Jakarta100bars - Nightlife & Party Guide

In my article about online dating in Indonesia, I gave several suggestions of apps and websites to help you meet with local girls. Since then, I recently discovered a new one called Cheers, with a promising concept. While it is more than just a dating app, its features offer various possibilities for meeting girls that I will detail below.

What Is Cheers?

The idea behind Cheers is simple: You can either create an event (for instance: a dinner for two, a party in a club, a weekend to Bali, etc.) or apply to attend an event. So far, nothing extraordinary.

The truly interesting part is that money is involved. Whenever you create an event, you also pledge a certain amount of cash (through prepaid credits) to the person who will attend it. Simply put, Cheers can help you find someone willing to accompany you for money. You can also make money from it by applying to other people's events.

Logically, most of the people creating events are guys, and the ones attending events are girls. While Cheers can facilitate casual meetings between both sexes, it flatly refuses to be labeled as a prostitution app. As such, events with a raunchy connotation are not accepted. Instead, they recommend it for more innocent occasions like attending a concert, playing sports, or trying a new restaurant.

In a sense, it reminded me of the male karaoke concept in Asia. Guys will gladly pay to get access to some beautiful girls, even if nothing sexual is guaranteed, just for the entertainment or for the game. Often, they will prefer that uncertainty to the alternative of going to a massage parlor where everything happening is known and priced in advance. Another advantage is that you normally get to meet more interesting girls in terms of looks, education and personality.

How The Cheers App Works?

The way Cheers works is rather easy and straightforward.

→ After downloading it, the first step is to create a profile with your name, a short bio, your photos, your age, your education, etc. This part is crucial as you want to present yourself as someone reassuring. Don't assume that money is enough for girls to apply to your events.

→ The second step is to choose if you want to log in as an "applicant" or a "creator". I'm assuming that most of you belong to the latter category so I will focus on that aspect.

→ As a "creator", let's see a couple of concrete examples of events you could create:

- You are new to Jakarta, you don't know anyone yet and you would like to have some girlfriends to go clubbing with. You could go with something like that:

- You are living outside Jakarta and you have a business trip planned in the city. You want to have a dinner with some company instead of ordering room service alone in your room:

→ For each event you create, you can decide if you want to invite girls, guys, or both. Of course, you are free to accept or refuse anyone who applies, based on the information and the pictures they provide on their profiles. Once someone has agreed to attend your event, you will be able to chat with that person to arrange the details.

How Much It Costs?

Since the app is still new, it is currently free to transfer money to your account and to use it to pay for your events. All the money you will spend will go directly to the attendee.

As you create your event, you will be able to choose an "event fee", i.e. the amount that each attendee will receive to accompany you. IDR300,000 is the minimum (or 300 credits as 1 credit is IDR1,000).

Overall Impression
Cheers is still a really new app but it has potential. It is walking the thin line between an escorting app and a regular dating app, offering an alternative for dating Indonesian girls in Jakarta. It is certainly unconventional, but it will satisfy those who don't want to go through endless chats without any guarantee of meeting anyone.

Its success will depend on how many users it manages to attract. For now, its audience is still confidential as it still needs more promotion. I invite you to download the app, to create an event to help it start and to be patient.

How to Download Cheers?

Cheers is available on both Google Play and Itunes, free of charge. You can also visit their website Cheers App for more information.

Download Cheers on Google Play

Download Cheers on iTunes

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.

Broadly-speaking, South Jakarta (the modern part of the city) has a normal and upmarket nightlife, while North Jakarta (the historical center) has a naughty nightlife.

In detail, the following neighborhoods are the most happening:
→ Mega Kuningan: You'll find chic bars walking distance from each other (Basque, Loewy, Flow, Safehouse, McGettigan's, Jack Sparrows, etc). Popular with young expats, westernized Indonesians and girls looking for expats.

→ SCBD: The trendiest area among young Indonesians. There are two complexes: One called Fairgrounds (with Lucy in the Sky, Fable Club, Hide and Seek and the Pallas Lounge) and a smaller one with the Foundry 8 and Empirica Club.

→ Senopati: An affluent residential neighborhood with exclusive bars and restaurants that cater to the elite, particularly Indonesian-Chinese. The current hotspots are Monty's, Savoi, Lola and H Gourmet and Vibes.

→ Jalan Jaksa/Menteng/Sarinah: This is where you will find good-value accommodation in central Jakarta. Bars in that area are cheaper than average and they will attract travelers, backpackers and Indonesians on a budget.

→ Kemang: Another residential area, favored by expat families. It has some expat bars and restaurants (EP, Frank's, Murphy's) mixed with nightclubs for late teenagers (Dronk, 999, Nu China).

→ Pantai Indah Kapuk: A strip of restaurants and bars for the young, usually wealthy, Indonesian-Chinese living in Pluit.

→ Glodok: One of the main red-light districts in North Jakarta.

→ Blok M: A tiny red light district in South Jakarta, popular with older Westerners. All the hostess bars are lined up in Jalan Falatehan.

→ Melawai and Grand Wijaya: Two red light districts in South Jakarta targeting Japanese and Koreans (karaokes and massage parlours).

Some luxury malls also have bars and clubs: Grand Indonesia, Plaza Indonesia, Pacific Place, Senayan City, Plaza Senayan, Central Park and Pondok Indah.

Luckily for you, I wrote a detailed article about all these areas: Where to Party in Jakarta: Nightlife + Hotels.

When to Party?

Jakarta nightlife is busy all year round with a pause during Ramadhan. South Jakarta nightclubs get busy from midnight to 3AM-4AM and the ones in North Jakarta from 8PM to 3AM. Some venues have longer opening hours (Golden Crown, Illigals, Exotis). If you want to party 24-hour, the best solution is to rent a karaoke room (Karaoke in Jakarta).

→ Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: Quiet in the South, normal in the North.

The "normal" nightclubs will be closed, but not the naughty ones like Alexis, Malioboro, Golden Crown, 36, Tease, etc. From what I was told, this is because it's easier for married men to go out during the week. There are also more businessmen in Jakarta on weekdays.

All bars will be open, but only the most famous will be busy: Basque, Loewy, Social House, Cloud, BATS, CJs.

→ Wednesday is my favorite party day in Jakarta.

All clubs and bars are normally open and busy. Entrance fees are lower and you have ladies' nights promotions.

Read: Best Happy Hours and Ladies Nights in Jakarta

→ Friday and Saturday are the crowdest nights.

Prices can be higher on those days. The entrance fee to luxury clubs may reach IDR300,000. There are much more foreigners in Jakarta as many come from all over Southeast Asia to party.

Hotels in Jakarta Near the Nightlife

I receive emails almost every day from readers asking me where to stay near Jakarta nightlife. My answer is always the same: "Find a hotel within 500 meters from Jalan Sudirman".

Booking.com has a list of hotels in the area that you can check here: Hotels Near Jalan Sudirman Jakarta.

My personal recommendations are:

→ 5-stars (more than 150$/night)

Kempinski or Mandarin Oriental.

Shangri-La and Mulia both have busy live-music bars full of working girls.

Oakwood Premier Cozmo has a great location in Mega Kuningan and I recommend it if you plan on having dates with Indonesian girls (you can invite them downstairs to Loewy).

→ 4-stars (more than 100$/night)

Fraser Residence, Fraser Place and Ascott Kuningan are new, centrally-located and near the nightlife. Near Sarinah, Artotel, Morrissey and Kosenda have their own bars.

→ 3-stars (more than 40$/night):

Harris FX (very popular due to the location within a lifestyle mall), Ayaka Suites, Liberty Hotel, A-One, Ashley.

→ Under 40$ per night:

Dreamtel, Cipta, MaxOne, Favehotel Wahid Hasyim, Favehotel Gatot Subroto

All the hotels below are well-ranked on Agoda. Please consider booking them with the link I provide as I get a commission each time. The price for you is the same and it helps me run Jakarta100bars.com.

Backpackers with no money to spare can check for guest houses directly in Jalan Jaksa and the nearby streets. You can get a room with a fan for under IDR100,000.

Best Bars in Jakarta

I already wrote a long article about the 50 best bars in Jakarta so I won't repeat myself here. Instead, I will just summarize it as follow:

Bars for Meeting Girls

→ Girls who are 20+: Basque, Loewy, Bluegrass, Social House

→ Girls who are 30+: Eastern Promise, Aphrodite

→ Girls who want money: BATS, CJs, My Bar, Top Gun, 36

Cheap Bars

→ For students: Camden, Halfway, Beer Garden

→ For backpackers: Melly's Garden, Memories' Pub

→ For expats: Master's, Everest

Trendy Bars:

→ For young expats: Basque, Loewy, Bluegrass, The Dutch, Safehouse, Jack Sparrows

→ For Indonesian Chinese and Hi-So: Monty's, Léon, Savoi, Proof, Union, Cork and Screw, Pao Pao

→ For hipsters: Lucy in the Sky, Lola, Hide and Seek

Best Bars for Meeting Expats and Watching Sports

Eastern Promise, Aphrodite, Murphy's, Master's, De Hooi, McGettigan's

Read: Best Bars for Meeting Expats in Jakarta and Best Sports Bars in Jakarta

Best Bars for Live Music

BATS, CJs, Eastern Promise, Hard Rock, Rolling Stones, Paulaner Brauhaus

Best Bars for Chilling

→ Rooftops: Cloud, SKYE

→ Lounges: Flow, Burgundy, Prohibition

Best Nightclubs in Jakarta

As for the best bars, I also wrote a ranking of my favorite nightclubs in Jakarta: Top 10 Nightclubs in Jakarta. Below is a quick overview:

Nightclubs for Meeting Girls (also the most popular with foreigners)

X2, Dragonfly, Immigrant, Jenja

Read: Nightclubs to meet girls in Jakarta

Nightclubs for Younger People:

Blowfish, Fable, Foundry 8, Dronk, 999, Nu China

Upper-Class Nightclubs

Empirica, Dragonfly, Blowfish, Immigrant

Nightclubs with Electro/Techno

Jenja, Foundry 8

Nightclub with Hip-Hop

Equinox (upper floor of X2)

Nightclubs with EDM

X2, Empirica, Domain, Exodus

Cheaper Nightclubs:

Dronk, Nu China, 999, Camden

To a lesser extent: Domain, Exodus

Nightclubs with Lady Companions and Working Girls

→ Upmarket clubs: Colosseum (1001 complex), Alexis, Illigals, Malioboro, Tease Club (Emporium complex)

→ Mid-range clubs: Classic, King Cross, Sumo, Travel, Golden Crown, Newton, Tematik, B'Fashion

→ Lower end clubs: MTR, Starmoon, Cherry, Mars (usually they are in the red light districts of Lokasari, in Mangga Besar, in Kota Indah or in the suburbs).

Note that all of the upmarket and mid-range venues mentioned above are located within large "one-stop entertainment" complexes that feature a spa and a karaoke. They are de facto brothels with their own prostitutes, sometimes even foreign ones (Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Uzbek, etc.).

Surprisingly, a few are hotels as well in which you can book a room and sleep next door to the spa:

Classic Hotel: 30$ per night on Agoda (rated 7.2/10) - Location in Central Jakarta, quite convenient.

Tematik Hotel: 29$ per night on Agoda (rated 6.7/10) - Location in North Jakarta (Pluit)

B'Fashion Hotel: 39$ per night on Agoda (rated 7.1/10) - Location in West Jakarta between the airport and the city center

The Plaza Hotel (Golden Crown): 27$ per night on Agoda (rated 6.5/10)

Read also:

Hotels with Naughty Spas in Jakarta

Top Strip Clubs in Jakarta

Top 10 Spas in Jakarta

Meeting Girls in Jakarta

It is normally easy to meet a girl in Jakarta, especially if you are an expat. As a traveler, it might be a bit more complicated as most girls will assume you are not looking for a long-term relationship.

Meeting girls online:

The best dating apps and websites are Tinder, IndonesianCupid, Badoo, Skout and Paktor. You can try a few of them, knowing that:

→ Tinder works best with decent looking guys between 18 and 40 who live in Indonesia. If you are white, you will get plenty of matches, but don't expect it will automatically translate into one-night stands.

→ IndonesianCupid works best with guys who are not staying in Indonesia. For some reasons, this website is full of girls who want to marry foreigners and who don't mind long distance relationships. You can use it to make some contacts a few weeks before coming to Jakarta.

If you are planning a trip in Southeast Asia, it is a good idea to use AsianDating instead (sister company of Indonesian Cupid). The site has thousands of girls from everywhere (mostly Thai, Filipino and Indonesian).

→ Badoo and Skout are interesting as a backup option because they are free. Badoo has few English-speaking girls and some prostitutes. Skout has a lot of annoying ads and you can't change your location.

→ Paktor is the popular dating app among young middle-to-upper class Indonesians. I had very little success on it and it's expensive. I'd recommend it if you are Asian and under 25.

You can read a more detailed article on this topic here: Best Online Dating Apps in Indonesia and 15 Best Dating Apps in Asia.

Meeting girls in nightclubs

If you are young and confident, nightclubs are your second best option for meeting girls in Jakarta. One-night stands are pretty common, particularly with girls from X2, Immigrant and Dragonfly. Be careful, though, as the older you get, the more likely you'll be asked for some money in the morning.

Making the first step is a guy's prerogative: Indonesian girls may stare at you, but they will rarely approach you directly. The good thing is that they are never arrogant and even if they turn you down, it will be in a gentle way.

It is ALWAYS a good idea to buy a bottle in nightclubs. Not only does it get you a free entrance for several people, a table/sofa and more attention from waiters, it is also a great way to approach girls and to invite them to join you for drinks. Many are drawn to bottles like flies are drawn to honey. In the end, the cost is reasonable, especially when split between a few guys.

Frequently Asked Questions:

These are some of the most common questions I receive from readers:

Do I need an ID to visit a club in Jakarta?

Some clubs may ask an ID if you look less than 21 years old. Personally, I never carry one and I've only been asked once, in Camden Bar Cikini.

Upmarket nightclubs can be very strict with age requirements. Dragonfly does not allow anyone under 21. If you are under 18, you can try some clubs in Kemang, like Venue (famous for accepting underage clubbers).

How much will I spend for going out?

Partying in Jakarta is rather expensive, mainly because of the taxes on alcohol (200%).

In cheap bars, a small beer will cost 2-3$, a glass of alcohol 4-5$ and a cocktail 6$. In upmarket bars, a small beer is 5-6$, a glass of spirits 6-9$ and a cocktail 7-10$.

The entrance fee to the best nightclubs is around 15$ on Wednesdays and 20$ on weekends.

In total, I would say you need at least 100$ to have fun.

If you can't afford that, you can buy a bottle online or bring one from duty-free and start drinking at home before hitting the clubs.

What is the dress code in clubs in Jakarta?

You cannot enter a nightclub in Jakarta with flip flops and short pants. Make sure you are wearing a shirt, long pants and shoes. Avoid torn jeans, even if they cost 500$ a pair.

Women are often required to wear a dress and high heels. Dragonfly, Immigrant, Fable, Empirica, Blowfish and X2 all enforce this rule strictly.

Where can I buy drugs?

I always recommend not to buy drugs in Jakarta and in Indonesia in general. You can do that much more safely in Europe or in the US now. I wrote about this topic in an article: Is it safe to buy drugs in Indonesia?

If you are stubborn, these are the nightclubs where drugs are common: Illigals, Golden Crown, Exotis, Siera and Old Town.

How do you think the election of the new Governor will impact Jakarta nightlife? Will Stadium reopen?

Some of the people who backed Anies Baswedan, the new Governor, have probable ties to the nightlife industry in Jakarta (see Who Owns Jakarta Nightlife?). These people have an interest in reopening nightclubs like Mille's, Stadium, or the Kalijodo red light district.

Bars, clubs and spas are also money makers and they employ thousands of people. They are one of the few interesting things to do in Jakarta, and without them the city would welcome even less tourists.

The problem is that Anies made his whole campaign about religion and, to that effect, he promised he would eradicate prostitution.

While I'm convinced that those were empty promises, allowing the reopening of Stadium would be such an insult to his voters that I can't imagine it will happen. Under a different name, in a few years, why not, but not anytime soon.

He will probably need to close down a few emblematic venues, in particular those belonging to the Alexis group who had been spared by Ahok until now.

Will he go further? It's too early to say. It will all depend on how badly he needs to play the religion card to remain in office or to divert attention.

Whatever happens, Jakartans will always find ways to party and prostitution will not stop cease to exist. If it dies in one place, it just reincarnates somewhere else.

Photo credit: Close Art.

If you have questions, you can ask them in the comment section below or send me an email: thibaud@jakarta100bars.com.

There are so many nightclubs in Bangkok that it may be hard for first-time visitors to decide where to party. I'm compiling here a description of the venue from the entire Bangkok nightlife scene to help your planning.

For each venue, I included a link to their Facebook page. I encourage you to check the opening hours, event and entrance fee there directly. In general, most clubs are open until 2-3am and they will charge you between 250THB and 400THB for the first drink/entry. The most expensive, Onyx and Cé La Vi cost 500THB.

Beware! Not every hotel in Bangkok will accept if you bring a girl to your room. If you want to avoid an embarrassing moment, you can book the following guest-friendly hotels (that are also close to the nightlife): Heaven @ 4, Ambassador Bangkok, Ruamchitt Plaza Hotel, Sukhumvit 12 Suites and Sofitel Bangkok.

Meeting Thai Girls in Nightclubs

Thai Friendly is the best dating site to meet Bangkok Girls

It is actually quite difficult to meet normal Thai women within nightclubs in Bangkok, especially if you are a tourist. Don't expect to find a one night stand easily unless you are willing to pay for it.

The best and easiest way to find a girl is to connect to the dating site Thai Friendly. It is free but I recommend you to spend some money and upgrade to the premium version. It costs the price of two cocktails (20$) and it will allow you to send as many messages as you want. They have over 1 million member and at least a thousand girls online at any time. If you are a normal human being you should match with tons of girls.

What you need to do is to contact them a few days before actually arriving in Bangkok. Try to find the fun girls who like to go clubbing and party, chat with them a bit, then get as many phone/Whatsapp/Line numbers as you can. Once in Bangkok, just invite them to join you on your nights out and you're basically almost certain you'll end your night with someone.

You can create an account here: Thai Friendly - Free Sign Up.

Tourist Nightclubs in Bangkok

I will start with the nightclubs you should actually avoid. Tourist nightclubs are the worse, but unfortunately many visitors only go to these places. One of the reason is that they ask for advice to taxi drivers who get a commission on each person they bring (200THB). This is why some taxis will even offer you a free ride.

In this category, you have the following nightclubs: Shock39, Spicy, Climax, Bossy, EQ. CM2 was one as well but it reopened under the name Play by CM2 and I haven't been back there since. Those places are all pretty much the same: They are rather dirty, have no design, rarely organize special events, rely on an endless supply of tourists and have 99% prostitutes. The only positive thing is that they stay open later than usual (until 5am-6am). The ratio guys/girls is terrible, meaning you may struggle to find a decent looking girl, even if you are willing to pay.

You should cross them from your clubbing list unless you fit into one of these categories:

You love commercial music (Top 40, Hip Hop)
You want to find an average-looking, yet expensive hooker
You want to party after 3am
You want to party in short pants and flip flops
You are a 20-year old countryside boy on his first trip abroad
You come from a country where clubbing is forbidden

Some tourist clubs are a bit better though. In particular, you can try Mixx or Insanity. They have a similar concept (Freelancers + Tourists + Stay Open Late + Commissions to Taxi) but they are classier.

Insanity is very near from Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza so all the girls working in gogo bars tend to visit after they finish their work. It has a nice set up, it is modern and you may meet some normal girls as well. The music is not too bad, mostly house and EDM. I like the set-up with the central podium. It is popular with Koreans and many girls seem only interested with them.

Mixx is OK as well, but quite expensive. You have two rooms there, one of which has hip hop music. It is located in the 5-star Intercontinental Hotel so the crowd is upmarket and the prostitutes more like high-class escorts (some are Russian). It closes at 5am. It is popular with expats as well.

