Indonesia Nightlife: 12 Best Cities for Partying
By
Thibaud (Jakarta100bars)
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I've partied in all the major cities in Indonesia (as well as in much smaller ones!) so I thought it could be useful to summarize everything I've learned in one article. Hopefully it will give you ideas for your next trip! Without further ado, please find below the 12 best cities/regions for nightlife in Indonesia: Jakarta Jakarta is without any doubt the best city for partying in Indonesia. There are at least 20 decent nightclubs, more than 100 bars, and thousands of restaurants. The mindset is also quite liberal (at least in the upper class) and you'll find some wild venues like no other in the country (strip clubs, luxury massage parlors, etc). Since most of the clubbers are expats or wealthy Indonesians, you'll need to dress up and to spend quite a lot to have fun. If you are looking forward meeting beautiful women , Jakarta is fantastic too. → Most recommended venues: Jenja , Immigrant , Dragonfly , X2 , Basque → Where to stay near the nightlife
Partying is one of the best things to do during a trip to Bali. Bars and nightclubs can be found in every major city, especially in the southern part of the island. I already wrote an article about the 1 2 best nightclubs in Bali , but here I will focus on the nightlife areas and their specificities. I hope it will help you decide where to party, what kind of atmosphere to expect and how much you will spend. I will also recommend the best hotels in each area. As usual, you can ask any question by leaving a comment at the end of the page and I will do my best to answer them.
This Jakarta nightlife review is an update to my 2015 article and it should cover any questions you may have about partying in Jakarta in 2017. If you are a first-time visitor, you might also be interested with my Jakarta Travel Guide . Nightlife Areas There are so many nightlife areas in Jakarta that it can be confusing even for residents.
The following article is an update on the most happening bars in Jakarta as of 2017. I visited them at least once this year and I'm ranking them starting with my favorites. You can just click on the name of each bar to see my full review (if I have one). For more information about where to drink in Jakarta, you can also read: Jakarta Nightlife Explained in 500 Words 10 Best Nightclubs in Jakarta Where to Party in Jakarta? Best Beer Garden and Beer Houses in Jakarta Best Expat Bars in Jakarta 20 Best Happy Hours and Ladies Nights in Jakarta Currently, my favorite bars in Jakarta are:
Bali is a fantastic destination for single guys who want to meet girls. As soon as you'll arrive, you can download some popular dating apps and you'll be surprised by the high number of matches you'll get (to be fair, there are also many prostitutes - be careful). Another great way to meet girls in Bali is to visit bars and nightclubs, especially if you are staying around Kuta, Seminyak and Ubud. I wrote extensively about the nightlife in those areas, most recently two weeks ago with my guide: Where to Party in Bali? In the following article, I will focus on the most recommended spots to meet girls. I've made sure to mention a diversity of venues so you are certain to find exactly what you are looking for - be it a rich student from Jakarta or a 200-pound Australian tourist (nothing wrong with that).
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.
"What are the best nightclubs in Jakarta?" is one of the questions I get asked the most by readers of Jakarta100bars. The following list should answer this question though I imagine some of you may disagree with my rankings. If you do, please leave a comment below about your favorite clubs in the city. Surprisingly, there has not been so many changes in the past few year in the city's clubbing scene. All the venues listed below already existed in 2014. As I mentioned in my review Jakarta Nightlife Guide 2017 , almost all nightclubs in Jakarta are expensive . If you are a heavy alcohol drinker and if you are with a small group, I would advise to always buy a bottle. That way you can get a table or a sofa close from the dance-floor and also avoid the First Drink Charge, FDC (usually amounting to Rp100,000 - Rp200,000). On weekends, it is essential to book in advance.
