Phoenix Nightclub (Vientiane - Laos)
By
Tibs
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Phoenix nightclub is located on Thadeua Rd, about 3 kilometers from the tourist center in Vientiane (just a few hundred meters after Paris Cocktail). It's easy to spot from the street as it is inside a white, flashy building. Phoenix is officially targeting an upper-class crowd, the "hi-so" (high society) of Laos: It has a modern design, it features guest bands and DJs from Thailand, and they have a strict dress code. In reality, it is not that stylish. It is quite dark, with mostly young people wearing t-shirts, and the music is boring EDM. Even on a Saturday night at 1AM it was 2/3rd empty.
Batman Pub is a nightclub and karaoke located at least 8 kilometers from the city center of Vientiane. I went there with a rented motorbike after visiting another club called Romeo. Honestly, it is really in the middle of nowhere. To reach it, you'll need to take a dirt road on the last 500 meters, surrounded by nothing but empty fields. Judging by the look on the staff's faces, I'm sure I was the only foreigner they ever saw. They gave me a real VIP treatment, including serving my 25,000-kip Beer Lao together with an ice bucket
Enigma is a complex on several floors with a nightclub, a sports bar, a billiard room and a restaurant. It is located in Gading Serpong, an area of South Tangerang (1 hour from Jakarta by car). It is walking distance from Summarecon Mall, Clique Bar & Kitchen , Grand Royal Spa , Atria Hotel , Atria Residences , Ara Hotel and Ibis Hotel .
Gold Star is a nightclub in Vientiane, part of the Daokham Hotel complex. On the same location, you'll also find Sam Dao beer garden and Merci karaoke. The whole site is quite impressive. You arrive through a small road perpendicular to Souphanouvong Avenue, and then suddenly you have this huge, hidden property with hundreds of party-goers. I had a quick look at the beer garden. Nothing special there, it caters mostly to large groups who also come for eating. The nightclub is more interesting. It looks similar to Marina, except that the crowd is much younger and less stylish. From what I could guess, at least 10% of the crowd was less than 18 years old. I also saw a handful of foreigners. In total, I would say it can accommodate 500 people. I think the live band was from Thailand. They played rock song (none of them in English), and during breaks a DJ would mix famous EDM anthems. This is a video I took:
In Lounge is a one-stop entertainment venue with a live music nightclub, a restaurant and a karaoke. It is located in the Javanese city of Madiun which is between Yogyakarta and Surabaya. A central place to stay there is the Amaris Hotel , just 5 minutes from the train station and from In Lounge.
Previously called Hyper Club Roof, Club Icon is a new nightclub located in a standalone building on F. Cabahug street. It is within walking distance from Castle Peak Hotel and 10 minutes from Mango Square . It is already quite popular, particularly with upper-class Filipinos and Koreans (including some hot looking Korean girls). You may also spot a few "white" westerners but they are still a minority. Considering the crowd and the layout (tables on the dancefloor), bottle service is recommended. You can book ahead your table, your sofa or even your own VIP lounge. The latter comes with personalized service by hot Filipina hostesses. The minimum spending to get a table is PHP4,000 and it gives you free entrance for 6 pax. Otherwise, you can still get in for only PHP100 and the drinks inside are rather affordable (beer bucket only PHP300).
Cost of Living in Jakarta: This article was updated in June 2011. Thanks for those who sent me feedback. The cost of living in Jakarta for an expat can be very different whether you try or not to buy products or services that are imported . Generally speaking, things are much cheaper than in Europe so you should enjoy a much greater quality of life here, provided you can live without a few things. If you have an expat salary, the cost of living will seem low and you will have access to a luxurious quality of life. You will be able to sleep in great serviced apartments or huge houses, employ a guard, a gardener, a driver, a maid, a cook and a baby-sitter, go to the restaurants twice a day, party in the hippest clubs, etc... Normally, your company should pay for housing, cars, school and plane tickets, so you won't have to worry about money . Even if you are not paid like an expat, you can live comfortably with around 10 million rupiah per month or US$1,000, or less. You can s