Expat Nightclubs in Bangkok

Those bars and nightclubs are preferred by richer expats and travelers who are already familiar with the city.

Levels (on 6th Floor of Aloft Hotel, Sukhumvit Soi 11)
This nightclub almost made the tourist clubs lists. It has lots of prostitutes (pretty ones I must admit) and a mixed crowd of 30-something expats and travelers. You may still meet normal girls though, especially if you say you have a good job in Bangkok. The music is EDM and House with a hip-hop night on Sundays. A nice feature is the garden rooftop from which you can smoke. The entrance is free but drinks inside are pricey.

Cé La Vi (on 39th Floor of Sathorn Square)
Used to be called Ku De Ta. Sister branch of Cé La Vi in Singapore. This is the top high-end nightclub for expats in Bangkok at the time of writing. You need to dress sharp and bring money. It's a good place to meet other people and possibly some upper class Thai girls. If you are looking like a tourist, you can forget about it though. Hip hop ladies night on Wednesday. The music style changes often depending on guest DJs or events. There are probably high class escorts but they are discreet.

Glow (Sukhumvit 33)
A small nightclub on two floors with European techno and electronic music. It is an expat's favorite of Bangkok nightlife. You will barely see any tourists or Thai people (apart from the expat's girlfriends). Glow is recommended if you want to experience European-style clubbing.

Beam (Thonglor)
I have mixed feeling with Beam. It is a beautifully designed nightclub, with impressive lighting and smoke effects. I've rarely seen something similar elsewhere. It also has a great variety of DJs who play non-commercial electronic music and hip hop. On the negative side, it is pricey (400THB entrance) and the crowd not so friendly to be with. If you like it, you can also go to Dark Bar which is similar.

Mustache (Ratchadaphisek)
Under Belgian management, this alternative bar is one of the current hotspots in Bangkok. It is not exactly in the city center but 15 minutes away by taxi from Sukhumvit (it's a new location). The music there is similar to that of Beam or Glow but the crowd is younger and more laidback. You have two floors, including a rooftop bar. It closes late and the entrance is free.

Sing Sing Theater, Maggie Choos and Iron Fairies
Those 3 bar-clubs are similar as they all have world-class design, a chic expat crowd, good cocktails and non-commercial music. Each are worth a visit, ideally just after eating and before heading to bigger nightclubs.

Live RCA (Royal City Avenue)
Live RCA is a clubbing event space attracting major International DJs (techno, tech-house, house, EDM). They will have something different each week so it's better if you check on their Facebook beforehand. The crowd can be more or less expat depending on the DJ. Open only on weekends.

Other bars you may want to try to meet young expats: Revolucion and Oskar.

Backpacker Nightlife

Backpackers and expats on a budget normally party on Khao San Road. It is not classy but it can be fun once in a while. It is the best location to meet Western girls in Thailand.

You cannot go there directly with the BTS or MRT. It's a 120THB taxi ride from Sukhumvit. The advantage of Khao San Road is that everything is in one spot. You can just go from one bar to the other, buying cheap buckets of booze in-between.

The main nightclub is simply call "The Club". It is next to a bar called Golf which is always packed. If you cannot afford the club entrance (250THB), you can just party in the street, it's pretty much the same crowd and atmosphere. For a more rustic option, you can go to Gulliver. Brick Bar is also popular, but the crowd mostly Thai.

Hi-So Nightclubs in Bangkok

Hi-so (for High Society) is a popular term in Thailand to describe the richest Thais, the top 1%. If you are a 20-year old kid who owns a Porsche and dates a famous actress, then you are hi-so.

Hi-so Thais party in only a few locations in Central Bangkok: Royal City Avenue (Onyx) and Thonglor/Ekkamai (Funky Villa, Demo, Do Not Disturb). Thonglor is also where you'll find most hipster and trendy bars of Bangkok.

You will see the most beautiful Thai girls in some of these clubs, but you have very little chances with them unless you're part of a group. These girls are scared of tarnishing their reputation by mingling with foreigners. So you need to get the approval of the group first, and then you might get the approval of the girl.

In most Thai nightclubs (including the ones listed below), people party Asian/Chinese style: They book a sofa, order expensive bottles, stay within their small groups of friends, get drunk until they pass out and show off their wealth as much as they can. If you cannot book a table, you'll be squeezed and you'll struggle to get a drink from bartenders who are too busy to take care of VIP guests.

Booking a table means that you agree to spend a certain amount on alcohol. For instance, if the minimum spend to get a table is 300$, it means you can spend 300$ on bottles, mixers and food. If you are splitting the bill with several friends, it is often a better deal than buying drinks individually. Bottles in those clubs are not that expensive, THB2,000 is largely enough for a good whisky.

Dress code are enforced (and anyway you don't want to look like a tourist): No shorts, no sandals, no singlets. They always check IDs so make sure to bring your passport with you, even if you look 40. Some places will charge you more if you are a foreigner (Farang), but you'll get free drinks with your entry.

Onyx:

Onyx is one of the poshiest nightclubs for Thai. It is pricey (500 THB entrance fee with a drink), yet so crowded you'll barely be able to move around. Go with friends and order bottle service. An ID is necessary to enter.

Funky Villa was one of the most famous nightclubs for rich Thai but it burnt down just a few days ago (end of June 2016). They had live Thai music with famous local bands.

Demo

Next to Funky Villa (same owner), they have EDM and a smaller bar called "Dirty Bar" with hip hop.

Nunglen and Escobar

Very young rich Thai crowd listening to live bands. Similar to Funky Villa.

Do Not Disturb Club (DND Club): Similar to Demo, located behind Nunglen. They have live Thai bands and EDM DJs.

You may also want to check Myst, Safehouse and Falabella.

Nightclubs for Middle Class Thai

Unlike nightclubs like Funky Villa or Onyx, you'll be more welcome here as a foreigner. Those places are among the most fun to party in Bangkok as long as you don't mind commercial music.

They are also excellent for meeting regular, non-prostitute Thai girls. Typically, this is where students and office workers party. Don't expect that everything will be easy though. The main problem is that girls are often already accompanied by some guys who are paying for their drinks. Because of this, they may not be so comfortable spending time with you within the club. The solution is either to befriend other members of her group and join the table, or to exchange numbers. The next day she should be more relaxed.

Many tourists avoid these clubs because they cannot get laid instantly. You will only have 5%-10% foreigners on average, most of which are younger expats.

I am only listing places with DJs and Western music. If you are adventurous and looking for a local experience, you'll also find many other nightclubs with a 100% Thai crowd and Thai live music, especially outside the city center.

Route 66 in RCA
Route 66 is the place to go to for down-to-earth, normal clubbing in Bangkok. It is really big, with several rooms including an EDM zone, a hip-hop room and a live music area. The crowd is middle to upper class. It has become more popular with expats because it is always crowded and easy for meeting people.

Clubs of Ratchada 4
Ratchada 4 is a small entertainment complex 10 minutes away from Sukhumvit. There are several nightclubs, bars and karaokes in one spot. Among them, you'll find Snop, Embassy MBS, Hollywood, Next 7 Pu b, etc.

Not too far, on Ratchada 4, you can visit the brand new MAD, which used to be Mansion7.

Brick Bar
This is a good place to party with Thai if you are in the Khao San Road area.

Narz is one of the oldest clubs in Bangkok. It used to be the place to go for hip hop but now they play mostly EDM/Trance. It is not as crowded as it used to be but on Weekends it's still OK.

Hip Hop Nightclubs in Bangkok

Bangkok has the largest hip-hop and Rn'B scene in Southeast Asia. On every given night, you have at least 5 venues to choose from that are either dedicated to hip-hop or having a special hip-hop event.

The best one is Sugar, conveniently located on Sukhumvit Soi 11. This is a NY-style nightclub where the Bangkok hip-hop community meets. There is a good mix of expats and Thai people. The entrance is quite cheap, 200THB, inclusive of a drink. Another popular choice, more high-end, is the Dirty Bar within Demo club in Thonglor.
G Club is the favorite club of the African community in Bangkok. They play hip-hop, Rn'B, Reggae and Afro music.

There is a recently new hip-hop club I didn't visit called Vibe. They stopped updating their Facebook a few months ago so I don't know if they are still open or not.

Some large nightclubs in Bangkok also have smaller rooms with hip hop or Rn'B. It is the case of Route 66 and Mixx.

Finally, Cé La Vi has a great hip hop ladies night every Wednesday and Levels has one on Sundays.

Late Night/ After Hour Nightclubs in Bangkok

The curfew policy of many Bangkok nightclubs is a big turn-off for me. The rules seem to have eased a bit the past year (you can party until 3am now), but I still find it too early.

Don't start your nights out late in Bangkok, even more so during the week. I recommend you to eat around 6pm, find a nice bar at 8pm, and hit the clubs at 11pm.

A recommended after hour club is Scratch Dog (until 6am) inside Windsor Suites Hotel. It is a place with many prostitutes but if you're lucky you can meet some normal girls as well. There is a good mix of Thai and foreign guests, including some Asian nationalities. You must pay 400THB to get in with a drink.

Even though I'm not a big hip hop fan, I would say that Sugar (mentioned above) is one of the best places for late clubbing. It closed at 6am when I went there and it had a great atmosphere with no so many hookers. People were friendly and happy to meet talk to strangers. There are some reports that the security can be racist and rough, but I haven't noticed anything special. (Update Dec 2016: Since the King died, it closes at 4am).

Mustache is closing at 6am and it is where many expats are heading for underground music. There are no prostitutes at all so if you're horny and trying to score, you should avoid. It is also a bit far.

If you are looking for a female partner, go to Insanity where you'll have the largest choice of affordable freelancers + a few normal girls. Mixx closes at 5am and have a lot of (high-class) working girls too.

Finally, tourist nightclubs like Shock39, Spicy, Climax, Bossy and EQ are also closing late.

Free Nightclubs (No Entrance Fee) in Bangkok

If you are a guy, you must pay to get into most nightclubs in Bangkok. Girls can get for free during the ladies night (see below for a list of the best ones).

There are 2 nightclubs with free entrance that I know of. Levels and Mustache. Some Thai nightclubs like Demo are also free during the week, but they may charge a first drink to foreigners (apparently to filter the weed). Cé La Vi is free during the week but it costs 500THB on weekends.

If you are really a cheapo, you can party for free in the streets of Khao San Road. Many bars are packed with people who bought their drinks in 7-11.

Ethnic Nightclubs (Arab, African, Russian) in Bangkok

Bangkok nightlife is eclectic! There are a few ethnic nightclubs in Bangkok, near Nana Plaza in particular. I haven't been inside but I passed in front of some several times.

Arabs/Middle Eastern visitors will go to Dino Club inside Graceland Hotel (which is a girl-friendly hotel). Needless to say, it's full with hookers there. They also love to go to Shock39.

The African community gathers in G-Terminal Club that I mentioned above.

There are also some nightclubs and lounges with many prostitutes from Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. For instance in Rajah Hotel, Bossy or Mixx Disco.

Japanese visitors tend to stay near Sukhumvit Soi 33 as there are several Japanese style massage parlours there (nuru massage). They also go to Thermae in the basement of the Ruamchitt Plaza Hotel where many freelancers can be found.

Asian clubbers from Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong tend to stick to the Thai nightclubs in RCA or Thonglor.

Gogo Bars

Almost all the gogo clubs in Bangkok can be found in just 3 locations: Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy and Patpong. If you are confused about where to go: Nana Plaza is the largest complex, Soi Cowboy is the hottest, Patpong is the trashiest. You can walk from Soi Cowboy to Nana Plaza in 15 minutes, and go from both to Patpong in 15 minutes by taxi (or public transport).

In each of these, you have dozens of gogo bars, one after the other. To the undiscerning visitor, they may all look the same, but a regular could tell you the differences between each. Some will feature topless girls, some will have naked girls, some allow you to touch the girls, some have special shows, some have ladyboys, some have older girls, some are for Japanese, etc.

You are usually sitting down in a circle and looking at the girls. You can ask to talk with one and buy her ladies drink. She may also go home with you if she agrees. In this case, you must compensate the bar with a bar fine. It is best to visit gogo bars early in the evening, ideally around 7pm or 8pm, because the prettiest girls haven't been booked out already.

I've listed the hottest gogo bars in Bangkok in the following review: Top Nude Gogo Bars in Bangkok. If you are too lazy to open the link, I recommend you to try Baccara and Crazy House in Soi Cowboy, Spanky's in Nana Plaza, Black Pagoda in Patpong.

High-Class Gentlemen's Clubs in Bangkok

If you have both money and a taste for exceptionally gorgeous ladies, you may want to avoid the average gogo bars scene of Nana Plaza, Patpong or Soi Cowboy. Bangkok has several high-class gentlemen's clubs spread all over the city where you are almost assured to lose your head at the sight of dozens of scantily-clad hotties.

In Bangkok, the term "Gentlemen's Club" is used to describe a kind of hostess bars with coyote shows, where most clients are "members". To become a member, you must buy in advance several bottles of alcohol that you can use within a year. The prices aren't that high if you are a regular: At The Pimp for instance, with 550$ you get membership + 12 whisky bottles. If you go there with 4 friends and drink 2 bottles in total, you will have spent less than 30$ each on alcohol for your night out (and then you have to do it 5 more times during the year).

Without a membership, it is unfortunately expensive. In the best gentlemen's clubs, a non-member can expect to spend up to 200$ between the entrance fee, the drinks (for you and your hostess) and the tips. Again, you'll save a lot of money if you buy a bottle so go there with a few friends.

Girls in those clubs usually make enough money with commissions they get from drinks so they aren't really interested to sleep with you. Your chances of taking one back home are slim, or you'll need to spend a crazy amount of money.

If your budget is limited, you can go to an upmarket gogo bars instead like Baccara or Black Pagoda. The best ones have a great selection of girls and a luxurious atmosphere. It is much easier to barfine someone there as well.

Here are a few recommendations for gentlemen's clubs in Bangkok: Kush Mansion, Sherbet & Pianoforte, The Pimp, Monte Carlo and Vegas.

Best Venues to Pick Up Girls

It really depends on what you are looking for: Paid sex, free one-night stand or relationship.

For paid sex, the best places are certainly the gogo bars, Mixx club and Insanity.

For one night stand, you need to find Westernized Thai girls. I'd recommend Cé La Vi, Sugar and Levels.

For relationships, the best places are Route 66, Live RCA and the clubs of Ratchada 4.

Best Nightclubs for Each Day of The Week

Best Nightclubs for Monday: Onyx, Insanity, Mixx

Best Nightclubs for Tuesday: Levels, Sugar

Best Nightclubs for Wednesday: Cé La Vi, Demo

Best Nightclubs for Thursday: Route 66, Levels, Ratchada 4

Best Nightclubs for Weekends: Anywhere is busy

Best Nightclubs for Sunday: Insanity, Levels

Best Ladies Night in Bangkok

The best ladies4 night in Bangkok is on Wednesdays at Cé La Vi from 9pm to midnight. Girls get a free flow of sparkling wine. They also have a Free Flow wine on Saturday from 9pm to 11pm.

Levels has a great one on Sundays: Girls get 3 free drinks before midnight and all-night-long 99THB cocktails.

Insanity has a ladies night on Sundays: Girls get 2 free drinks and if they come by 4, they get a free bottle of sparkling wine.

In Hi-So in So Sofitel Bangkok, girls get a free glass of Champagne from 8pm to 11pm.

In Bangkok Betty, girls get 3 free drinks before 9pm

Any questions about clubbing in Bangkok? Please write a message below and I'll try to answer it. Photocredit: Win Photos.

One thing I didn't expect would happen in Indonesia was that I would get fat.

I come from France, a country where we use sugar, syrup, butter, cream, sauces or oil in almost every single dish. And yet, in Paris my weight was a steady 70 kilograms.

While in Indonesia, I reached almost 90 kilos within a year, even though I was eating less. I tried to understand how it could happen, and I came up with a few possible explanations. Here is the 6-step story of how I became fat in Indonesia:

Step 1: Eating Indonesian Food All The Time

I love Indonesian food and I think it is one of the most underrated cuisines in the world. Needless to say, when I'm in Indonesia, I eat Indonesian food for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The problem is that most dishes are extremely fat. Ingredients are rarely boiled in water, they are fried, sautéed, stir-fried or cooked in coconut milk, for instance Beef Rendang or Gulai.

Coconut milk has a 20% fat content, the equivalent of light cream. This percentage raises further as the water evaporates during cooking. In the end, a meal like Nasi Padang can easily reach 1000 kcal and 80 grams of fat (see here). That's the equivalent of a Double Whopper with Cheese from Burger King AND a can of Coca-Cola. Even a simple Nasi Goreng (without fried chicken) has 740 calories (see here)!

Some Indonesian dishes like Gado-Gado or Tempeh are considered more healthy. Yet if you look closely, they aren't.

Gado-Gado is a salad with boiled vegetables, rice and ... peanut sauce, which is made with fried peanuts, sugar and coconut milk. A typical serving of the sauce (100 grams) will have 300kcal and 25 grams of fat (see: Is Peanut Sauce Healthy?). So unless you eat it with almost no sauce, Gado Gado will also make you fat.

Tempeh is a healthy food too, but it is usually served deep-fried. If you want a fruit salad, you can also expect it will come with copious amounts of sugar and sauce.

Step 2: Doing My Groceries in Convenience Stores
When you live in Jakarta, bad food habits are easy to catch. The Government is obsessed with alcohol, but it seems unaware of the risks of high fat and high sugar diets.

Enter a convenience store in Indonesia and all you see are candies, sodas, juices, chips, cookies, ice-creams (and cigarettes). In a Circle K in Jakarta, I counted only a handful of products that didn't have added sugar or fat: Water, eggs, rice, milk, pasta, flour and oatmeal. All the rest was industrial, heavy-processed food.

For comparison purposes, this is what the equivalent of a 7-Eleven or Circle K looks like in France:

You'll find fruits, vegetables, salads, bread, dairy products, meat, pasta, sauces, condiments, eggs, etc. Actual, nutritious food. The chips, candies and biscuits section will take about half a shelf each. Oh, and yes you can buy alcohol and wine.

Even with the best intentions in the world, it is much more difficult to eat well in Indonesia when healthy food is harder to find.

Step 3: Blending in the Snack Culture
Indonesians have a great snack culture: They love to gather, discuss, smoke and try one of the hundreds of snacks available in the country. They even have a word for that: "nongkrong" (≈ hangout).

If you have Indonesian colleagues, you'll know that people here never stop eating, especially in the office. Whenever someone comes back from holiday, you can be sure she/he will bring a few of the local snacks from there. It's a fun tradition, but again more fat and more calories: 104 grams of "Krupuk" (Prawn Crackers) contain over 600 kilocalories. And trust me it does not take long for me to eat that. Indonesian "Gorengan" (Fritters) are even worse, reaching over 220 kcal each (see here).

Step 4: Visiting Bars and Clubs as a Main Activity
Honestly, there aren't many things to do in Jakarta at night apart from hanging out with other people in restaurants, lounges, bars or clubs. It's great for your social life, but again, it means more snacks, more alcohol and more sugary drinks. A typical week means at least 2 after-work drinking session, and a night out.

Technically, I could order just sparkling water each time, but I don't. I drink juices, beers, shots, spirits with mixers, etc. And when the party end, I have no better idea than having a burger or a porridge.

Step 5: Becoming Lazy

I've never really been into sports, but when you live in Paris, you easily walk several kilometers a day because the city has proper sidewalks and the weather is pleasant.

In Jakarta I barely walk 200 meters every day. In the morning, I go to the elevator, get a taxi in the lobby that takes me directly to the lobby of my office, sit down all day, then go back home in the evening again with a taxi.

Walking can help you burn a lot of calories actually. According to this paper, a 70kg man will burn around 5kcal every minute he walks, or 300kcal an hour. So by constantly using taxis, ojeks, lifts and escalators, I should have compensated by eating less. Of course I didn't.