I already wrote last year a complete review of Bali nightlife which I recently updated. I'm adding this ranking of the top 12 hottest clubs on the island. This list of the best party places should help you choose where to go for your night out. The $ sign indicates the average price category for a standard alcoholic drink. The following venues are all the busiest party spots in Bali at the time of writing. Please feel free to comment! I recommend you to choose a hotel near a nightclub. You'll avoid 4 things: Drunk motorbike accidents, bag snatchers, traffic jams and crooked taxi drivers. Read my article 10 Best Girl-Friendly Hotels Near Bali Nightlife or check these top Bali hotels to party with chic rooftop bars, multi-tiered pools and nearby beachside clubs. 1) Jenja $$$: Best overall Photo source: Jenja Bali Where is it? Jenja is located in the basement of the Town Square Suites on Jalan Nakula. It is just between Kuta and Seminyak and 3 minutes away
I've written dozens of articles about Jakarta nightlife , but some people don't have the time to read them. This is a summary of everything there is to know, in less than 500 words: Even though Jakarta is the capital of a conservative and Muslim-majority country, it has a fun and diverse nightlife that comprises some of the best bars, nightclubs and spas in Southeast Asia. As you can see on my Jakarta nightlife map , most of the trendy venues are located in the South of the city while "naughty" spots can be found in the North . For this reason, it is ideal to stay in the city center around Grand Indonesia or Sarinah Mall ( Where to Stay in Jakarta? ). Budget hotels in this area cost around 40$ per night and 5-star properties around 200$. The only way to get around at night in Jakarta is to use taxis or apps like Uber /Grab. A 30-minute midnight ride from the nightclub X2 in the South to Colosseum in the North will cost about Rp60,000 (5$). Taxis ar
The Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP) is an electronic dance music festival happening every December in Jakarta. It used to be in Ancol but it has now moved to JiExpo in Kemayoran . It is organized by Ismaya, an Indonesian lifestyle group behind some famous nightclubs and bars like Dragonfly, Skye, Blowfish or Social House. It is also heavily sponsored by all kinds of brands and particularly cigarette manufacturers. It is a mainstream event featuring mostly commercial DJs who play commercial EDM, Trance and Techno. Many of the world's most famous DJs have participated in DWP in the past few years, among which Tiesto, Skrillex, David Guetta, Martin Garrix, Axwell, Avicii and Calvin Harris. DWP happens on the same weekend as Zoukout in Singapore. Both festivals share a very similar line-up and concept: The DJs who play on Friday in Jakarta will often play on Saturday in Singapore and vice versa. It is probably a way to split the cost of bringing expensive artists from Eu
As you can imagine, Bengkulu nightlife is not the most glamorous in Indonesia. This coastal town is quite small, with only around 300,000 inhabitants and very few foreign tourists visiting it apart from surfers/backpackers. It does have an interesting history as it used to be a British possession from 1685 until 1824. Once called Bencoolen, it was given to the Dutch who, in return, agreed not to oppose British settlements in Singapore (among other things). The options for sleeping in Bengkulu are limited but they are all rather cheap. I stayed in Tanjung Karang Hotel , which is clean, comfortable enough and costs only Rp300,000. You also have hotel chains like Santika or Amaris (closer from the nightlife). If you are on a budget, the cheapest option is Xtra Hotel . What to do at night in Bengkulu? I don't think you can have a real party during weekdays and the best thing you can do is simply eat in a seafood restaurant by the beach. On weekends, you may want to try one of
Malang is one of the nicest cities I've been to in Java. It is a mid-sized mountain town just 2 hours from Surabaya, relatively clean (for Indonesia standards) and with a pleasant weather. As you would expect, Malang nightlife is not the most happening. The current hotspot is actually the brand-new Starbucks, in front of which you may surprisingly see a couple of Ferraris. If you want to party, you have a few good bars and nightclubs though, enough to keep you busy for a weekend. Most bars are laid-back beer houses or live music cafés with a student crowd. They are not so sophisticated and their prices are as low as it can get. Clubs are more diversified. The best ones are modern, with a rich crowd, sexy girls and decent entertainment (DJs, bands, dancers). On the other end of the spectrum, you also have more underground joints with prostitutes and drugs easily available.
This article will tell you everything you need to know about Seminyak Nightlife in less than 500 words. Seminyak is a small coastal town in Southern Bali, one of the top destinations for party-goers in Asia. It is located between the villages of Kuta/Legian on one side and Canggu/Kerobokan on the other side. It is a 45-minute taxi ride from the airport. The nightlife in Seminyak is upmarket compared to Kuta. One of the reasons is the high density of luxury accommodation, including resorts and villas. It is also where most expats in Bali live.
