Karachi Nightlife (Pakistan): Bars, Clubs, Alcohol
By
Tibs
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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
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.
Home to 5-star hotels ( Ritz-Carlton , Raffles , Marriott ), foreign embassies, luxury apartments and prestigious offices, Mega Kuningan is easily one of the most exclusive areas in Jakarta . As it was recently built from scratch, it is very different from the rest of the city. There are no warungs, no street sellers, no poverty and barely any traffic jams. Instead, you will see large streets lined with palm trees and a dozen of skyscrapers (with a few more still under construction). Though Mega Kuningan does not have a proper nightclub yet (apart from the gay club Apollo ), it has a vibrant nightlife almost any day of the week. You can walk in any towers and you are almost guaranteed to find a restaurant, a lounge or a bar. While each of them is unique, they generally target the same clientele: Expats, upper class Indonesians and businessmen. The following article will give you a quick overview of my 10 favorite bars in Mega Kuningan. They aren't far from each o
The area near the malls Grand Indonesia and Plaza Indonesia, around the iconic Bunderan Hotel Indonesia (Hotel Indonesia roundabout) is one of the most strategic to meet friends for drinks and party in Jakarta. It is also an ideal location for inviting someone on a date. The main reason for that is that it is positioned in the center of the city, along Jalan Sudirman- Jalan Thamrin, its most important thoroughfare. It is therefore easy to reach, either by private car or by public transportation (Transjakarta and soon, the MRT). It is no surprise that I rated it the best area to stay in Jakarta . Naturally, you can find plenty of activities and businesses there, including 5-star hotels, luxury malls, prestigious office buildings, and, of course, a lively nightlife. In this article, I will review my top 10 favorite bars and clubs in Grand Indonesia / Plaza Indonesia. Please don't hesitate to leave a comment if you think I forgot an important venue. Cloud Rooftop Bar
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.
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
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$
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.
Salura (called Halura in the local Kambera language) is an island located at the southern tip of Sumba. It is 4.5 km long and 1.5 km wide, which makes it a bit smaller than Nusa Lembongan, but almost 3 times larger than Gili Trawangan. I traveled there for a few days in November 2017. It is still completely authentic and untouched by tourism. To give you an idea of how rarely visited it is, people told me that I was the first foreigner to ever spend a night there. Occasionally, though, they welcome luxury boats that make a stopover for a few hours, but that's it. Unsurprisingly, there is still very little information about how to get to Salura, where to stay and what to do. To change that, I wrote this short review that will hopefully answer all the questions you may have about organizing your trip on the island.
I visited Kyrgyzstan during spring 2017 (I wrote a Bishkek Nightlife Guide ) and I was surprised to see so many beautiful girls around. Kyrgyz girls generally look Asian but they have some subtle Caucasian and Middle Eastern features. They are often Muslims, yet the ones I met didn't fast during Ramadan and they didn't mind eating pork or drinking alcohol. There is also a Russian minority, maybe 10% of the population. If you are wondering what Kyrgyz women look like, I've selected the 25 prettiest models and girls from all over the country. Some are famous while others are totally unknown. If you think I forgot someone, please just let me know in the comment section below. Note: I've used pictures from Facebook or Instagram. If you want me to remove a name or an image, please just send me an email thibaud@jakarta100bars.com
I've been living in Tangerang for over a month now and I've had a few occasions to visit the bars and nightclubs there. This review will give you a short overview of the nightlife in Tangerang and more precisely in the new cities Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD) and Gading Serpong. Note : If you need a hotel, please check Serpong Hotel Deals and Tangerang Hotel Deals (I make a small commission on every booking but the price does not change for you and it helps me maintain Jakarta100bars). Overview of Tangerang Enigma Nightclub in Gading Serpong
Famous complex with Malio Club, a karaoke and a spa, just across the street from Grand Mercure Hotel on Jalan Hayam Wuruk. Opening Hours: Every day, from 11am until late (3am usually) Malioboro Hotel & Spa Jakarta Jalan Gadjah Madah No. 13 Telephone. +62-21 638 50000