Step 6: Dating an Indonesian Girl
One of the reasons I didn't mind being fatter in Indonesia was that my girlfriend would keep telling me that I looked better with some extra kilos. This was not only coming from her, but from all my Indonesian colleagues and friends.

The more weight I would gain, the more I would hear: "You look good Thibaud!".

When I came back from a 2-week holiday in France where I had lost a few kilos, people asked me: "Are you ok? What happened to you?.

Many Indonesians consider that being too skinny is a sign of poverty or malnutrition. A chubby person looks happy, rich and healthy. It does not help motivating you to be more careful with your diet.

Conclusion: Why Aren't Indonesians Getting Fat?

Considering what they eat, one could be surprised there aren't more fat people in Indonesia. In the street, most Indonesians are thin, especially those from the working class.

It is not difficult to understand why. Poorer people don't take the taxi, they walk. Poorer people don't sit all day behind a desk, they do hard job and chores. Poorer people also eat and drink less, particularly alcohol, fast food, candies, cakes, etc.

Among the middle class though, I've noticed there are more and more people who are overweight, especially among the middle class. According to the Indonesian Ministry of Health, the number of people who are overweight in the country has grown from 12 percent in 2007 to 21 percent in 2010. That's a massive 9 points in only 3 years!

So the truth is: Indonesians are getting fat too, just like I did.

Many tourists hate Jakarta because they visit it the wrong way. They check the things to do in a guidebook or on the internet, and then try to do as many as possible in a short time.

Since they are not familiar with the city, they get stuck for hours in traffic, walk in the heat from one sight to the other, and spend more time bargaining than actually talking with Indonesians.

I am not saying that Jakarta is perfect, but if you know what to do, you can definitely have a good time.

Below is my list of the 10 most recommended things to do in Jakarta, starting from the best. An alternative title for the article could probably have been "How Not To Hate Jakarta". Your suggestions are welcome, please just write a comment at the end.

You can also read Is Jakarta worth visiting? for more information.

1) The best thing to do in Jakarta is to date a local (at least for guys)

Let's be honest here. Would Jakarta be as interesting for expats as it is today without Indonesian girls? Certainly not.

Dating local girls is the main activity of most guys I know who live here, and even for those who already have a Western wife. It is a fascinating introduction to Indonesian culture and the best way to learn the language. Leaving Indonesia without this experience is a bit like leaving Italia without eating pizza.

As a traveler, an easy way to get a date is to use online dating apps like Tinder. I wrote an article with the best services you can use: Online Dating Apps and Sites in Indonesia. Many girls in Jakarta will be suspicious about your intentions if you are a tourist though. If online dating does not work, you can read more advice in How to Meet Girls in Jakarta.

2) The second best thing to do in Jakarta is to party

The nightlife is one of the few areas where Jakarta can compete with Bangkok or Singapore. If you go to X2 on a Saturday night, you have at least 200 tourists. I don't think there are as many visiting the National Monument (Monas) over the whole weekend.

Clubs in Jakarta are not perfect but they are fun. Foreigners get a special treatment as long as they dress well and, unlike in Europe, you stand a chance with girls.

My whole website is about Jakarta nightlife. If you are not familiar with it already, start with Best Nightclubs 2016, Jakarta Nightlife 2015 and Jakarta Nightlife Guide.

3) The third best is to eat Indonesian food

I advise you to do the same when you visit Jakarta. You can go to Sabang street in Central Jakarta or Mangga Besar street in Kota (for more ideas, read Street Food in Jakarta) and choose one of the crowded food stalls. The prices are low: A dish without meat usually costs around Rp10,000, a dish with chicken or fish about Rp20,000 and a dish with beef or lamb between Rp30,000 and Rp50,000.

Don't make the mistake of only trying Nasi Goreng as you'll miss hundreds of delicious specialties. My personal favorites are Gudeg (cooked jackfruit), Ayam Gulai (chicken with Indonesian curry), Beef Rendang (slow-cooked beef with spices), Bebek Mercon (duck with extra spicy sauce), Grilled Fish with Dabu-Dabu (Manado spicy sauce), Lawar (minced vegetables and meat), Konro (ribs soup), etc.

You can also read: How I Became Fat in Indonesia.

4) The fourth best is to get a massage

Indonesia is one of the best countries in the world to get an excellent massage.

In Jakarta, for just US5$ you can have a professional masseuse at your door who will massage you for an hour. The easiest way to find a therapist is to download the app Go-Jek and to use the feature "Go-Massage". Alternatively, almost every hotels in Jakarta with more than 3 stars have an in-house spa or 24/7 massage services.

You can also check independent spas. The prices are between 15$ and 30$ for a 90-minute treatment in a decent venue. For a luxurious one, you can read my article: Best Luxury Spas in Jakarta.

To find the spa nearest from your place, you can use my guide Finding A Spa In Jakarta. Beware as I'm also mentioning plus plus spas (that are also quite an experience... you can try Delta if you are curious).

Expat women would tell you that Jakarta is a great place to have an inexpensive creambath, a nail polish or a scrub. Beauty salons are not expensive and they can be found everywhere.

5) The fifth best is to do nothing
"Nongkrong" ("hanging out" in English) is the trademark hobby of Indonesia. Basically, it means doing nothing with other people.

You can hangout pretty much anywhere: In a coffee shop, on top of a rooftop bar, in a restaurant, in front of a 7-eleven, in the street, at a friend's place, at the mosque, etc. All you need is at least another person. You may also add a beer, a kretek, a coffee and some snacks. A chair is not required as you can see on this photo:

You may feel it is a waste of your time but it's not. It is a time for relaxing, eating, drinking, socializing and adapting to a new environment. In such a hectic city, slowing down is essential to avoid going mad.

6) The sixth best is to walk around

As surprising as it may seem, my favorite day-time activity in Jakarta is simply to walk around in normal Indonesian neighborhoods. It is a free and simple thing to do, yet very rewarding.

Whenever I have guests coming to Jakarta, I always take them for a walk and they love it. It allows them to discover the softer, slower-paced side of the city, where regular folks live.

This is something you can do almost anywhere as long as you understand how Jakarta is organized. Most of the malls, offices, luxury residences and hotels are located along huge streets like Rasuna Said, Sudirman or Gatot Subroto. As soon as you venture behind those skyscrapers, you have smaller and smaller streets (also called "gangs"), where only motorbikes can enter. The atmosphere changes completely: It becomes almost rural with no traffic, low-rise houses, chicken running wild and women going to the mosque with their daster (a sort of daytime pajamas).

This drawing may (or may not) help you understand:

Three nice areas for walking around are Glodok (Jalan Kemenangan, near the Chinese temple Vihara Dharma Bhakti), Tanah Abang (you can go to Jalan Kebon Kacang I, II, III, etc) or Pasar Baru (Jalan Kelinci).

7) The seventh best is to visit the tourist spots

Some tourist spots in Jakarta are interesting, but it would be a mistake to visit them before doing the things listed above.

My most recommended attractions are the Istiqlal Mosque, the National Museum, Taman Fatahillah (a square in the Old Town with several museums and coffee shops) and Sunda Kelapa (the old harbour). All of these can be done within a day if you start early and if you choose a hotel in a central area (Where to Stay in Jakarta).

Other sights that you can skip:
Monas is not that special and the surrounding park is not well maintained.
Taman Mini is too far from the city center so it will take you the whole day to visit it.
Waterbom and DuFan are two themed parks that are only interesting if you have kids.

If you need more ideas, I have been to most tourist attractions in Jakarta and I reviewed them on Jakarta100bars here: Things to Do in Jakarta. You can also check my ranking of the best museums: 16 Best Museums in Jakarta.

8) The eighth best is to learn Indonesian

Indonesian is one of the most spoken languages in the world. It is easy to learn because there are no verb tenses or declensions (noun modifications). You can make sentences just by putting up words together. The pronunciation is also simple: Every letter has a sound.

A traveler I know managed to reach a conversational level within two weeks only. All he did was to memorize 200 words, then seize any opportunity to start a conversation with Indonesian people. He was dating a girl also, that helps.

If you stay in Jakarta more than a few weeks, or if you live in Southeast Asia, I recommend you to learn at least a few words. It will make your Indonesian experience richer and more enjoyable.

9) The ninth best is to go shopping

Indonesia is a protectionist country. This means anything imported or requiring imported components will be expensive, and anything that can be made local is (normally) cheap.

Shopping in traditional markets and shopping streets is a great local experience. I've written a complete article about these here: 25 Best Markets and Shopping Streets in Jakarta.

Shopping in middle class malls is also fun and you may find a few bargains (though not as good as in Thailand or Vietnam). Indonesian-made clothes and accessories are generally cheap. Electronic equipment, mobile phones, computers and cameras with a local brand don't cost a lot as well, but the quality can be poor. There are always a lot of fake products too. Some of the best middle class malls are ITC Mangga Dua, Mall of Indonesia, Mall Kelapa Kading, Mall Ambassador and Mall Taman Anggrek.

Shopping in luxury malls like Plaza Indonesia, Plaza Senayan or Pacific Place is not really interesting in terms of prices. Most items sold are more expensive than elsewhere. Those malls are still worth a visit if you want to see the glitzy side of Jakarta. It is also where you will find the most popular cafés, restaurants, bars, nightclubs and cinemas.

10) The tenth best thing to do in Jakarta is to get out
If you don't get out from Jakarta once in a while, you will start to hate it. There are flights from Jakarta to most airports in Indonesia, making it the best base to visit the country. 50$ will take you thousands of kilometers away to white sand beaches, world-class reef corals and indigenous tribes.

Get some travel ideas here: 11 Indonesian Islands You've Never Head Of and Bali Cheap Travel Guide.

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 particularly along Chuy Avenue and on Orozbekov Street.

Considering this is also where you'll find most of the best tourist attractions, I advise you to choose a hotel nearby.

Here is a selection of the best hotels with both a great location and high ratings on Agoda/Booking.com.

5-star hotels
Orion Hotel - Most luxurious hotel in Bishkek with prices starting at 250$ per night.
Hyatt Regency - The oldest 5-star in Bishkek. Girl-friendly. It has its own bar. 235$ per night.

4-star hotels
Ambassador Hotel - Excellent location walking distance from many happening bars - Rated 9.2/10 - From 115$ per night.

3-star hotels
Bugu Hotel - Right in the city center, brand-new, very affordable - Rated 9.3/10 - From 55$/night

Dostuk Hotel - Rated 7/10 - 60$ per night - This hotel would not be special except it has its own sauna with plus plus services and a quiet nightclub as well (called Heaven). Girl-friendly. In the same building, you have another property, much nicer but pricier, called Club Hotel (on TripAdvisor, someone says he was offered prostitutes there).

2-star hotels
Ocean Hotel - Rated 9.4/10 - 40$ per night. Great location in front of Metro Pub. It is more a converted apartment than a proper hotel though.
Royal Minihotel - 30$ per night. It has a 24/7 sauna.

Backpackers
Central Hostel (Not girl-friendly): Rated 9.3 - starting at 10$ per night in dorms.

There are also some bars and nightclubs in the South of Bishkek, on Baytik Baatyr street and near Cosmo Park (Zavod Pub). There aren't many hotels in that area but you can reach it easily from the center by taxi (15 minutes - 200 Soms).

General Tips About Bishkek Nightlife

Safety
I walked a lot during the day in Bishkek and I never felt the city was unsafe. At night, some streets can be scary as they are poorly lit and deserted. It's best to avoid them by simply taking a taxi between the clubs you visit. There are plenty of them and they are cheap (just negotiate the price in advance - usually 100 Soms for a short 5 minute ride).

I also read reports on Internet from people who were mugged just outside nightclubs, when they were drunk. For this reason, it is best to avoid carrying too much cash with you or important documents.

Dress code
As a tourist, it seems you can get away with wearing short pants and a t-shirt in most venues except maybe Bar 12, Zavod, Mansion and Garage.

That said, try to make an effort dressing up with at least a pair of jeans and shoes. This will help you socialize and meet girls.

Prices
Prices are relatively low, even in high-end venues. In general, you will pay 150-200 Soms ($2-3) for a beer and 250-350 Soms (3-5$) for a generous cocktail.

Stripclubs have an entry fee of 500 Soms and they'll often charge slightly more for drinks.

Meeting girls
Meeting girls in Bishkek is fairly easy, either online, in the street or in nightclubs. In the latter, you have to be careful as the number of prostitutes can be deceitfully high.

- Recommended online dating apps are Badoo, Tinder and Mamba.
- Recommended nightclubs and bars to meet girls are Metro, Zolden, Mansion, Garage and Zavod

Best Bars and Clubs in Bishkek

Zavod

My favorite club in Bishkek, Zavod (ЗАВОД) is located on the 3rd floor of the shopping center/cinema Metro Park. It is a semi-open restaurant, bar and nightclub open every day until 3AM (6AM on weekend with a 1,000 Som entrance). The dancing area can get really crowded with a fun mix of people. Many girls, both Kyrgyz and Russians who can easily be approached. DJs play a mix of Western and local pop/house, not the latest hits but very danceable. The only problem is that it is 15 minutes from the city center by taxi.

More information: Zavod Pub Bishkek

Metro Pub

A few years ago, before it was renovated, Metro was a dodgy bar full of prostitutes. Nowadays, owned by a British citizen, it is a classy venue with a colonial interior design and a rather upmarket expat crowd. They have a live band and a DJ several times per week. Also decent for eating and watching sports. The security guard told me that it is open 24h but I couldn't verify.

More information: Metro Bishkek

Garage 312

Garage 312 (Гараже 312) is a bit far away and difficult to find, but it has a great atmosphere thanks to its awesome staff of hot waitresses. It's not without any reasons that it is nicknamed the "crazy party bar". It is only open on weekends and attracts mostly trendy Kyrgyz with Russian ethnicity. Lots of pretty girls and drunk guys on the dance floor. Well-organized events ranging from hip-hop nights to live concerts.

More information: Garage 312

Promzona

A live music venue with a mini-concert every night except on Monday (most often pop-rock bands singing local and international songs). There is an entrance fee but you can get in for free if you send them a message on Whatsapp (0706 900-900).

More information: Promzona

Mansion Club

Open from Thursday to Saturday until 5AM, it is the largest nightclub in Bishkek. It is built on two floors with a main stage in the middle featuring either live bands or DJs (Russian house). It was only half-full when I went there. They have some sexy girls dancing with costumes a couple times every hour.

More information: Mansion Club and Karaoke

Zolden Pub (and nearby bars on Orozbekov Street)

A laid-back pub with a friendly atmosphere in the nightlife street of Orozbekov. You can start bar-hopping from there and visit nearby beerhouses such as Travel Pub, Ugolek or Sherlock Pub. Affordable prices. Russian live music that gets people dancing hard.

More information: Zolden Beer

Bar 12

A stylish bar and lounge on the 12th floor of a building. Nice view and atmosphere. This is where the local elite and younger expats hangout. It was very quiet when I visited, maybe because of Ramadan, or maybe because Zadov has become even more trendy. Recommended for a date.

From what I've heard, they can arrange a sushi dinner with a naked model (also called Nyotaimori in Japanese). This is a photo I took on their Facebook page:

Naked Sushi in Bar 12

More information: Bar 12 Bishkek

Coyote Ugly

An American bar with sexy hostesses who may dance occasionally on the wooden bar. There weren't many customers when we arrived at midnight, but it started to fill up slowly (it stays open until 6 AM). It's pricier than average, but worth a visit for a few drinks.

Upstairs of Coyote, there is a nice sports bar called Pub Daddy. They have American food, numerous TV screens and a live band on Friday and Saturday.

More information: Coyote Ugly (part of the international brand of the same name) and Pub Daddy.

Save The Ales

This microbrewery serves various kind of draft beer in a minimalist setting (think blank walls, cheap tables and chairs... and nothing else). Founded by two Kyrgyz women, it was featured in Conde Nast magazine last year. Closes at midnight.

More information: Save The Ales

A Few More Venues:

Greenwich Pub
This sports bar was quite busy, even during weekdays, and I enjoyed its location just a hundred meters from Ala-Too square. It has a small garden, next to Panfilov Park from where you can smoke shisha.

More information: Greenwich Pub

Zusmanovich's Suitcase
In Russian, the bar is called Chemodan Zusmanovicha (Чемодан Зусмановича). It is a kind of bohemian place with an artsy crowd. They welcome independent artists, mostly Kyrgyz, to perform several nights a week (see the program on their Facebook page below). The rest of the time, there will be a DJ. Free entrance.

More information: Chemodan Zusmanovicha

Center Bar
Centrally-located bar, fine for downing a few beers before heading elsewhere. The terrace is perfect for watching people walk by. Inside there is a dance floor with a DJ. There is also a karaoke than I didn't try.

More information: Center Bar and Karaoke

111 Bar
A dive bar, a bit messy, which is oddly located on a bridge just above the river. With its homely feel, it is popular with the expat community. Hard to find and at least 10 minutes from the city center. Pool table, darts and video games. Also serves food (burgers).

More information: 111 Bar (One One One)

Cheback Pub
A new pub with good food and live music, right in the city center next to a cinema. Modern design. Live music on weekends.

More information: Cheback Pub

Jazz Band Bar
The only Jazz bar in Bishkek to my knowledge. Live music every night. Open from lunch to dinner until 2AM. More expensive than average.

More information: Jazz Band Bar

More beer gardens and beer houses outside the city center:
I saw more pubs all around Bishkek which all seemed similar: Draft beer, sports on screens, generous food portions, etc. You can check the following for instance: Blonder Pub, Pinta Pub, Munchen Pub and Barclay's Pub.

Interestingly enough, there is a Obama Bar in Bishkek and there used to be a Putin Pub as well (closed already).

Finally, Martini Bar and Democrat were both being renovated during Ramadan but they should reopen after the summer.

Saunas in Bishkek

An interesting feature of Bishkek nightlife is the number of saunas spread around the city and often hidden from sight.

I didn't visit one but they are discussed a lot on the internet. The most famous ones seem to be Vip King Sauna (3 Logvinenko St), Viking (2 Gogol St) and Centr (78 Gorkova Ulitsa St). All the properties from the KGB group are highly-rated too.

As mentioned before, there is also one in the Dostuk Hotel and one in Royal Minihotel, both in Central Bishkek.

Ying Yang Sauna (6 Turusbekova St.) from the KGB group and Royal Sauna are both open 24 hours, 7 days per week.

You will find a complete list of saunas in Bishkek with location and prices on the following link (in Russian but you can translate it): Sauna List + Price in Bishkek. You can also have a look at this useful map: Location of Saunas in Bishkek.

As you might have guessed, those saunas are de facto bordellos with prostitutes. Some of them can even be taken outside to your room. The price is around 2,000 Soms for the entrance, and 3,000 Soms directly for the lady.

Stripclubs in Bishkek

Another local specialty is striptease. I had not expected to find any sexy dancers in a Muslim country, furthermore during Ramadan, so you can imagine my surprise when my expat guide took me to a lively strip club at 4 AM.

They are not particularly hidden, contrary to the saunas. One of the most famous ones, Penthouse (PH) is almost visible from the street, just a few meters from Ala-Too Square, on the 8th floor of the BerenGold tower. Advertised as a gentlemen's club, it costs 500 Soms to get in and they have about 10 girls (Russian) who dance one by one on a podium. They will take off their bras but never their panties. See more information about it on their Facebook page: Penthouse Bishkek or watch their promotional video:

The best strip club in Bishkek is probably Zhara (in Russian ЖАРA). They have skilled dancer, both Russian and Kyrgyz, who wear sophisticated themed costumes. They will perform as a team, with a choreography so it is much more entertaining to watch than in Penthouse. Be aware that when you get in front of the entrance door, it looks like it is closed but it isn't (at least not until early morning). Just knock and someone will open. Entrance is 500 Soms with a 500 Soms deposit.

