Nightlife - Best Bars and Nightclubs (Lombok)

By Tibs →
I wrote this summary of Gili Trawangan nightlife (Lombok) after spending 3 nights there in May 2017. I had not visited the island in almost 10 years, and yet it didn't change much. It is just a bit more crowded, more expensive and dirtier.  Most visitors are young Westerners between 20 and 30 years old. Among them, many are couples on their honeymoon or backpackers on a 6-month Southeast Asia tour. The latter aren't as numerous as in Bali or Thailand, probably because of the prices (overall you'll spend twice as much in the Gili's). They tend to stay for a short period of time only, on their way to other parts of Indonesia. The ones who stay longer usually work in diving centers and form the only real expat community on the island.