This article will tell you everything you need to know about Kuta Nightlife in less than 500 words. Kuta is the main tourist destination in Bali. Originally a small beach town, it is now an urban area with 400 hotels , 5 modern malls and hundreds of clubs, restaurants, massage parlors and shops. It also has its fair share of pollution, noise and crime. To get around, it is best to have your own scooter (but you must have a travel insurance to drive one) as the taxis will invariably try to rip you off (except Blue Bird). Apps like Uber and Gojek are a good option as well. Walk when possible to avoid getting stuck in Kuta's notorious traffic jams. Kuta is popular with every age groups and every nationalities (especially Indonesians, Australians and Chinese). While some luxury hotels have opened recently, it is still considered a budget-friendly city: You can find a decent room for less than US$50$ and eat for less than US$8. If you don't have a place to stay, yo
I was disappointed with Yogyakarta nightlife. As a city famous for attracting students and tourists, I was expecting a fun party atmosphere with busy bars and nightclubs. On the contrary, Yogyakarta is quite conservative: Most girls wear the jilbab and you can see all over the city some aggressive banners against gays or Shia Muslims. I've read also about some incidents against a feminist group just a few days ago. This gave me the impression to be in Saudi Arabia more than in "tolerant" Indonesia. In spite of this, I still had fun but I had to try quite many venues before figuring out which one were crowded and which one were boring. The objective of this guide is to save you some time and give you the best tips to enjoy Yogyakarta nightlife if you are a single traveler there. If new bars and clubs open, please mention them in the comments to help me keep this review up-to-date. Girl-Friendly Hotels in Yogyakarta: I guess you are not going to Yog
Small in size but touristy, Solo (or Surakarta) is often considered the little sister of Yogyakarta. I was in the city to visit a French friend who lived there for 8 years. He showed me the nightlife on a Friday and a Saturday night. Guest-Friendly Hotels in Solo The city is home to plenty of hotels, but beware as many are conservative and may not accept if you stay with a girl you aren't married to. As a rule of thumb, avoid small family guest-houses and any hotel with the name "syariah" on it (obviously).
I have always enjoyed Surabaya nightlife even though the options for nightclubs and bars are limited and somewhat provincial. 3 million people live there, making it the second largest city in Indonesia. Compared to Jakarta, it still feels laid-back and unsophisticated. The streets are rather clean, you can walk on the sidewalks and the traffic is not horrible. There are several modern malls, but none of them as chic as Plaza Indonesia or even Grand Indonesia. Few expats live in Surabaya and even fewer tourists visit it. As a result, you may get more attention than usual from the people. If you are a single guy, it is nice to see girls smiling at you in the streets or in the malls. On Tinder and other dating apps , expect to become quite popular. Meeting a normal girl is fairly easy in certain clubs and bars like Desperados, Jimmy's, Eclectic or Colors Pub. In other venues, you may have either a lot of "lady companions" or just younger girls who are part
Going to nightclubs is one of the best ways to meet Indonesian girls. It is a bit more challenging that online dating because you need to know what are the best venues and the best days to be successful. You must also be careful to differentiate between the "normal" girls, the prostitutes, and the professional girlfriends. The latter category are all the ladies who make a living from having one or several boyfriends. Depending on what you are looking for, they can be either a great target or something to avoid. Don't like Meeting Girls from Nightclubs? Read 10 Best Dating Sites and Apps in Indonesia . Wednesday is the absolute best day for partying in Jakarta. It is cheaper, less crowded, and many nightclubs have ladies night. This means the percentage of good girls will be higher than usual. Also, you have less competition from other guys, as there are less of those tourists/travelers who come for the weekend from Singapore / Kuala Lumpur looking for one-night
Nightlife in Batam - Overview: Batam is a small island in the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) located about 45 minutes from Singapore by ferry. With a population of 800,000 souls, it is the home to a small community of expatriates , most of them working in the Oil & Gas or in the High Tech manufacturing. Unlike in other parts of Indonesia, you'll find that Batam is rather well organized and clean. Close to Singapore and very little traffic. NEW REVIEW October 2016: 18 Best Hotels Near Batam Nightlife and Spas The Indonesian island of Batam has long been one the best kept secrets as a low cost getaway for Singaporean local and expats. The island has seven golf courses, several resorts and the costs are a fraction compared to Singapore and Bali. There is also an expat entertainment area like Blok M / Kemang.
Since there isn't much nightlife in Jambi, I thought I would write mostly about Golden Palace, its most famous nightclub, and just mention a few other options for the adventurous party-goers. Golden Palace is the only proper clubbing option I found in Jambi, though I guess it is not very interesting for foreigners. It is your typical Indonesian live music venue, rectangle-shaped, with high tables on the dance floor and a mezzanine. The band finishes at midnight and it is then replaced by a DJ playing funky house techno. If you are lucky, you might be in Jambi during a special event (check Golden Palace's social media accounts below). In that case, though the entrance fee may increase to Rp100,000, you will have a full house and possibly more Western music/sexy dancers.