Dancers from Zhara

Dancers from Zhara on the bar

Zhara (ЖАРA)
86 Baytik Baatyr, Bishkek
Phone number: 0553 122 419
Instagram: Zhara Strip Club
Facebook: Zhara

Finally, you may want to try Canto Strip Club and Karaoke as well. I didn't visit it but it seems to be quite hot judging by this video from one of the dancers:

Conclusion about Bishkek Nightlife
Bishkek is one of the most laid-back and liberal cities in Central Asia. It is safe, cheap and the local people are friendly. There aren't that many clubs and bars, but enough for you to have great fun over a weekend. I recommend!

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: Near Jalan Sudirman, near Sarinah or near Plaza Indonesia

Read More: Semarang Nightlife

Many tourists stay in Jakarta for only 1 night, usually before heading to Bali. If you are in the same situation, you might be wondering what are the best things to do in the city in 24 hours or less.

To help my friend and family when they visit me, I have written for them a complete 24-hour itinerary that covers the town's best attractions. It is a bit rushed but it is realistically doable in a day. You can always skip a few steps to make your tour more relaxed.

Don't hesitate to write me directly if you have more specific questions (thibaud@jakarta100bars.com). You can also read 10 Best Things to Do in Jakarta, Jakarta Travel Guide and Is Jakarta Worth Going?.

Important: Choosing the Right Hotel

In general, a car ride between the airport and the city center takes between 1 and 1,5 hours. During rush hour (5 PM to 7 PM on weekdays), it might last longer, up to 2,5 hours. For this reason, I would recommend choosing a hotel with an easy access to the toll road going to the airport. A hotel near Plaza Indonesia would be perfect or, alternatively, near Sarinah. To reach the airport faster, you could also stay near Semanggi, Taman Anggrek or Pluit, but then you would be further away from the attractions I will recommend below.

You should be aware that every Sunday is car-free day in Jakarta. This means that Jalan Sudirman and Jalan Thamrin will be closed to cars from 6 AM to 11 AM.

Recommend Hotel Near Sarinah/Plaza Indonesia for a 24-Hour Stopover in Jakarta

→ 5-stars (more than 150$/night): Kempinski, Grand Hyatt, Mandarin Oriental

→ 4-stars (more than 100$/night): Morrissey, Kosenda, Artotel, Pullman Thamrin

→ 3-stars (more than 40$/night): Holiday Inn Express, Liberty Hotel, A-One

→ Under 40$ per night: Favehotel Wahid Hasyim, Dreamtel, Cipta, MaxOne

Things to Do in 24-Hour in Jakarta

8 AM - 8.45 AM: ISTIQLAL MOSQUE

If you've followed my advice and booked a hotel near Sarinah, you can reach the Istiqlal Mosque in less than 10 minutes by taxi/Uber and 15-20 minutes by foot.

This mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia, is my favorite monument in the city. Not only is the building really impressive, it is also an interesting window on the way Indonesians practice Islam.

You can read my full review about it here: Istiqlal Mosque Jakarta.

9 AM - 9.30 AM: MONAS

The Monas (with the Istiqlal in the background)

You can walk from the Istiqlal Mosque to the Monas Park in just a few minutes.

The park is not particularly well-maintained, but in the morning it is nice enough for a short stroll until you reach the National Museum. If you feel like it, you can climb on top of the Monas for just Rp10,000.

9.30 AM - 11.00 AM: NATIONAL MUSEUM

The National Museum is just across from the Monas and it is open from Tuesday to Sunday starting 8.30 AM.

I spent around 2 hours inside and you can read my full review here: National Museum Jakarta.

11.00 AM - 11.30 AM: TRANSPORT TO KOTA TUA (OLD CITY)
The touristic area of Jakarta is in the older part of the city, in the North. This is where you will find most Dutch historical buildings (Taman Fatahillah), the Chinatown (Glodok), and the old harbor (Sunda Kelapa).

The best way to go there is to download Uber, Grab or GoJek and to order a private car. The driver should drop you at Jalan Pancoran.

You can also use the TransJakarta line 1, just in front of the National Museum and ride it until Glodok Station. In this case, it will cost you only Rp4,500 per person (with Uber around Rp30,000).

11.30 AM - 12.15 AM: CHINATOWN

Jalan Pancoran is the gateway to Chinatown. From there, you can visit Chinatown by foot. The best streets are Jalan Kemenangan and Jalan Kemenangan III. In the latter, you will see a beautiful Chinese temple.

From Chinatown to Taman Fatahillah, the distance is less than a kilometer. Considering the potential traffic situation, I think it's better to just walk.

12.15 AM - 1.30 PM: LUNCH IN TAMAN FATAHILLAH SQUARE

There are several restaurants near Taman Fatahillah Square, including the famous Batavia Café. It is much pricier than the rest but I think it is worth it, at least for a drink.

Another option is to eat Padang food in Sederhana Restaurant on Jl. Kemukus No. 2A. Order the Nasi Rendang (around Rp35,000) and you'll feel full for the rest of the day.

1.30 PM - 4.00 PM: MUSEUMS OR SUNDA KELAPA

Because of limited time, you will have to choose between visiting a few of the museums of Taman Fatahillah Square (History Museum, Art Museum, Puppet Museum, Bank Indonesia Museum) or taking an Uber/Taxi to the old harbor of Sunda Kelapa.

I'd recommend the latter to those who want to take impressive pictures. If you have a keen interest in the history of spice trade and colonization, you'll probably enjoy the museums (particularly the Bank Indonesia Museum).

Read more: Best Museums in Jakarta

4 PM - 5 PM: TRANSPORT BACK TO SARINAH

It is better to go back to Jakarta's city center early to avoid the worst of the traffic jams (when office workers start to head home, around 5 PM).

If you do not wish to take a Uber/Taxi, you can ride the Transjakarta Bus line 1 from Kota Station to Sarinah directly.

The trip should last about 1 hour.

5 PM - 7 PM: MASSAGE

By the time you arrive, you will probably feel dirty and exhausted. The best way to get your energy back is to receive a soothing Javanese massage. There are a few recommended massage parlors near Sarinah: The cheapest is Bersih Sehat, which is basic but hugely popular. Just across the street, Relax Living is nicer and the prices are still reasonable (25$ for 90 minutes).

For 30$ more, you can also try the more upmarket Taman Sari Royal Heritage Spa which is 300 meters from Sarinah.

7 PM - 8 PM: BACK TO YOUR HOTEL AND RELAX
After your treatment, you can go back to your hotel, relax for a while and change your clothes.

8 PM - 10 PM: STREET FOOD DINNER / SHOPPING

Street food stalls along Jalan Sabang

I would recommend eating street food in Jalan Sabang (also called Jalan Agus Salim), a 2-minute walk from Sarinah. There are dozens of various food stalls, as well as some proper restaurants. The area is famous for its "satay" sellers (skewers served with peanut sauce).

If you prefer eating Western food, you go to the nearby Grand Indonesia Mall instead. It is the largest luxury shopping center in Jakarta and it has a huge restaurant section. It closes at 10 PM so you can do a bit of shopping there as well (for cheaper prices, the next door Thamrin City Mall is perfect).

10 PM - 5 AM: DRINKING AND PARTY

Even on Sundays or Mondays, you can find happening parties until morning anywhere in Jakarta.

It is a good idea to start your night in a rooftop bar, for instance in Cloud or SKYE. You then have plenty of choices, from the expat bars of Mega Kuningan to cheaper backpacker bars like Camden or Melly's Garden.

You can read one of my nightlife reviews for more information:

Best Things to Do in Jakarta at Night, Best Bars in Jakarta and Jakarta Nightlife Guide.

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.

Girls are gorgeous and ethnically diverse: Around a third is Russian, half is Kazakh (Asian-looking), and the rest is mixed. They are interested to meet with foreigners so you can expect to be popular even if you look average.

Finally, I found Almaty to be particularly safe. I walked a lot at night between places and I never felt scared.

The following guide should cover everything you need to know about partying in Almaty. Please note that I was there during summer. Naturally, more bars were open and the atmosphere was generally nicer. If you have experience partying during the winter, please share it in the comment section below.

Nightlife Areas + Hotels

Almaty nightlife is spread out in the city center, called the Golden Square, without a specific party neighborhood. As long as you choose a hotel there, you will never be too far from a bar or a nightclub.

There are a few zones with a higher density of night spots: Around the Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen, on Gogol Street, on Dostyk Avenue and on Furmanov Street.

If you need a hotel near the nightlife (and also near the best tourist attractions and near a metro station), I would recommend one of the following properties:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rixos (rated 9.2/10 on Booking.com): 250$ per night on HotelsCombined.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
WorldHotels Saltanat (rated 9/10 on Booking.com): 125$ per night on HotelsCombined.

⭐⭐⭐
Mildom Hotel (rated 8.2/10 on Booking.com): 60$ on HotelsCombined.

⭐⭐
30$ for a double room or less than 10$ for a dormitory bed in those hotels:
BAZA Hostel
LES Hostel
Hostel Nomads GH

Nightlife in Almaty: Generalities

When to Party?
There is only one thing I didn't like about Almaty nightlife: The bars and clubs are only happening on weekends and they are dead on weekdays. Even on Wednesdays, it is difficult to find somewhere that isn't completely empty.

Clubs start to fill up at midnight and they close at 5 AM or 6 AM. After this time, the only after-hour venue I know is Vzletnaya (see below for details).

Dress Code
You can visit 95% of bars and nightclubs in Almaty wearing shorts and sandals. Pants and shoes are mandatory in Sky Bar, TSB, Club Gogol, Gan Bei and China Gold.

ID Card
Don't forget to bring your passport with you as you may be asked for a proof of identification even if you look old and rich. Many clubs are not allowed for people under 21 (even under 25 sometimes) but if you are part of a larger group, they will probably turn a blind eye on your age.

Cost of Partying
The best clubs have an entry fee between 1,500 Tenge and 3,000 Tenge (3$ to 6$). A large local beer will cost between 500 Tenge and 1,200 Tenge (250 Tenge in a supermarket), and a glass of spirit between 1,000 Tenge and 2,000 Tenge. A taxi ride will cost you 400 Tenge for 10 minutes (less with Uber).

Overall: A fun night out will cost you around 20,000 Tenge (60 USD).

Meeting Girls
Almaty is one of the best cities in the world to meet girls. Tinder works very well, you'll normally get more matches than you can handle. You can also try Mamba (Russian dating app) and Badoo.

In nightclubs and bars, Kazakh girls are easy to approach. Your best chance is to go to Chukotka, Friday, Gan Bei, TSB, Bar 7 and Sky Bar.

Best Nightclubs, Bars and Pubs In Almaty:

I have been to all these venues around mid-June 2017. If I forgot an important one, please leave a comment below.

Kipyat.com, a website in Russian about Almaty and Astana nightlife was very useful in my search for the most happening bars and nightclubs.

Территория Соединенных Баров (TCБ or TSB)

This nightclub, whose name could be translated as "Territory of the United Bars", was my favorite in Almaty. Oddly, it is located within the Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen, just one hundred meters from the eternal flame commemorating soldiers who died during the World War II.

I visited at 2AM, just after Ooh Chic which is around the corner. The entrance fee was 2,000 Tenge, with no drinks included (I had a whisky coke = 1,300 Tenge).

Inside, there are 3 separate rooms on 2 floors, each with a different music (Rn'B and EDM). You also have a small terrace for smokers. Great for meeting people. The atmosphere was really lively, with all customers in full party mode. Lots of very pretty girls, 80% Russian. Closes at 5AM.

Instagram: TSB Official
Facebook: Территория Соединенных Баров

The Sky Bar Street

The Sky Bar Street is the most happening nightspot in Almaty at the time of writing. Open during summers, it is a large rooftop with several semi-open themed bars (Cocktail and Friends, Made in China, Bootlegger, Death&Co, Sangria Bar, Mvmmonth, Wall Street, Dilani, etc). The space between each becomes the dance floor during peak hours on Friday and Saturday. In general, the entertainment consists of live music followed by commercial house/hip hop. Expensive prices for Almaty standards (1,500 - 2,000 Tenge for drinks).

Chic, well-dressed and beautiful crowd. Don't even attempt to enter if you are wearing shorts. They'll also look at your ID to prove that you are over 24 (for guys) or 21 (for girls).

Facebook: Sky Bar Street

Instagram: Sky Bar Official

Chukotka

I spent 4 evenings in Chukotka, maybe the most popular bar/club in Almaty among tourists. During the weekend, it can get really full and you may have to queue before entering. It is foreigner-friendly, with many hot girls inside looking to hook up with anyone who is European, American or Australian. Prices are affordable (500 Tenge for the cheapest beer). On the first floor, the main dancing spot features Top 40 music (live and DJs). On the second, a more relaxed café area with less commercial songs.

Overall: Number one pick up bar in Almaty to meet normal Kazakh girls.

Facebook: Chukotka

VK: Chukotka

Tuyskan

A cool bar for hipsters and artsy people. Hard to find as there aren't any exterior signs in English. Just look for a red light and a long tunnel at the corner of Kabanbai Batyr street and Dostyk Avenue. LGBT-friendly.

Facebook: Tuyskan

VK: Tuyskan Bar

Club Gogol - Bar 7

Gogol Club is a 3-floor complex with a restaurant, a bar (Bar no7), a karaoke and a club. I spent most of my time in the latter, which was almost packed. High-end crowd. Many pretty girls and some sexy dancers. Good music.

VK: Go To Gogol

Instagram: Gogol Club

Gan Bei

Another great club, with mostly hip hop music. It is intimate, with a long bar in the middle of the main room, great for meeting new people. Pricier than average, it attracts the elite of Almaty. This is the place to go to if you want to hook up with models and socialites. Drinks cost at least 1,500 Tenge. More Kazakhs than Russians in the crowd. Wear shoes/trousers and bring your ID.

Instagram: Gan Bei

Facebook: Gan Bei

Vzletnaya

A secret after-hour nightclub with techno music. The strangest place I've been to in Almaty. Only for die-hard clubbers. Drugs ~~probably~~ available. It is a challenge to find it: You should go to the street Kunaeva, number 64. There, you will see a door like this:

Secret entrance of Vzletnaya

Someone will be at the entrance to filter the guests. As long as you look OK you'll be admitted (just don't be loud or drunk). It closes at 11 AM if I remember correctly. This is a video I shot inside with my phone:

Facebook: Vzletnaya
Instagram: Vzletnaya

Friday Club (Esperanza Complex)

Friday Club is in the basement of the Esperanza complex, next to the Mega Center Mall. It has the reputation of being a pick up place for foreign guys. Girls are mostly freelance prostitutes, but you may also find normal ones. The entrance fee was 2,000 Tenge with a free enormous beer. Commercial music. Lots of people dancing and socializing. Mixed Russian and Kazakh crowd. Sexy dancers.

VK: Friday Club (Esperanza)

Facebook: Friday

William Lawson 13 Bar

This whisky bar was recommended to me by several Almaty residents. It is actually more like a pub, with sports channels on TV, a large selection of beers and a static crowd. Hipster vibe. You can go there to warm up, before hitting the clubs.

Website: William Lawson 13

Ooh Chic

When we visited Ooh Chic, there was some confusion at the entrance that led my friend and I to accidentally buy 2 bottles of wine (10,000 Tenge in total). It tasted terrible but it made the whole night a lot more fun. The place in itself does not have anything special. There are two floors: Below is the bar, facing a large square-shaped dance floor. Upstairs is a lounge area with sofas and tables. At 2 AM, it was half empty and even more by 3 AM. Mainstream clubbing music. The customers were almost all Russians, including many gorgeous ladies. At some point, there were 2 sexy dancers that I filmed with my phone:

VK: Ooh Chic Almaty
Instagram: Ooh Chic (lots of hot pics and videos)

Fun to Mass - Siniy Bar (синий)

A coyote club with hot waitresses who dance on the bar with sexy outfits. Free entrance but the drinks are quite expensive (1,400 for the cheapest beer). Many pretty girls in the public, they might be prostitutes though. Commercial music. Small dance floor. Next to Slim Club.

VK: FunToMass Almaty
Facebook: Siniy

Бар Папин гараж (Papin Garage - Dad's Garage)

I went to this club at 4.59 AM and it was closing at 6 AM. The DJ played a little longer but there were no customers except for a group of friends. I didn't find any mention of this place on the internet but it's quite easy to find it. It is on the third floor of the building just in front of Slim and Fun To Mass. I think it used to be called Lollipop.

Slim

That's another club I visited very late, just before closing time. There were only about 50 customers left (40 guys and 10 girls). The music was old school/Rn'B. It seemed to me like a middle-class, easy-going nightclub. No entrance fee.

VK: Slim
Facebook: Slim

Barcode

This club is walking distance from Soho Bar and Killfish. I just had a quick look around 2AM and it was almost empty. The music was very loud EDM. It seems some of the girls were prostitutes. Not recommended. 1,000 Tenge entrance fee. All you can drink beer for 3,000 Tenge.

Facebook: Barcode

Killfish Discount Bar

Killfish is a chain of discount bars with dozens of locations in Russia. They have at least 2 branches in Almaty. I visited the newest one on Rozybakiev street with a group of 4 friends, lured in by the promise of cheap booze. Our hopes were high but the evening turned out to be a disaster: Terrible service (45-minute wait, rude staff), deafening music, and a scam (we bought an expensive mojito jug which contained no alcohol in it). We also learned that the "discounts" only applies if you are a member. I recommend you to avoid this place. If you are on a budget, just buy alcohol at the supermarket. Note: Killfish is half-way between a bar and a nightclub. Some people drink with their friends in private booths, and the rest will be on the dance floor. There is a DJ who plays International and Russian Top 40 hits.

Website: Killfish Discount Bar
Instagram: Killfish Almaty

More clubs and bars I didn't go to:
There are several nightclubs I couldn't visit because of a lack of time. Some of them seem interesting and if you've been there, I would love to hear your comment:

Underground Club and Bar: Is it a hip hop club?

Olivier: A 24-hour café/restaurant, good for after-clubbing snacks

China Gold: Elite karaoke, restaurant and lounge

Aura and Grand Opera: High-end karaokes

Tapas Bar: I just passed in front of this place. They had live latin music and it was full.

Pinta Bar and Restaurant: A popular chain of pubs that you can usually find near malls. They can be busy even during weekdays.

Hard Rock Café: Live music and American food

Tancy Bar and Syedin Bar: Next to each other, they have the same owner as William Lawson 13. Sexy gogo girls.

El Mirador and Burlesque: A building with an expensive restaurant, karaoke and cabaret. Erotic dancing performances.

6/45: I was told it serves the best cocktails in Almaty but never got a chance to try them.

Line Brew Mix: Interestingly enough, this Chinese restaurant is headed by a Singaporean. In a quiet street and with a stylish setting, it is a good spot for a date.

W365: Well-designed bar. Live music on weekends.

There are also countless British, American and Irish pubs in Almaty, in almost every streets of the city center. I entered in a few of them, but none caught my attention. Here are a few: Sir Francis Drake, Free Rider, Shakespeare, Mad Dogs (reputably the oldest expat bar in Almaty), Soho, Mary the Butcher, Dickens, Guinness Pub, Old English, Che Chill Pub, Harat's Irish Pub, etc.

Outside from the center, you may find more local-oriented nightclubs, such as Angar.

Best Strip Clubs In Almaty:

As in every ex-USSR countries, Almaty has a fair number of strip clubs and cabaret. In general, there is an entrance fee (up to 5,000 Tenge) and naturally you'll pay more to get a private lap dance.

The recommended venues are 50 Shades of Grey, Kazanova and Men's Club Matrioshka. I also saw another one called Какаду (Kakadu) but when we tried to go there at night it was closed.

Almaty Nightlife Map

Sailing across the Caspian Sea from Kazakhstan (Aktau) to Azerbaijan (Baku) is one of the best options for those looking to reach Europe from Asia by land or by sea.

Going through Russia is usually the preferred way, but I discovered too late that Russian consulates only deliver 5 days transit visas when you apply outside of your home country. I briefly considered Turkmenistan, then gave up after realizing it was almost impossible to get the visa. Finally, crossing Afghanistan/Pakistan was out of the question for security reasons.

Boats traveling on the Caspian Sea are not designed to carry tourists and, as such, they offer limited amenities and service. On the positive side, they provide an authentic cargo experience as you will be surrounded by truckers during the whole trip.

Another problem is that those cargos do not follow a fixed schedule. They go back and forth between Baku and Aktau, only leaving when the captain decides so.

In general, you need to wait 2-3 days maximum before getting one, but it could take even longer, maybe until a week if the weather is bad or if there aren't any enough trucks.

For this reason, you can't be in a rush. It must be OK for you to waste several days waiting in a relatively boring city, on stand-by, ready to leave within a few hours if required.

I don't often write about my travels, but for once I thought an updated report might be helpful to those planning this trip. If you have more specific questions, please ask them in the comment section below and I'll answer there directly.

Choosing a Hotel in Aktau (Azerbaijan)

If you are a backpacker on a tight budget, you should know there aren't many cheap hostels in Aktau. The only guest house with decent ratings is Keremet but it is far away. Considering you might need to go to the ticket office several times, I think it is better to just stay in a budget room not far from the city center.

I recommend Zheruik Hotel, just between the port and the ticket office, and near a supermarket. The price is affordable (24$ per night on HotelsCombined) and the value for money is excellent.

Buying your Boat Ticket

I went to the boat ticket office as soon as I arrived in Aktau, even before going to my hotel. I thought it would be a pity to miss a boat by a few hours and then have to wait several days for the next one, just because I wanted to drop my bags.

The ticket office is located on the ground floor of a modern building and it has a sign "Ferry.kz" in front of it. Its address is District (or Microrayon) 5, Building 29, Office 1 and it is located exactly here.

Before going, you can also contact them by phone or email:
Tel: +7 7292 500-346
тел. паромной кассы: +7 7292 500343

Mobile +7(777)490 46 63

e-mail: info@ferry.kz

It is better to email if you don't speak Russian so they can reply to you using Google Translate.

The lady processing the tickets is named Yuliya and she can speak a few words of English, enough to tell you what you should know: Prices, schedule, etc.

I was lucky that a ferry was leaving a few hours after my arrival in Aktau. I bought the ticket using a Visa card, paying 27,760 Tenge (80 USD). The price is for one passenger, with at least 1 night in a 4-bed cabin and 3 meals (I ended up sleeping 2 nights and eating 4 times).

Going to Aktau Port

My boat was supposed to leave at 2 AM, so Yuliya told me to be at the port one hour in advance.

I arrived 15 minutes before 1 AM, after a 10-minute taxi ride from my hotel (Zheruik - 800 Tenge). Its exact location is here: Aktau Port.

The first thing I did was visit the 24-hour security post and enquire about the status of my boat. They answered they didn't know and that that I should wait until someone calls me. It wasn't very helpful but at least I knew I was in the right place.

Waiting and Waiting

The waiting started.

2 AM. 3 AM. 4 AM. 5 AM. 6 AM. 7 AM. 8 AM. 9 AM. 10 AM. 11 AM. 12 AM.

Still nothing.

Most of the time, I was hanging out in the 24-hour Liman café. It serves typical fast food dishes and it has a fast WiFi. The seats are comfortable but if you fall asleep on them, the staff will come and wake you up.

The reason I waited for so long was that the weather was windy and the captain couldn't take the boat out. The staff had no idea if it would leave on that day, or the next, which was understandable yet particularly stressful.

At 1 PM, after not sleeping the whole night, I was starting to feel like a walking dead. I was too tired to read, I had refreshed my Facebook feed a million times, and I had no more TV series to watch.

Luckily, 3 Azeri guys who were also waiting told me they had rented a room nearby for 4,000 Tenge (1,000 each) where we could rest. The security guard would call them exactly before embarkment.

That was perfect: We went there at 2 PM, slept, had a shower, and came back around 7 PM.

The port was busier then, and especially the Liman café. The truckers were probably on standby somewhere, ready to show up only when departure would be imminent.

Embarking

From 7PM to 11PM, I sat again in the café until, miraculously, a guy came shouting in Kazakh: "Passport Control Now"!

I walked to the Customs building, 100 meters from there and waited 30 more minutes until I was finally able to proceed with the passport check. Everything went smoothly.

On The Boat
30 minutes later, I was in my 4-bed cabin with the 3 Azeri guys mentioned above.

There are no assigned bed: You just sleep wherever there is an empty one. Clean linens are provided by the staff and you'll need to set them up by yourself.

The cabin is small and not particularly luxurious, but still, I slept well. The toilets and showers (with hot water) were a bit dirty, especially if you went right after a trucker. If it was a property on Booking.com or Agoda, I guess it would be rated around 6.5/10.

Meals are served at precise hours: 9 AM for breakfast, 1 PM for lunch and 8 PM for dinner. Simple food, way too salty, that I nevertheless enjoyed.

Breakfast

Lunch

Apart from eating, there isn't much to do. I read a lot, slept, walked on the deck, and that's it. The truckers spent most of their own time smoking and watching movies in the common area.

Arrival in Alat (Azerbaidjan)

I arrived in Alat exactly 34 hours after embarking in Aktau. Considering I waited 22 hours in the port, the whole trip lasted 56 hours (for a 380-kilometer journey).

As long as you have all your documents in order, passing through the Azeri immigration shouldn't take you more than an hour.

Alat is literally in the middle of nowhere, only surrounded by a desert. To reach Baku takes another hour (75 kilometers). If there aren't any taxis at the port, you will have to walk to the main road, 15 minutes away. The price is around 30 AZN for the ride (18 USD).

Alternatively, you can take the bus 195. The nearest stop is several kilometers from the port so you'll still need to get a taxi.

In this review, I will explain how to bypass Internet censorship in Indonesia (mostly targeting porn websites) by using a VPN service (Virtual Private Network). I will also give you tips on how to watch Netflix in Indonesia.

Note: The VPNs I recommend here also work well for China, Vietnam, Philippines, Laos, etc.

Most porn and torrent websites are blocked in Indonesia. This includes all the most famous ones like XVideos, YouPorn, PornHub, XHamster, KickAss Torrents and The Pirate Bay. It is also not possible to visit some forums like Reddit or InternationalSexGuide. Same thing with the hook-up website Adult Friend Finder.

Some regular websites have also been banned like Vimeo. Tumblr was shut down for 24 hours earlier this year as well.

Another problem internet users are facing in Indonesia is the 2008 Electronic Information and Transactions Act. This vague set of laws can make you the target of a defamation suit for exposing your views online. You are not allowed, for instance, of suggesting that someone might be corrupt.

Because of this law, posting a comment on Facebook, Twitter or Path in Indonesia can land you in jail. This is what happened to Alexander Aan or Florence Sihombing.

I have been using a VPN for over 2 years already. It allows me to visit any websites I want on the internet without anyone knowing about it. It is 100% legal, secure and safe. In fact, according to this 2015 study, Indonesia is the country with the most VPN users in the world: 23% of its Internet users have one installed.

The cost is cheap (less than 4$ per month on an annual plan) and it works great. If you travel a lot in Asia, it is also very useful in heavily-censored countries like Vietnam or China.

Since VPN companies usually give you a free trial from a few days up to 1 month, I tested at least 10 of them to make sure I was choosing the best. There are so many different companies that you could probably get a free VPN for at least a year just by changing provider once in a while. The prices are really reasonable, though, so once you've found one that works well, it's really easier to just pay.

Here are my top 3 recommendations for best VPNs in Indonesia (I used the 3 of them and they worked great):

Golden Frog - Vypr VPN - Best VPN in Indonesia (with 3 months FREE)

I found that Golden Frog's Vypr VPN was the fastest and easiest VPN to use. I had it while traveling to China and I barely felt the government's restriction. They have a server in Jakarta and a strong presence in the rest of Asia too. The support is excellent (ask any question and they will answer you within a few minutes). It's not wonder it was recommended by the New York Times, The Verge and LifeHacker.

You can purchase it using your credit card, with Alipay or with PayPal. It can be used on up to 5 devices (smartphone, tablet, laptop, TV, etc).

NEW! You can do a free trial for 3 months by opening this link: Promo Deal for Vypr VPN - Indonesia

If you choose to keep it after the free trial period, you will pay the following:

Pricing of Basic Plan:

3.75$ per month (billed annually)
9.75$ per month (billed monthly)

Pricing of Premium Plan:

5$ per month (billed annually)

12.95$ per month (billed monthly)

Update April 2017: Vypr has been unblocked by Netflix. You can now use it to watch Netflix US.

NordVPN - The fastest VPN, perfect for watching Netflix and downloading movies

Nord VPN is often considered one of the best on the market because of their super-fast servers. If you watch a lot of videos or download movies through torrents/peer-to-peer network, I strongly recommend it. They also have a great support team that will resolve any issue you may have within a few hours.

If you are looking for a VPN that allows you to watch US Netflix, this is your an excellent choice too. Just choose an American server, and it will be as if you were there.

Nord VPN is the recommended choice of PC Mag, Forbes and the Huffington Post.

To try their services for free, you can just visit the following link: Nord VPN - 30-Day Money Back Guaranteed.

Pricing:
5.75$ per month with 1-year plan

7$ per month with 6-month plan

11.95$ per month without plan

Express VPN: The VPN I'm Currently Using

Update June 2017: I saw a 1-month free trial by Express VPN and I decided to try it. One of the reasons I changed was that they had servers in Myanmar and Laos where I was traveling. Both countries censor Internet heavily, particularly porn websites.

Express VPN advertises itself as the fastest VPN in the world, but since the speed of internet is very slow in Laos and Myanmar, I cannot really confirm.

That said, it worked great and I managed to open any websites I wanted in those two countries (using a server location in Singapore). They are also compatible with Netflix and you can use it to download torrents.

If you want to check their claim that they are the fastest, you can make a free trial by clicking on this link: 1-Month Free Express VPN.

Pricing:
1 Month = 12.95$
6-Month Plan = 9.99$ per month
12-Month Plan = 8.32 per month

How Do You Access Porn/Blocked Websites in Indonesia? Do You Use A VPN As Well?

There are a lot of new VPN providers entering the market every month. If you are using a different VPN in Indonesia or if you have another way to visit porn/blocked websites in Indonesia, please leave a comment below to share your experience!

Taipei nightlife is considered by many expats as the one of the best in all Asia. It is a combination of the best things the region has to offer: Modern venues, reasonable prices, friendly people and approachable girls.

The number of nightclubs is limited though. Many are only open 3 nights a week on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Wednesdays are actually getting more and quieter, even with lower entrance fees.

There are surprisingly few Westerners in Taipei and as a result, you will get more attention from normal girls compared to Singapore or even Bangkok (not to the level of Jakarta though).

Where to Party in Taipei + Hotels

A particularity of Taipei's nightlife is that almost all the interesting bars and nightclubs are located in the central area, near the Taipei 101 Tower. Two nearby complexes have several clubs: ATT4FUN and NEO19. If you are lazy to read my article, you could actually just go there, enter one of these buildings and start partying in a random club immediately.

It is a good idea to choose a hotel near the Taipei 101 Tower. Below is a selection of the best ones:

Luxury/5-star ($300/night): Shangri-La Far Eastern Plaza or Grand Hyatt
4-star ($100/night): Pacific Business Hotel
3-star/2-star (under $100/night): Fu Hau Hotel
Dormitory/Backpacker: Work Inn 101

Even if you stay further from the city center, you have an efficient MRT system that can take you in the clubbing area quickly. Just make sure that you are within reach of Taipei City Hall MRT Station or Taipei 101 MRT Station (last train around midnight though so you'll need a cab on the way back).

Quick Tips on Taipei Nightlife

Smoking
At the time of writing, it is allowed for people to smoke inside clubs. I noticed tons of girls are smoking in Taipei, which is uncommon in Asia.

Dress code
Even though some clubs allow it, don't wear shorts and sandals. You will be immediately branded as a tourist. It will not help you with girls nor to socialize. Some venues like Wave will also give you a discounted entrance fee for wearing a collar shirt (or a one-piece skirt for women).

Prices

Mixed alcoholic drinks on average: 200 TWD, Cocktails 300 TWD, Entrance Fee between 500 TWD and 1000 TWD (with 1 or 2 free drinks). You can often get a free entry by showing up before midnight or 11pm. Most ladies nights are on Wednesdays.

Several nightclubs like Wave or Babe 18 have cheap all-you-can-drink entrance.

Bottles and tables
Many Taipei nightclubs will suck if you don't have your own table, particularly Myst, Elektro and Omni. You have a minimum charge system, meaning to get a table you must spend at least a certain amount of money.

The best venues will ask around 15,000 TWD for 10 people on weekends. If your budget is tight, you can go during the week instead and pay half of that.

If you drink a lot, bottles are really an economical way to spend the night. It is also a huge plus with girls since many are just dying to get invited to a table and drink for free.

Prostitution
Taipei nightlife is quite clean. Few prostitutes, few naughty places. Fortunately, most clubs have sexy dancers.

Meeting Taiwanese girls
Please check my review Best Online Dating Apps and Websites in Asia and Best Countries to Meet Asian Girls.

ID
Important - You should bring always bring an official photo ID with you, even if you look 45. Bouncers will ask you for it. Police ID checks also happen from time to time.

Drinking
Taiwanese, both girls and guys, get pretty wild inside clubs. They often drink until they pass out. It is not rare to see someone throw up because he couldn't make it to the toilets.

As a foreigner, you should behave if you want to avoid problems, particularly in the streets.

Recommended Weekly Schedule
If you are in Taipei on a particular day, these are my party recommendations:

Monday: Vogas
Tuesday: Bravo
Wednesday: Elektro
Thursday: Lava, Brass Monkey (it's a bar but you have a ladies night with a DJ)
Friday and Saturday: You can take your chances anywhere.
Sunday: Babe 18 or Lava

Recommended Bars and Lounges for pre-party drinking:
Marquee, Barcode, WOOTP

Expat Bars for Older Guys:
Carnegie, Brass Monkey

Best Nightclubs in Taipei:

Korner

Korner is the only club I know in the city that does not play EDM, Top 40 or Rn'B. As such, I feel it deserves to be on top of this personal list.

If you are an occasional clubber who wants to see beautiful people, spend money on bottles and listen to famous songs, you will not enjoy Korner (try instead Omni, Elektro, Myst or Room 18).

If you love hearing a good DJ who plays techno/minimal, then Korner is your place. It is similar to small clubs you would find in Europe, with a hipster design and an underground feel. The crowd is mixed with many expats, a few pretty girls and some Taiwanese guys as well. Most people come for dancing. I would guess that it's popular with LGBT.

Since Korner closes a little late, it can be considered Taipei's unofficial after-club.

Contact:
B1, No. 200, Section 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, Taiwan 116

Email: info@korner.com.tw

Facebook: Korner Nightclub Taiwan
Twitter: Korner Taipei

Opening Hours:
Wednesday and Thursday from 10pm to 2am
Friday and Saturday from 11.45pm to 5.30am

Entrance Fee:
From 100 TWD to 600 TWD depending on events. One drink included.

Elektro

Located in the ATT4FUN building, just in front of Taipei 101 Tower, Elektro is a huge and modern nightclub, one of the hottest in Taipei at the moment.

Previously called Sparks, it is often the first venue people will recommend for party in the city. The crowd is a mix of rich Taiwanese and expats, with plenty of sexy and open-minded girls. It is a place to show off so make sure you dress well and bring some cash.

Since the dancefloor is small and crowded, it is preferable to book a table and to fill it with drinks. You can expect to pay at least 10,000 TWD on weekends for a group of 10 people. If you are alone or you can't afford a table, expect to be squeezed and to wait a while to get your drinks at the bar.

The best time to go to Elektro is after 2am, so you can try a few other nightclubs before visiting it. The DJs will play commercial EDM and you'll have sexy dancers every 30 minutes.

Contact:

ATT 4 FUN, Taipei, Taiwan, 110

Phone number: +886 27737 9887

Facebook: Elektro Nightclub Taipei

Opening Hours:

Wednesday and Thursday from 10pm to 3.30am

Friday and Saturday from 10pm to 4.30am

Entrance fee:

700 TWD with 2 free drinks on weekends
Ladies night on Wednesday. Free for girls.

Room 18

This club was renovated in 2014 and it is the best one in the Neo 19 building. It is not as crowded as Myst or Elektro so it can be a good alternative to ATT4FUN if you are looking for a more laid-back club.

You have a main room with a very impressive design where most people party. The DJs play EDM and commercial songs there. You also have a more quiet lounge and a rooftop.

Contact:
Songshou Road No22, Xinyi District, Taipei 110
Phone number: +88 6 958 1111 88

Facebook: Room 18 Taipei

Website: http://www.room18.com.tw

Opening Hours:
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10.30pm to 4.30am

Entrance Fee:
700 TWD with 2 free drinks. Ladies night every Wednesday (Free entry for ladies and free drinks before midnight).

Myst

Located inside ATT4FUN, it is one of the most famous nightclubs in Taiwan. So famous that it was actually featured in the movie Lucy with Scarlett Johansson. It is expensive, yet it manages to be completely packed on weekends. Wednesdays (ladies night) is a busy night as well (you can get in for free before 11pm).

Crowded with foreigners, Myst has 3 rooms: The main one has the largest dancefloor in Taipei and DJs who play EDM, Top 40, House music. The second one is more intimate with mostly sofas and a bar. They have hip hop, Rn'B and old school music. Expats tend to prefer that one. The third one is a VIP room.

If you are more than 7-8 people, order a bottle to avoid being squeezed on the dancefloor. You'll also save money. Minimum table spending on Wednesdays is 6,000 TWD (10 people) and on weekends 15,000 TWD (10 people).

A few times during the nights, you will see amazingly sexy dancers perform on the podium. It might be the closest thing to gogo dancing in Taipei. They even have male dancers.

Contact:

9F, No. 12, Song Shou Road, Taipei, Taiwan 110
Phone number: 09 83 803 388

Email: info@omni-taipei.com

Facebook: Myst Nightclub Taipei

Website: Myst Taipei

Opening Hours:

Wednesday from 10pm to 4am

Friday and Saturday from 10pm to 4.30am

Email: kevin@club-myst.com

Phone number: +88 6 958914 777

Entrance Fee:

Wednesdays: 600 TWD for men and free for ladies. Girls get free cocktails before 12pm.

Weekends: 700-1000 TWD (with two drink included).

Alcoholic drinks from 250 TWD.

Omni

Omni is a very impressive nightclub with an award-winning design (360° LCD panel circling the club, plenty of lasers and fog, etc), an amazing sound system and a list of already several famous guest DJs (Hardwell, Skrillex, Dash Berlin, etc...).

It is a money-making business though, and money comes from tables/bottle service. If you are just a dude by yourself ordering whisky-coke at the bar, you won't feel very special and comfortable. I'd recommend Omni if you are coming with friends and don't mind spending a few hundred US dollars for the night. Bottles at 150US$. When you order champagne, sexy sailor girls will bring it to you with firecrackers.

Music is almost always EDM/trance/house. For DJs, their reference is the DJ Mag Top 100. They have some hip-hop nights too. Many foreigners and foreign-friendly girls.

Contact:

106, Taiwan, Taipei City, Da’an District, Section 4, Zhongxiao E Rd, 201

Phone number: 09 83 803 388

Email: info@omni-taipei.com

Facebook: Omni Nightclub Taipei

Instagram: Omni Pictures Taipei

Website: Omni Taipei

Opening Hours:

Wednesday from 10.30pm to 4.30am

Friday and Saturday from 10.30pm to 4.30am

Entrance Fee:

800 TWD (on average)

Halo

This nightclub in ATT4FUN is free and more easy-going than nearby Myst or Elektro. I'd recommend it if you are alone as you don't really need to book a table to enjoy it. Also, you have a nice balcony with a great view of the Taipei 101 Tower where it's easy to meet other people.

The music is not really my thing though as they play mostly Rn'B and Top 40 hits. It's not so busy on Wednesdays.

Contact:
8th Floor, ATT4FUN, Taiwan 110
Phone number: 02 7737 9908

Facebook: Halo Taipei

Website: http://www.halo-taipei.com.tw

Opening Hours:
Open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10pm

Entrance Fee:
Normally free except for special events. Drinks inside around 300 TWD for a cocktail.

The Beat

In the location of the Roxy bar, The Beat was opened in mid-2016 and it is specializing in hip-hop, Rn'B, old school and retro music. They also have house and latin themed nights. It's already popular. Many girls looking to meet foreigners. Prices are cheap.

Contact:
Fuxing S Rd, 27, B2, Taipei, Taiwan 106
Phone number: +88 6 925 177477

Facebook: The Beat Nightclub Taipei

Opening Hours:
Friday and Saturday from 10pm to 4am

Entrance Fee:
300 TWD after 11pm (200 TWD before) with 1 free drink.

Best All-You-Can-Drink Nightclubs in Taipei

Taipei has several nightclubs where you can drink for free all night when you pay an entrance fee. It is only valid for some of the drinks and you should be careful not to lose your glass. The crowd in such places is generally younger and not so sophisticated. In terms of value, it is excellent if you are a heavy drinker.

Babe 18

Located in Neo19 complex, Babe 18 is a club popular among younger Taiwanese, mostly because of its all-you-can-drink concept. Many foreigners on a budget go there as well. It is quite messy and not really stylish. You'll probably see a few people pass out during the night. If all you want is to get crazy drunk and dance, it's not a bad place. The best night is on Sunday as other clubs are closed. Music is hip hop and Rn'B.

Contact:
Songshou Road No22, Xinyi District, Taipei 110
Phone number: +88 6 930 78 5018

Facebook: Taipei Babe 18

Opening Hours:
From Wednesday to Sunday from 10pm to 4am

Entrance Fee:

Wednesday:
Ladies: Free before 11.30pm, 300 TWD after
Guys: 400 TWD before 11.30pm, 600 TWD after

Thursday:
Ladies: Free before midnight, 200 TWD after
Guys: 600 TWD all night

Friday and Saturday:
Ladies: 400 TWD
Guys: 700 TWD

Sunday:
Ladies: Free before 11.30pm, 250 TWD after
Men 550 TWD (200 TWD discount for Taiwanese students before 11.30pm)

Vogas

Vogas is one of the hottest nightclubs for young, rich Taiwanese. It is busy every night, including on Mondays. One of their best features is their sexy shows (by both girls and guys). Many sexy girls but most don't seem to be into foreigners.

Contact:

B1, Songde Road, 171, Xinyi District,

Phone number: +88 69 09 600 123

Facebook: Vogas Taipei

Opening Hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from 10pm to 4am

Entrance Fee:

800 TWD for men and 500 TWD for women

Bravo

Bravo is another venue with an all-you-can-drink offer. It is mostly crowded with students, almost all of which are Taiwanese. The main reason to visit is that it is the busiest club in Taipei on Tuesdays (ladies' night). Sexy dancers and gogo boys.

Contact:
No. 217, Section 3, Nanjing E Rd, Zhongshan District, Taipei, Taiwan 104
Phone number: 0938-128-188

Opening Hours:
Tuesday from 10.30pm to 4am
Friday and Saturday from 10.30pm to 4am

Entrance Fee:
Tuesdays: 600 TWD for men and 200 TWD for women with free flow alcohol
Weekends: 800 TWD for men and 500 TWD for women

Wave

Self-proclaimed the best open bar in Taipei, Wave is one of the nightclubs located ATT4FUN (next to Myst). It isn't that crowded and happening, but if you are hoping to get drunk with a small budget, this is the place. Mostly a Taiwanese male crowd.

The music is EDM and house. Sometimes hip hop. Sexy dancers.

Contact:

No. 12, Songshou Rd, Xinyi District, Taipei City, Taiwan 110

Phone number: 0911 439 897

Facebook: Wave Club Taipei

Opening Hours:

From Tuesday to Sunday from 10pm to 4am

Entrance fee:

The entrance fee allows you to a free selection of drinks. They offer a discount if you come before 11pm. The trick is that you have to be inside the club at that time, which can be difficult considering the queues.

Every day before 11pm: Free for ladies, 400-500 TWD for men

Weekdays after 11pm: 700 TWD for men and 400 TWD for women

Friday and Saturday after 11pm: 800 TWD for men and 500 TWD for women

You can get a small discount on Saturdays if you dress up (collar shirts for men and one piece dress for women)

Lava

Lava is an upmarket version of Babe 18, but with much fewer foreigners. They have commercial music. Sexy dancer competition on Saturdays.

Contact:
B1, Songshou Road No22, Xinyi, Taipei 110, Taiwan

Phone number: +88 6 922 500 420

Website: Lava Taiwan Nightlife

Facebook: Lava Nightclub Taipei

Opening Hours:
Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10.30pm to 4am
Friday and Saturday from 10.30pm to 4.30am

Entrance fee:
During the week, all you can drink for 700 TWD for guys and 400 TWD for girls (100 TWD discount on Sundays)

During the weekend, 700 TWD for 1 drink, 1000 TWD for 3 drinks

Box

Previously called Wax, Box has a terrible reputation for being low-class, yet it is quite popular. It is a small, foreigner-friendly nightclub, especially to the young ones studying in the nearby National Taiwan University. It's not very sophisticated but still decent in terms of design and facilities. The crowd gets drunk quickly and by the end of the night, the club turns into a total mess.

I would only recommend if you are in your early 20s and on a strict budget. Music is Top 40 and Rn'B. Single guys may find opportunities for one-night-stands.

Contact:
67 Roosevelt Road, Sec. 2, Taipei, Taiwan 106
Phone number: 02 3365 30 41

Facebook: Box Taipei

Opening Hours:
Wednesday from 10.30pm to 4am
Friday and Saturday from 10.30pm to 5am

Entrance Fee:
The normal fee is 700 TWD for guys and 500 TWD for girls. If you come before 11pm, you will get a 200 TWD discount. They have other promos for students and foreigners so bring your ID and student cards. Ladies night on Wednesday.

Photo Tribute: Taiwanese Sexy Dancers:
Taiwanese sexy dancers are one of the best parts of Taipei nightlife. Let me convince you with a few more pictures:

Phuket is one of the most renowned nightlife destinations in Thailand. It has a frenetic party scene, yet most of its bars and nightclubs are concentrated in the 1-km long street of Bangla (or Walking Street) in the beach town of Patong.

Nightlife in Patong is rather male-oriented with your typical agogo dancers, bar fines, freelance prostitutes, naughty massage parlors and ladyboys. It is a (paid) sex paradise that acts like a magnet for single males from all over the World. While Russians are the main nationality, you also have hordes of Northern Europeans (UK, Germany, Scandinavia), Asians, Australians, Americans, Indians and Arabs. There are also thousands of foreigners who retired in Phuket or started their own businesses (restaurants, bars, tours, etc).

But Patong also attracts "normal" tourists, including families, couples and backpackers. They come mostly for the beach, but you can see them walking on Bangla street at night. They are just curious and not particularly interested in the sex trade. They might have a few wild night outs during their stay though for the sake of being on holidays. They make Patong nightlife a lot less creepy than it could be and I thank them for that.

My most recent trip to Patong was in December 2016. During 3 nights straight, I went to every nightclubs and bars I could find until they were all closed. This review is a summary of my findings. Please leave a comment below if you need more information.

Best Hotels Near Patong Nightlife

Hookers don't seem to bother families in Patong

If you are in Patong for partying, I advise you to stay within walking distance from Bangla Road. By doing so, you will avoid the tuk-tuk mafias (charging ridiculous prices even for a 100-meter ride) and even better, you will avoid the temptation of driving back home while drunk. It is also better to be surrounded by like-minded people and not families/couples.

HotelsCombined has created a great list of hotels located within a short distance from Bangla Road. Among them, the following are considered girl-friendly:

4-star and 5-star Hotels:
Sleep with Me (4-star): It is 200 meters from the nightlife and 100 meters from the mall JungCeylon. Price starting at 80$ on Agoda (check for better rates on HotelsCombined). Rated 8.5/10

Swisshotel Resort (4-star): This is where I was staying. It is in the same building as Hard Rock Café and Hooters Patong. The price was 75$ during high season but you can get a cheaper deal on hotelscombined.com. Rated 8.1/10.

Millenium Resort (5-star): The closest 5-star from Patong Beach. It is inside Jungceylon Mall. The first bars and clubs of Bangla street are just across the street. Prices starting at 85$ on Agoda (or compare on hotelscombined.com). Rated 8.3/10.

Kee Hotel is a family resort but it is connected to the infamous go-go bar strip of Soi Sea Dragon.

3-Star Hotels:

Yorkshire is a popular choice among regulars of Patong. It is both girl-friendly and a 200-m walk from nightclubs. Their basic room is comfortable and costs 50$ per night (compare prices now: HotelsCombined). Rated 8.2/10.

Summer Breeze is another favorite: 1-minute walk from the nightlife and quite cheap (less than 35$ per night if you book here). Rated 8.3/10.

Hostel/Backpacker (Not girl-friendly)

Just one floor above the nightclub Illuzion, there is a hostel called Kool Backpacker. They have dormitories for less than 10$ and all the guests there are party-people. Rated 8.1/10.

Note: Even the girl-friendly hotels in Patong may ask you for a "joiner" fee (around 300THB) if you bring someone who wasn't part of your initial booking.

Meeting Girls in Phuket/Patong

You shouldn't be too naive about the kind of girls you'll meet in Patong. As it turns out, even Western girls may end up being eastern European prostitutes.

If you are OK with paying for sex, then you won't need to make a lot of effort to be happy (but you should know that prices are higher than in Bangkok or Pattaya).

If you are not into prostitution, your best chance is to connect to popular dating websites like Thai Cupid or Thai Friendly. You can create an account a few weeks before arriving to make sure you already have some contacts on your first day.

Forget about Tinder. It is 20% lady boys, 30% prostitutes, 30% average looking, 10% Russian girls who don't reply messages.

You can also read Best Online Dating Websites and Apps in Asia.

Nightlife Areas in Patong

Patong - Bangla Street Nightlife Map

90% of Patong nightlife is within Bangla and the adjacent small streets (called Soi).

Bangla Street Nightlife
Forbidden to non-authorized cars and motorbikes, it is lined up with cheap restaurants, bars, huge nightclub complexes and strip clubs. You can also find ATMs, money changers, convenience stores, banks, souvenir shops, fast foods and pharmacies.

Touts and girls will approach you ever few meters with various offers. Most often, they'll try to sell you a ping pong show or an all-you-can-drink promotion. For the latter, the touts are often foreigners.

Adjacent Streets (Soi) from East to West:
→ Soi Vegas: The two dirtiest bars in Patong are on this street (Belvedere and Money City). You can also find some local food.
→ Soi Tiger (or Soi Crocodile): Thai food and a ladyboy cabaret bar (Cocktail and Dreams).
→ Soi Viking: You have a very crowded Scandinavian bar (Grabbarna Grus) and a massage parlor.
→ Soi Sea Dragon: The highest concentration of gogo bars (Suzie Wong I & II, Harem, Lover Club, Upstairs, Exotica, No. 1)
→ Soi Freedom (ex-Soi Eric): A fun and crowded street full of beer bars and prostitutes.
→ Soi Gonzo: Nothing special, the alley leads to the nightclub White Rooms

Elsewhere in Patong:
→ OTOP market's bars: This market is located about 100 meters across from the Swisshotel Resort (10 minutes walk from Bangla Street). There are bout 20 tiny beer bars which all seem to be foreign-owned (especially by Australians and Germans). They are very laid-back and popular with expat residents to watch sports. You can get beer from 60-70THB.

Fat Mama's Beer Bar in OTOP

→ Paradise Complex (Soi Paradise): This is where most of Patong's gay nightlife is located. In this area, a recommended hotel is the foreign-owned, gay-friendly Connect Guesthouse.

Best Nightclubs in Patong

Party in Illuzion Nightclub Phuket

I wrote a detailed review about it called 9 Best Nightclubs in Patong. If you don't have time to read it, below is a quick summary.

Nightclubs in Patong are almost all free except White Room (200THB entrance). They are easy to get into as there are no queues and no dress code. If you are a small group, you should consider purchasing a bottle of alcohol as it will give you access to a table (minimum price 3,500 THB/100$).

All the nightclubs below run the same open bar promo: All-you-can-drink for 800THB from 10pm to 1am (the recently-opened Ecstasy has a deal for 599THB until 3AM but it won't last long I guess).

DJs will usually alternate between commercial EDM (Electronic Dance Music), Hip-Hop, Rn'B and Top 40. The only places where I listened to more original playlists were in the VIP rooms of Illuzion and Seduction.

The most recommended nightclubs in Patong are the following:

→ Illuzion is my favorite party place in Patong. Ranked 93rd best nightclub in the world by DJ Mag, it is brand-new and modern, with a huge stage where sexy dancers, acrobats, DJs and singers perform all night long. You have fewer prostitutes than elsewhere and most of the customers are young Westerners. It closes at 4AM but a smaller VIP club with tech house music stays open until 6AM.

→ Seduction is a huge nightlife complex with a beer garden, a regular club, a VIP club (Blow), a hip-hop bottle club and a rooftop restaurant. The regular club normally gets full every night with a mixed crowd a bit younger and lower-class than Illuzion. The VIP club has great music but it is happening only for special events.

→ Tiger Nightclub is also a multi-story complex, perhaps the most famous on Bangla street due to its enormous tigers' statues above the entrance. On the ground floor, there are dozens of cheap beer bars with each a staff of bargirls and gogo dancers. On the second floor, there is the largest disco in Patong. It looks weird but it can be fun, especially if you party from the podium. It attracts fewer Westerners and more Indians/Arabs/Asians. Almost all girls in Tiger are prostitutes.

→ Stars Phuket is a Russian strip club until 4AM, but after that, it becomes one of two after-hour clubs in Patong. It is quite small (100 pax capacity), but you can also hang out in the next-door Pool Club. The music is hip hop and Rn'B.

→ Tai Pan is an old nightclub popular with long-term Phuket residents. It is just one low-ceiling room with plenty of tables and dancing poles. There is always a show on stage: Dancers, live bands, DJs. At least 90% of the girls are prostitutes.

Some other nightclubs you may be interested to try in Patong are White Room (similar to Seduction), Hollywood and Ecstasy. You can read a complete review about them here: 9 Best Nightclubs in Patong.

Best Gogo Bars and Erotic Clubs
Girlie bars are everywhere in Patong and they make take several forms:

→ The cheapest are the ubiquitous beer bars that can be found every 20 meters (and especially in Soi Freedom or Soi Tiger). They can accommodate around 15-20 customers with a staff of 10 bar girls. You can sit down only for drinking beer (from 70THB), or ask for a girl's company. In that case, you should buy her lady drinks (200-240THB each) on which she gets a commission. To bring the girl back home with you, you must compensate the bar owner with a "bar fine" (short term - 1,000THB, long Term 2,000 THB), and then pay money directly to the girl (short term - 2,000 THB, long term 3,000 THB). That's a lot of efforts and money to end up with a prostitute!

Dirty Angel in Soi Tiger

→ Gogo bars are larger and more expensive. They have a podium with girls dancing in lingerie/bikini/uniforms, topless or naked (depending on the bar). Customers can seat all around and enjoy the show. Like in beer bars, you may ask a girl to join you. The prices for ladies drinks and bar fine are 25% higher.

Most of the famous Patong gogo bars are located in Soi Sea Dragon. The group Suzie Wong manages at least four gogo bars there (Suzie Wong I & II, Harem, Exotica) and another one on Bangla (Rock Hard). They are the best ones (hottest girls, great atmosphere, good music, first drink for 99THB).

You can also try the new Upstairs Gogo Bar (nude and topless girls, first beer 99THB then 200THB), No1 A Gogo, Diablo A Gogo and Club Lover.

Suzie Wong's Gogo Bar (without the girls)

→ Erotic clubs or Ping Pong Shows. Those clubs are a trashier version of gogo bars. They usually have older, less attractive girls who will do some kind of sexual performances. Most often, it involves inserting something in their pussies.

Honestly, it is pretty gross. With my own two eyes, I've seen a girl removing an actual frog from her vagina (and it wasn't a small one) then trowing it on a customer. The staff looked depressed and tourists were rather uncomfortable. The bar is called Money Night and you'll be asked to buy a 900-THB beer to enter (I paid 300THB after negotiating).

Another sex joint is Belvedere Luxury Club (next to Money Night on Soi Vegas). This place also charges 900THB for a beer but I wasn't able to negotiate the price down. They told me that the reason they were so expensive was because they were the only place in Patong with live sex performance on stage. As I didn't want to pay, they only let me inside for a few minutes. All I saw was a half-empty room with a mix of Russian and Thai hookers.

Note: Many tourists get scammed in ping pong shows. They get inside because they are promised a 99THB beer, but they ignore that it only applies to the first drink. After that, they get charged between 500THB and 1,000THB per drink.

Sensual milk bath in Belvedere Club

→ There are a few Russian strip joints in Patong. More luxurious than Thai ones, they also cost more and have a bad reputation for scamming customers. I tried Moulin Rouge where I paid 330THB for a beer. It was rather quiet with just 2 Russian girls dancing, one of whom was topless. You can also go to L'Amour Club and Stars.

Best Bars and Live Music Pubs
Live Music in Patong
The number of pubs with live music on Bangla street is impressive. The most famous ones are crowded every night and they have great bands (Thai or Filipino). They are cheaper than nightclubs (around 120THB for a beer) and they have a more diverse crowd (more women, more couples).

The only thing I don't like about them is that the songs played are pretty much always the same: Adele, Maroon 5, Lady Gaga, etc. After 3 nights out it gets boring.

The recommended venues are in this order: New York Bar (in front of Illuzion nightclub), Tao (belongs to Suzie Wong Group), Red Hot, Molly Malone's Irish Pub, Hard Rock Cafe (expensive), Rock City (classic rock), Heroes, Monsoon and Smiley. You can hear the bands from outside actually so just walk around and pick the one you like.

Best Bars on Bangla
Something that surprised me about Patong nightlife (compared to Bali nightlife for instance) is the lack of sophisticated bars. There are luxury beach clubs and lounges elsewhere on the island, but not many in Patong.

If you are looking for a nicer setup, you can go to the Patong Beach Club, about 300 meters from Bangla Road. They have a more upmarket Russian and Asian clientele, plus a few expats. It does not get so crowded though unless they have an event. It is just above Wine Connection an expensive wine shop and restaurant part of a Singaporean chain.

I also liked the new restaurant/lounge Cocoon. The upper floor has a laid-back setting overlooking Walking Street with Russian dancers and foreign DJs mixing chill/deep house tunes.

If you are Scandinavian, and more particularly Swedish, you will probably end up in Grabbarna Grus. I have always seen it packed with young, somewhat chubby blond girls and guys.

Grabbarna Grus Swedish Bar

More Tips About Patong Nightlife

Best time to enjoy Patong nightlife
All the information you've just read mostly applies to the high season which runs from December to February (with a peak during the Christmas holidays and Chinese New Year). More tourists choose to visit the island during this period because the weather is always sunny, the sea is quiet and the water is clear blue.

The rest of the year, and particularly in July or August, you will have considerably fewer people visiting Phuket. In Patong, the occupancy during the low season may not even reach 50%.

While you will get cheaper deals on hotels, you can't expect that all bars and nightclubs will be crowded.

Travel Insurance

One foreigner dies every three days in Phuket. The most frequent causes of death are drunk driving, drowning and strangely, suicide. There are thousands of non-lethal accidents every month and the worst ones may end up costing you a lot of money (a medical evacuation from Phuket to Australia = 100,000$). Other common problems like dog bites, malaria, dengue fever, food poisoning, flu, etc... can be treated in Thailand but you will get charged a highly inflated tourist price.

Before or during your trip, you should subscribe to a comprehensive travel insurance online, for instance on World Nomads (recommended by Lonely Planet). It costs a few dollars per day and it can save you a lot of trouble if something happens to you.

If you have any additional questions about Patong (Phuket) nightlife, do not hesitate to leave a message below. I'm also interested to know about your favorite bars and nightclubs if I missed them.

Luang Prabang, Laos' most touristic city, does not have the reputation of being a party town.

While there are plenty of things to do during the day, from visiting temples to swimming in waterfalls, nightlife activities are much harder to find.

There is a 11.30PM curfew on bars located in the city center, but if you go a little bit further away you can find a few clubs and KTVs open until 1AM. You also have the bowling center that closes at 2AM.

Within these time limits, there are actually some interesting venues for drinking and having fun. In this short review, I will give you a list of my top 5 favorite nightlife activities in Luang Prabang.

Best Things to Do at Night in Luang Prabang

1) Nightmarket

Luang Prabang at night (photo kob112)

I think it's the first time I recommend a night market in one of my articles. The one in Luang Prabang is one of the most touristy you'll visit in Southeast Asia (0% local people, 100% foreigners), but it is lively and probably the best place to meet other travelers.

The night market has two lanes: The main one, on Sisavangvong Road, focuses on clothes, souvenirs and craftwork. This is where people buy elephant pants and Lao-branded shirts. Nothing special.

The second lane is more interesting. It is a bit hidden, at the corner of the Indigo House Hotel and Sisavangvong Road, and it has around 25 street food stalls. You can buy very cheap beer there and sit elbow-to-elbow with other people.

It's quite dirty and messy so you won't stay too long, but still, I'd recommend trying once.

2) Utopia

Utopia Café before sunset (photo: the chopsticks)

Utopia is a bohemian restaurant/café/bar by the riverside, a 5-minute walk from the center. It is a hippie/new age venue that attracts many of the younger long-term residents and backpackers of Luang Prabang. On normal nights, when they don't have any special events, it will be laid-back, with easy-going music in the background (most likely reggae). People will just sit on mattresses and chill. You can also play games or smoke shisha. Occasionally, they may organize a movie projection, a live music session, a volleyball competition, etc... You can check their Facebook page for more information (rarely updated though): Utopia Laos

15,000 kip for a small beer, 20,000 kip for a large one. Happy hours until 9PM. It closes at 11.30PM. Yoga sessions in the morning.

If you like Utopia, you may also be interested in the nearby Silapa restaurant. Its beer garden has a similar vibe, and they serve much better food (Italian, pizzas, and Laotian).

3) Bar Crawling in the City Center

Tangor (photo TanTan)

The city center of Luang Prabang can easily be discovered by foot. At night, there are two streets with a higher concentration of bars and restaurants:

On Sisavangvong Road (just after the night market), there are at least 20 of them. You can just walk and choose the one you prefer. Personally, I liked these 3:

Luang Prabang Motorcycle Club (LPMC): In front of Vat Sene temple, this bar was not the busiest but it has a great intimate atmosphere and excellent cocktails (around 45,000 kip). Independent pop/rock music. Friendly owner.

Tangor: A French-run restaurant/café/bar with a colonial décor. It is one of the most crowded in the street, and a perfect location for watching people walk by.

La Casa Lao: Spanish tapas bar next to Tangor. Buy 2 cocktails get 1 from 5PM to 7PM.

A short walk from there, there are a few more bars on Kingkitsarath Road. Expats call it the Phousi Hill's nightlife precinct. None of the venues are really packed, but you have music, sports channels and alcohol. The most recommended are:

Redbul Bar (not Red Bull): A proper pub with pool tables, burgers and sports. Popular with expats. 20,000 kip for a cocktail during happy hours (5PM to 7PM).

Aussie Sports Bar: On the ground floor of Aham Corner Guesthouse, it is owned by an Australian-Lao couple. Similar to Redbul.

The House Restaurant & Belgian Bar: A tiny bar owned by two Belgians. They have a large choice of imported beers such as Duvel (58,000 kip), Stella Artois (45,000 kip), Blanche de Namur (50,000 kip) and Karmeliet (62,000 kip).

Elsewhere in Luang Prabang, you can also try Amigos (Mexican Restaurant and Bar), the 525 (a modern cocktail and Tapas bar) and Rama Sports Bar (local and Asian crowd, live music).

4) Live Music Pubs: Dao Fa and U-Pub

Dao Fa Nightclub in Luang Prabang

Most Laotians and Chinese party and drink less than 10 minutes from the city center (by tuk-tuk), in particular on the Road 13 (near Naluang Bus Station). Most of them are very local, but the following are more Western-oriented:

U-Pub: 200 meters from Dao Fa in an unnamed street. It is modern and they have a live band every night singing Lao hits. A few pretty girls. 25,000 kip for one beer (buy 2 get 1 free). It closes at 1AM. Exact location here.

Dao Fa: Inside the Dao Fa hotel, it is not as new as U-Pub but more crowded. Live band and DJ (commercial EDM). It is only open from 9PM until 12PM. The Sun Karaoke KTV is attached.

5) Karaoke - KTV

I have to admit that I didn't partake in any karaoke session, but I saw many places that seemed popular with Asian tourists (probably Chinese) and locals.

The road where I saw the most venues does not have a name. You can go to this location and you'll see them.

There are more of them on Road 13, before and after Dao Fa. A crowded one was Full Moon Karaoke. There is also Muang Sua Nightclub and KTV on Phu Vao Road (here).

They normally close at 11PM or 11.30PM.

Udon Thani is located in the North of Thailand (Isaan Region), near the border with Laos. Even though it is the 4th most populous city in the country (150,000 people), it is very laid-back and provincial.

I was there for 5 days as a stopover before heading to Laos and I was not really expecting there would be any nightlife.

As it turns out, I was wrong. You can find bars and nightclubs that are open and busy every night, but for that, you'll need to go outside of the tourist areas.

This short review will guide through the best venues I went to during my stay. If you think I forgot one, please leave me a note in the comment section below.

Best Hotels Near Udon Thani Nightlife

Hotels in Udon Thani are really cheap, even during high season. I was staying in the Centara, a 4-star property with a perfect location next to a large mall, and I was paying only 45$! You can click here to check the current price: Centara Hotel - Udon Thani.

If you want to be close from the red-light district, an excellent hotel is The Pannarai (4-star, 42$/night). You'll be only 20 meters from the first beer bars. A cheaper option nearby is the Prajaktra (20$/night).

You can check Agoda for more option, just remember to stay close from the Central Plaza Mall.

Nightlife Areas in Udon Thani

Party in Rhythm Club

The nightlife for foreigners in Udon Thani is very easy to find. Basically, you have two adjacent streets with a total of around 30 bars (some with ladies, some normal).

Note that the expats in Udon Thani are quite old on average and that they sleep early! You should go out before 10PM otherwise all bars will be empty. In fact, many are already closed by midnight.

The first street you can try is Soi Samphan Thamit, just behind Central Plaza Mall. Most bars there are not very sophisticated and they only have the basics for you to enjoy a beer. A few bargirls will keep you company if you need. They aren't the prettiest girls you'll meet in Thailand but a few are cute.

The most popular places as of January 2017 were Sports Bar (the most crowded), Vikings Corner Bar, Zaaps, Tiffy, the Meeting Point, the Irish Clock (an Irish pub and hotel), Fun Bar (it had the prettiest girls) and Shadow. I also saw a bar/massage parlor with ladyboys. You can just go there directly, walk around for a few minutes and sit in the bar you like the most.

There is also a tiny beer bar complex called Day & Night, just next to the Pannarai Hotel.

The second street is Soi Prajak Sillapacom, at the end of Soi Samphan Thamit. The bars are a little bit nicer there, especially Sisters (but unfortunately it does not get so busy).

The main attraction in Prajak Sillapacom is a beer bar complex called Nutty Park, which is similar to Day and Night. You'll see quite a lot of old guys, especially in the restaurant/pub the Good Corner (it seems to be a hub for the expat community). You also have bar-girls/prostitutes but they are not too pushy.

Thai Nightclubs, Bars and Cafés

The bars mentioned above are just OK for a few beers (or to find a girl if that's your goal), but they are not really happening. By the time of your second day in Udon Thani you'll certainly be bored.

Thais nightclubs are a much better option. They have the advantage of staying open later (maximum 2AM) and to have a younger crowd (including some normal Thai girls).

My most recommended venues are the following:

Rhythm (in Napalai Hotel)

Rhythm was my favorite club even though it is located more than 4 kilometers from the city center (100-120THB with a tuk-tuk). It is made of one large room, quite modern, with a live stage where bands play Thai rock/pop. I went there on a Sunday and it was full, with many girls in their 20s. When the band is not playing, the DJs mix EDM songs.

Free entrance on weekdays (200THB on weekends if there is an event). Close at 2AM.

Full review: Rhythm Udon Thani or Facebook: Rhythm.

Phoenix

Phoenix is also a fun nightclub and it is walking distance from Central Plaza. It is the newest and hippest in the city, but smaller than Rhythm. They have great sound/lighting, an intimate atmosphere, an upmarket crowd and excellent rock bands. Some of the hottest girls I've seen in Udon Thani were customers of Phoenix (or prostitutes, I'm not 100% sure).

Free entrance every day of the week. Close at 2AM.

Full review: Phoenix Udon Thani or Facebook: Phoenix

Yellow Bird (in Charoen Hotel)

Located in Charoen Hotel, a 10-minute walk from Central Plaza. It is also a very popular nightclub but it is more old-style compared to the ones listed above. The bands will sometimes play Thai folk songs and the customers are over 30 years old. During breaks though, you'll get some loud EDM and sexy dancers. The best night is on Wednesday (ladies night).

Free entrance every day of the week. Close at 2AM.

Facebook: Yellow Bird Udon Thani

Tawan Daeng

Tawan Daeng is an institution in Udon Thani. It is located 2 minutes from the tourist area of Soi Samphan Thamit (behind Central Plaza) and for this reason, you'll see plenty of foreigners inside. They have live bands (playing folk/country songs from Isaan region) and also some more random shows (comedians, dancing, etc). You can go there early for dinner and try some Isaan food.

Website: Tawan Daeng Udon Thani

Kongsiam Café

This laid-back, cool café is located next to Phoenix Club. They have live music every night, with bands who sing in English or in Thai (mostly covers of famous songs). The design and set-up is really original. It is my most recommended venue for a date with a Thai girl.

Facebook: Kongsiam Udon Thani

Twenty Up (20UP)

20UP opened on January 10th, 2017 and it was already busy when I visited. It is a Thai-style beer garden with a whole bunch of sexy hostesses and live acoustic music. Young crowd. Open until 1AM.

It is just in front of Grand Naga Hotel & KTV where apparently you can get a massage plus plus.

Facebook: 20UP Udon Thani

Bar'ista Brasserie

In front of UD Town Mall and the train station, this is a popular restaurant with an indoor and an outdoor area. It gets full almost every night with upper-class locals. They have Thai music, usually pop and mellow songs.

Facebook: Bar'ista Brasserie Udon Thani

Meeting Normal Thai Girls in Udon Thani

It is much easier to meet normal girls in Udon Thani compared with Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya or Chiang Mai.

The best way is to make a profile on online dating sites like ThaiFriendly or ThaiCupid. Both have thousands of girls who are eager to meet with foreigners. Ideally, you can chat with them a few weeks before arriving in Thailand to build up the excitement. If you have a decent profile pic, you can get non-stop dates from morning to midnight.

Tinder works well also, but there are fewer profiles and most of the girls will not be interested in chatting if you are not living in Udon Thani.

Meeting girls in nightclubs is also possible, especially in Phoenix, Yellow Bird and Rhythm. It will require more effort and a bit of luck though.

In the daytime, you can hang out and meet Thai girls either in UD Town shopping center (most recommended) or in Central Plaza Mall.

You can also read 15 Best Online Dating Sites and Websites in Asia.

Udon Nightlife Map

If you are into beach bars, cheap drinks and hooking-up with drunk tourists, you might find that Nha Trang nightlife is the best in Vietnam.

I spent about a week there on holiday, during low season, and that gave me plenty of time to party in every single bar and nightclub in town.

The best thing about Nha Trang is that compared to other cities in Vietnam like Saigon or Hanoi, the rules are more relaxed. Venues stay open late, dress codes are rarely enforced, and it's more easy to find girl-friendly hotels. Prices are also very cheap, especially during low season. With a $50 budget, you should have enough to book at least a 3-star hotel, eat in nice beachfront restaurants and drink plenty at night.

The drawback of Nha Trang, as you've probably read elsewhere, is the huge proportion of Russian, Chinese and Vietnamese tourists compared to other nationalities. I really don't have anything against them, but I noticed that they tend to stay together, maybe because of the language or culture, and rarely mix. As a result, visiting a nightclub in Nha Trang can become quite a social experiment. You'll look at other people party but you won't always feel part of the action. Of course it depends where you go.

The objective of this review is to give you the best advice on where to go for nightlife in Nha Trang if you are like me, a single guy, Westerner, in his 30s.

Hotels in Nha Trang Near the Nightlife

Nha Trang is a medium-sized city with almost 400,000 inhabitants. Most of the tourists are logically staying near the beach front.

The area with an active nightlife is limited to the city center. If you want to be walking distance from nightclubs AND the beach, I recommend you to book one of the following hotels:

High-End:
If you book in advance, you can get a 5-star hotel in Nha Trang for 100$-150$. The best one is probably the brand new Intercontinental Nha Trang, from which you can walk to most nightclubs in Nha Trang (Zima Nightclub and Havana Club are across the street). There is also the stylish RuNam Bistro on the ground level, perfect for a date.

Sheraton Nha Trang is just next to it, but it is more expensive and older. It has a quiet rooftop lounge called Altitude.

The nearby Best Western Premier Havana is another excellent choice. It has one of the most amazing nightlife venues in Nha Trang, the Skylight 360° Rooftop Bar.

Novotel Nha Trang is great 4-star beach front property, usually less expensive (100$ for the cheapest room).

Mid-Range:
Liberty Central Nha Trang is just 100m from the beach and close from the busiest area for cheap bars and restaurants. It is also walking distance from the Sailing Club and Louisiane Brewhouse, the two nicest beach clubs in central Nha Trang.

Budget
There are hundreds of small guest houses and backpacker hostels in Nha Trang. To be near the nightlife and the beach, you can check any property located near Booze Cruise Bar or Why Not Bar.

Girl Friendly Hotels / Sex Hotels
The hotels above may not be girl-friendly. It is better to ask a receptionist whether it is ok for you to bring your "girlfriend" to your room.

If you want certainty, you can book a room in one of the two hotels below. Both have a massage parlours where sexual services are provided so you can expect them to be open-minded regarding who you stay with.

Quoc Te Hotel and Sauna is the most famous. Rooms are decent for about 20-40 dollars per night. It is also central, just 5 minutes away from the beach by foot and 10 minutes from good bars.

Hoa Dao Hotel, Karaoke and Spa is a bit further from the action but cheaper. You can get a room for less than 20$.

Meeting Girls

It is easy to meet foreign girls and prostitutes in Nha Trang clubs and bars, but more difficult to meet normal Vietnamese girls. This is normal as most of them are rather conservative and not the party type.

The best way to meet those good girls is to use dating websites and apps. You can subscribe to Vietnamese Cupid before arriving (the price is around 25$ per month). If you have a decent looking profile, you should manage to organize dates with several girls upon arrival. This can really help you make your stay more enjoyable.

Best Bars and Nightclubs in Nha Trang

Most of the best bars and nightclubs in Nha Trang are within a few hundred meters from each other, on Tran Phu Street. It's very easy to do a pub crawl just by walking. Here are my recommended nightlife spots in Nha Trang:

Sailing Club

Sailing Club is one of the most famous F&B venues in Nha Trang, day or night. It is the equivalent of Potato Head in Bali. During the day, it is your typical beach club, not luxury but definitely upmarket. You can get a beach cabana/lounger without any minimum spending. Prices are higher than elsewhere: Cocktails cost between VND160,000 and VND200,000 and local beer VND70,000. For the food (curries, pizza, pasta, burgers, wraps, salads, sandwiches), you'll spend on average VND250,000 for a main course. The crowd is really mixed. You have families, couples, young people, etc. Most are Russian and Vietnamese.

In the evening, it become a hot party spot with live music or DJ. You'll see more backpackers then. Saturday nights are the best with their weekly beach party. Other days can be quiet and you'll only see a few people dancing. It's a good place to meet girls but beware as there are also some freelance prostitutes.

Louisiane Brewhouse is a similar venue but more quiet and relaxed. Both belong to the same group.

Address: 72-74 Tran Phu Street
Phone number: +84 58 3524 628

Website: sailingclubvietnam.com
Facebook: Sailing Club Nha Trang

Open everyday from 10am to 2am

Havana Club

Vietnamese club, similar to the kind you would find in Saigon. Loud dance music, people getting drunk until they pass out. They have events like sexy dancers and singers. If you live in Saigon, it's not really worth visiting as there is nothing new here. Dress code: Avoid shorts and flip-flops. They have some sort of sexy lady companions.

Address: 38 Tran Phu Street (in front of Best Western Premier Havana)
Phone number: 093 585 54 42

Facebook: Havana Club Nha Trang

Zima Club

While Havana is the best club for Vietnamese, Zima is the favourite for Russians. Guys must pay a cover charge of VND50,000 with one free drink. Many Russians girls are alone but they aren't the prettiest. The main dance floor is quite small and surrounded by tables/sofas. Second floor is more private. The music is house music from the 90s and 2000s with some Russian EDM tracks. Quite loud. Its not that sophisticated but it has a pleasant holiday feel. They have sexy Russian gogo dancers.

Address: 26 Tran Phu Street (E-Land)
Phone number: 0126 763 6888
Website: www.zimaclub.com
Facebook: Zima Nha Trang
Open every day from 8pm to 3am

Pool Pub - PP

Pool Pub is a beer garden/bar near the beach front, 100 meters before the Best Western Premier Havana. It's packed starting 9pm with a crowd mostly Vietnamese. They play loud house music that can be heard from the street. People cannot really talk to each other so they just smile all the time and keep cheering. Funny! They have some sexy waitresses and bikini hostesses.

If you like Pool Pub, you can also check Ulike, ILike and Rocky Beer Clubs. All are noisy venue with cheap beer and an all-Vietnamese crowd.

Address: 40 Tran Phu Street

Phone number: 090 511 63 56

Facebook: Pool Pub NT

Open everyday from 5pm to 2am

Lodge Club

Your typical Vietnamese nightclub. Guys drinking directly from the bottles with hot Vietnamese chicks who look 16. They have some special "hostesses".

Address: 42 Tran Phu
Phone number: 090 195 29 99

Facebook: Lodge Club Nha Trang

Yasaka 008 Night Club

Located in Yasaka Saigon Resort and Spa, this is another Vietnamese-style nightclub. It's very loud with aggressive lighting. It's supposed to be luxurious but feels a bit dodgy. Sexy dancers.

Address: 8 Tran Phu Street

Phone number: +84 58 382 0090

Open every day from 9pm to 3am

Best Rooftop Bars in Nha Trang

With several high-rise building, Nha Trang has some great rooftop bars. They are generally crowded from sunset until 10pm. They are not party places unless there is a specific events. It's best to visit them in the late afternoon when there is still day light as the view can be disappointing at night.

Skylight 360° Sky Deck & Rooftop Beach Club

One of the most popular spots in Nha Trang, Skylight is well-worth visiting at least once. You have a VND100,000 entrance fee for the beach club (VND150,000 on weekends) that comes with a free drink.

They have a swimming pool but the lounge chairs around it are often taken. It's more pricey than average so expect to pay VND150,000-200,000 for cocktails. There is a DJ playing lounge/chill out tunes on normal days. Weekends are more happening, you can check for events on their facebook page.

Address: 38 Tran Phu Street

Phone number: 058 3528 988

Website: www.skylightnhatrang.com

Open everyday from 8am to 2pm and from 4.30pm to midnight

The Rooftop Bar @ Ha Van Hotel

On the 5th floor of the Han Van Hotel, the Rooftop Bar is quite unique in Nha Trang. It is managed by a multicultural team: Nicolas, the Canadian owner, Arnaud, Annie and the Chef Marc-André. Since it opened in 2007, it has become the best expat bar in the city. You'll also find many backpackers and some locals.

It is almost always busy, and particularly on Friday during their ladies night (1 free cocktail for girls from 9pm to 12pm). The food is excellent, burgers are a must-try. There is also a Vietnamese restaurant downstairs (same owner) called Yen's.

The ambiance at night is bit psychedelic: It is dark, with predominantly red lights and electronic music. It reminded me of beach bars in Koh Phangan or Goa.

It is a good spot for meeting normal girls. Some Vietnamese girls seemed to be looking for boyfriends. Cheap if you go during happy hours from 5p to 9pm = Buy 1 Get 1 Free. 10 shots for VND500,000. Shisha available.

Open daily from 5pm to 2am
Phone number: +84 58 3525 454
Ha Van Hotel, 3/2 Tran Quang Khai Street
Facebook: Rooftop Bar

Above Sky Bar

Above is the newest rooftop bar in Nha Trang. It opened in December 2015 on top of Liberty Central Hotel. If you are familiar with Saigon nightlife, you will notice the bar look very similar to Chill Sky Bar. The concept is also almost the same: Lounge music during the day, DJ later in the evening.

Ladies night on Wednesday: Girls get free Mojitos from 9pm to 11pm.

Address: 7-9 Biệt Thự
Phone number: 058 3529 555
Facebook: Above Liberty Central
Everyday from 5pm to 1am

Altitude Bar
On the 27th floor of the Sheraton Nha Trang, the design of Altitude suffers from the comparison with Skylight. It is expensive (5$ a beer) but you can visit it from 5pm to 7pm daily to enjoy their happy hours (buy 1 get 1 free). Ladies night on Saturday will get girls free signature cocktails from 8pm to 9pm. Live Music Wednesday and Thursday.

26-28 Tran Phu Street
Phone number: 058 3880 000

Facebook: Altitude Bar

Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 5pm to 11pm (closed on Monday)

Lunar Lounge

Lunar Lounge is a recently renovated rooftop bar and restaurant in Nha Trang Center building. It is Canadian/Vietnamese owned. They have a beautiful lagoon-shaped pool, live music (English and Vietnamese songs) and an International menu ($8-$12 for a main course). Modern design. Not so crowded.

20 Tran Phu, Nha Trang Center, 4th Floor
Phone number: 096 869 00 00
Website: www.lunarbar.vn

Facebook: Lunar Bar Vietnam

Open everyday from 7am to 1am

Backpacker / Cheap Bars in Nha Trang

Nha Trang is such a cheap destination that it attracts many backpackers doing their Southeast Asia tour. As usual, they gather in just a few streets, namely Nguyễn Thiện Thuật and Tran Quang Khai.

90% of the backpacker bars in Nha Trang are within the green area

There are at least 20 bars there, with little to differentiate one from another. My advice would be to just walk around and pick the most crowded. Apart from the ones I'm reviewing below, you can have a look at Patrick (wine bar - French food - live music), Far East Rock Bar (they have 2 - cheap beer), Hole in The Wall (English-owned pub with bar girls), Crazy Kim (sports bar), La Mancha (salsa - Spanish food), Pankoff (German beer), After the Beach (empty but pretty Russian hostesses) and Connection (good location at the angle of the street).

Why Not Bar

Why Not Bar is one of those shitty places that still get to exist due to the lack of alternatives. You'll hear terrible stuff about it, yet it is the most busy bar in the city past 1am.

There are many reports about customers being stolen valuables or scammed. If you plan on getting drunk there, just don't bring too much cash with you and no passport, no papers, and no phone. The place is so cheap that you can probably drink all-night for less than $10. Hard drinks (VND15,000 for a rum coke) are most likely done using fake alcohol. It's better to stick to beers (VND10,000 for a local beer).

Why Not Bar can be a lot of fun though, and a good place to meet other tourists, particularly Western girls. Local prostitutes are lurking around too. The music is an Itunes playlist with any song that was in the Top 40 in the past 20 years.

Address: 24 Tran Quang Khai
Phone number: +84 58 3522 652
Facebook: Why Not Bar
Open everyday from 6am until 3am

Booze Cruise Sports Bar

A bit more expensive compared to other places nearby, the American-owned Booze Cruise is nonetheless one of the busiest bars on the street. Many regulars among the customers, mostly guys in their 30s and 40s. The crowd of Booze is the pretty much the opposite of the crowd of Roofop Bar in Ha Van Hotel.

They serve pub fare from breakfast to dinner. You can play pool and table football.

Address: 110 Nguyen Thien Thuat
Phone number: +84 90 571 9519
Facebook: Booze Cruise Sports Bar
Open everyday from 7am to 3am

If you like the testosterone atmosphere of Booze Cruise, you may also want to try Cheers Bar (good food and live sport). It gets quite crowded when there is a big AFL game on. The owner is Australian.

Quan 69 Bach Dang
This is the place to go if you want to tell your friends that you literally got drunk for a buck. 2 liters of local beer will cost you less than VND20,000. They also serve some good Vietnamese food (duck soup).

Many older expats seem to be spending most of their days over there.

Address: 69 Bach Dang Street
Phone number: 35 15 725

Prostitution in Nha Trang: Massage Parlours, Spas and Karaokes

Spas and Massage Parlours Plus Plus

Therapists in Hoa Da Massage Parlour

Like all major Vietnamese cities, Nha Trang has its fair share of massage parlours and spas. The best ones have a similar pricing: Around VND300,000 for the "normal" treatment, and then if you want more you must add a tip to the girl (VND300,000 for handjob, VND500,000 for full sex). VIP rooms have jacuzzi where you will be bathed naked and cost between VND500,000 and VND600,000.

The most famous "naughty" massage parlour in Nha Trang is Hoa Da. It's a chain with 4 locations in the city. From the information I could get, only handjobs are available. You can get two girls at once if you ask for the "Super VIP" package.

Hoa Da 1

10/1 Lý Tự Trọng Street

Phone number: 0583.826.877

Hoa Da 2

115A Hoàng Văn Thụ Street

Phone number: 0583.816.028

Hoa Da 3

39 Mê Linh Street (a bit far from center)

Phone number: 058.35.12.303

Hoa Da 4

14 A Trần Văn Ơn Street

Phone number: 0583.561.277

You can check the prices and photos of the room on their website: Hoa Da Massage Plus Nha Trang. The same group also owns Hoa Dao Hotel, Karaoke and Spa which is a good option if you are looking for a girl-friendly hotel with massage parlour.

Another massage parlour plus plus located inside a hotel is Quoc Te. Full service is available there. They have a sauna and steambath. Prices are higher than elsewhere. If you are on a budget, you can go to the "Seagull" hotel instead: Hai Au Hotel.

Karaokes

Nha Trang is filled with karaokes. They range from the cheap places in local neighborhood to upmarket venues on the beach.

If you want to find one with pretty lady companions and hostesses, you can go to Four Seasons Karaoke in E-Land (in front of Best Western Premier Havana) or in Yasaka 008 in Yasaka Saigon Resort and Spa.

I just spent two weeks in Hanoi and I must say I was pleasantly surprised by the nightlife.

When I was living in Saigon, people kept telling me that Hanoi was a conservative town with unfriendly people, a curfew at midnight and a suffocating weather.

In fact, I found barely any differences between the two cities, and particularly at night. Saigon is in my Top 3 party destination in Southeast Asia, and Hanoi is not far behind.

The hundreds of bars, clubs, lounges, spas and karaokes in Hanoi range from extremely basic (4 walls and a stool) to world-class sophisticated venues. You'll rarely pay an entrance fee for any nightclubs and the drinks are usually cheap, even in the more upmarket spots. Girls are everywhere, from young backpackers to crazy-hot Vietnamese dolls. Just open VietnamCupid or Tinder and you'll have so many matches you won't be able to follow up with half of them.

This review is the summary of my findings: The best bars, the best clubs, the best places to stay, and how to meet girls. If I forgot something important, please don't hesitate to leave a comment at the end of the post.

Nightlife Areas in Hanoi

To make things simple, I would say there are 3 major nightlife areas in Hanoi.

→ The Old Quarter is where most backpackers, tourists and Vietnamese students hang out. It is cheap, cramped and messy.
→ The West Lake is where expats and trendy Vietnamese party. It is naturally more expensive and the crowd is older.
→ The Historical Center, from Hoàn Kiếm Lake down to Tran Hung Dao street, is a posh area, particularly around the Opera House. You'll find mostly bars and clubs targeting rich Vietnamese/tourists.

Please have a look at the Hanoi nightlife map at the end of this article to see the exact delimitation of these areas.

Old Quarter: Tourists and Young Vietnamese

Old Quarter nightlife

A dense, action-packed district with at least 200 nightlife spots, most often small bars selling cheap draught beer (Bia hơi - as low as VND4,000 or $0,17 per glass). It is popular with a young Vietnamese crowd (mostly students) and foreigners (backpackers, tourists). 95% of the venues close at 1AM (official curfew), but if you poke around you'll find hidden bars to party until at least 3AM (see "Late Night/After Hour Clubs" below for more details).

You can start your evening at the intersection of Tạ Hiện and Lương Ngọc Quyến streets, also called "Beer Corner". It reserved for pedestrians and from there you can just walk from one place to the other.

Many bars seem to have been inspired by a Communist ideology: Identical design, identical product, no name (only a number) and little attention paid to customer service. That said, getting drunk on those tiny stools is still a fun local experience. You'll notice that a lot of people are breathing into balloons of laughing gas. Those are not illegal in Vietnam and they cost $1 or $2. They give a mild euphoria or a feeling of numbness for a few minutes. I have the impression that they make your hangover worse on the next day though.

On your pub crawl, you may include some more proper bars and clubs, for instance:

Bars:
Factory 47: A foreign-owned, hipster bar. Better music than elsewhere but also more expensive. Open from 10AM to 3AM.

RockStore: Same owner as above. Unlike its name would suggest, the DJs and live bands play rather eclectic styles of music, from reggae to pop. Western food.

Local, next to Beer Corner, it has a DJ playing Top 40/EDM and a dance floor (there is also a second branch here). Backpacker crowd. Prague Pub is very similar.

Dragonfly: Tiny bar with an outdoor and indoor area serving food, shisha, balloons and alcohol. They have a DJ and occasionally sexy dancers. Mainstream music.

Craft Beer Pub: A rustic pub serving craft beer and Western food. Popular with young and older foreigners. Live sports on screens.

Clubs:
1900 Le Theatre: My favorite club in the Old Quarter. A modern venue with live music (usually in Vietnamese) and DJs playing commercial EDM and Hip Hop. Mixed crowd. Recommended for meeting girls. Closes at 1AM.

Ball Bars: I counted at least 3 of them (Ball Bar 4, Ball Bar 6, Ball Bar 19). They are crowded with 90% young Vietnamese. EDM and commercial music. They normally stay open until 2AM or 3AM. Recommended for meeting Viet girls.

Hair Of the Dog, a small club with commercial music opened until around 2AM/3AM. Mixed crowd: 1st floor with locals, 2nd floor with foreigners. It gets started at midnight.

👌Food: A great way to explore the Old Quarter is to join the famous Hanoi Street Food Tour (#1 activity on TripAdvisor). In 3 hours, you'll have a chance to try about a dozen delicious Northern Vietnam dishes. More information on their Facebook.

West Lake (or Tây Hồ District): Expats and Trendy Vietnamese

In this neighborhood, trendy and chic venues are spread out, principally on the east side of the Lake. The crowd is mostly made of expats and rich Vietnamese. To go there, I advise you to use Uber (only VND50,000 from downtown).

Some of the best venues are:

Bars:
Sidewalk: Hipster/artsy café with an outdoor garden. It features random live acts: Hip Hop, Latin, 80s, Reggae... Expat and local crowd.

Birdcage: Same owner as above but only opened on Fridays and Saturdays (until 5AM). Eclectic music from Drum & Bass to Jungle. LGBT-friendly.

Standing Bar: One of the hip bars in Hanoi at the moment. It is built on two floors with an outdoor area from where you can see the lake. They serve 16 types of craft beer, local and imported, for around VND80,000-90,000 per half-pint. You can also eat some tapas. Events include stand-up comedy and live music (sometimes brought by the team from the now-defunct ATK Cama).

Furbrew: Also a craft beer bar, owned by a Danish brewmaster, with an outdoor garden. Small beers (175ml) cost around VND45,000 and a pint (375ml) double this price. Closes at 11PM.

The Republic: Aussie-owned expat bar. Good for eating Western food and watching sports (NFL, AFL, football, rugby, etc). Popular hangout on Sundays. Lake view. Close early at midnight.

Unicorn: A dive bar that you could easily miss, but worth a try for their affordable cocktails. Perfect to start the evening.

The Kneipe: A laid back German bar with reasonable prices, decent pub fare and live music/DJ.

88 Lounge: A trendy wine lounge, managed (and partly owned?) by a French guy. It's a romantic location for a date. More expensive than average but you get happy hours from 4.30PM to 7.30PM. Check their Facebook for wine tasting and live Jazz events.

Clubs:

Savage: A new nightclub, bar and lounge in the West Lake area. It is owned and managed by 4 French based in Hong Kong. Popular with expats. Techno and non-commercial electronic music. Closes very late. Expensive. Good cocktails. My favorite nightclub in Hanoi.

Hero: One of the most popular nightclubs in the city with a mixed crowd of Vietnamese and foreigners. Good setup on two floors. Reasonable prices. Pick up spot.

Hanoi Rock City: The main alternative event and art space in Hanoi, it features live bands, DJ performances, open-mic nights and exhibitions. Entrance is usually free but drinks pricier than elsewhere. Check their events on Facebook before heading there: HRC.

Historical City Center: Rich Vietnamese and Tourists

The Historical City Center (excluding Old Quarter) from the northern tip of Hoàn Kiếm Lake until Tran Hung Dao street is filled with upmarket restaurants, lounges, bars, and nightclubs. Many are targeting Vietnamese, and more particularly the high-society (Hi-So). You may see some expats and tourists in some specific venues as well.

Below are some of the current hot-spots:

Bars:

Cosa Nostra: A classy, minimalist bar with concrete floors and walls. Comfortable leather sofas. 2 floors including a small terrace. Cheapest beer costs VND100,000. Closes at midnight.

Tadioto: Just next to Cosa Nostra, it is often considered one of the best bars in Hanoi (it was even featured in Time magazine). It is owned by a prominent Vietnamese-American artist who made it a hub for the chic bohemian crowd. A bit overrated in my opinion.

La Plume Bar at Press Club

In front of Conifer Hotel, this elegant restaurant/lounge serves some of the best cocktails in the city. It is not too crowded so it is a fine choice to bring a date. VND290,000 for a signature cocktail (+ 20% tax and service!).

Clubs:
Camelia
Part of the Mélia Hotel in downtown Hanoi, it is perfect for having drinks with a group of friends. Eclectic music. Trendy design. Expensive. Chic Vietnamese and expat crowd over 40.

The Bank
A large, upmarket club with a New York vibe. Maybe the best pick-up spot to for Vietnamese girls in Hanoi (but beware the prostitutes). Recommended if you don't mind hearing commercial music.

The Breakfast Club: A new club attracting Vietnamese socialites. As I check their Facebook today, I see that they are closed temporarily due to landlord issues.

Elsewhere

Outside of these areas, there are many nightclubs, KTVs and beer clubs targeting Hanoi's middle to upper class. I've listed the most interesting on my Hanoi Nightlife map below.

Hanoi Nightlife Recommendations

Best "Vina House" Nightclubs with Sexy Dancers

Vina House, or Viet House, is a specialty of Vietnam which is just as remarkable as Banh Mi or Pho. It is a crossover between Pop Music and Techno with almost the same bassline on every track. Here is an example:

There are at least 15 Vina House nightclubs in downtown Hanoi, and I went to most of them. To be honest, it was a bit repetitive as they are not really different from one another.

Basically, they are all quite luxurious in appearance, with flashy lights, modern LED displays, high tables and a few VIP corners. Vietnamese come in groups, sometimes only guys, sometimes with girls who could be their girlfriends or hookers.

There is a DJ, often a sexy girl, who mixes Vina House, and a male MC who shouts at the crowd between songs. The sound is always deafening (bring earplugs). In most places, you also have sexy dancers wearing a different uniform every night. For me, it's the best part. The larger clubs have live music, unfortunately singing very boring Vietnamese pop.

Dress code: Guys will be expected to wear shoes and long pants. For girls, high heels and skirts are recommended, but as a foreigner, you'll manage to enter without.

Those clubs are not recommended for clubbers who are 1) alone 2) penniless. Even though the entrance is free, you'll be expected to buy a bottle of alcohol (between VND1,000,000 and VND2,000,000 for the cheapest ones) if you want to get a table. The choice of drinks by the glass or by the bottle is limited and pricey (a beer will cost from VND100,000 to VND200,000). Typically, Vietnamese will also add a shisha and a fruit platter to their table. They don't really need it but it's all about showing off how much money you can spend.

The service is particularly attentive because all waiters expect a tip. Even when you go to the toilet the janitor will do everything he can to get a few dongs, from turning on the faucet to giving you a back massage.

The best Vina House nightclub I've been to in Hanoi is called Fame. It is packed any day of the week and features some of the hottest dancers in Vietnam.

Max 3 is my second favorite and it is close from the Old Quarter. Playboy Establishment is also recommended, especially with foreigners.

You can also read the reviews I wrote for Civilize, Infinity, F Club and Q Club. More clubs I haven't been too but that are interesting: New Square, Nest, Ibars and Airport Exclusive Club.

Best Viet-Style Beer Gardens and Beer Bars

Unlike the ones in Thailand that are often laid-back, beer gardens in Vietnam resemble nightclubs and usually have a DJ/loud music. The only difference is that they are cheaper, they serve food and they are partially in the open-air.

The New Spinx Beer Bar is one of the most impressive I've seen in the whole country. It has a massive entrance resembling a temple, a staff dressed up with Egyptian costumes and a huge stage featuring live music acts, DJs and sexy dancers. Beer costs from VND40,000 for a glass of Tiger up to VND120,000 for imported Belgian beers. Sparta is similar, but with a Greek/Roman theme.

Closer from the tourist area, the famous beer club chain Vuvuzela has opened a branch near the Cathedral and another one in the Old Quarter. They close early though and they didn't seem to be so crowded when I passed by.

Best Live Music

Live band in 1900

For the usual Top 40 covers, Rumors near West Lake is fun, not too expensive and popular with foreigners. Local cafés Polygon, Ay or Swing also feature cover bands (sometimes singing in Vietnamese) in a more relaxed atmosphere.

Closer from the Old Quarter, The Doors has the favors of young students. Their drinks are cheap and they have live bands from Tuesday to Sunday (open mic on Thursday). Walking distance, RockStore has more varied bands but a more random schedule (check their Facebook). Idem with Hanoi Rock City.

For more specific genres:

Hard rock, Metal: Rec Room.

Blues, Jazz: Binh Minh Jazz Club
Latin music, salsa, bachata, kizomba: Beso Latino

Rooftops

At the time of writing, there are only a handful of rooftop bars in Hanoi. The existing ones are not really happening but still OK for a drink. The most famous is The Rooftop Hanoi on the 19th floor of Pacific Place (VND190,000 for a cocktail).

Gay Bars

Golden Cock is the official gay bar in Hanoi. Located next to Polite Pub (the oldest in Hanoi), its sign only says "GC".

Birdcage (see description above) is not specifically gay but it is open-minded and popular with the lesbian and gay crowd.

You can check the Facebook page of Hanoi Panic for special LGBT events.

Late Night/After Hours Clubs

Even though there is an official curfew at 1AM, there are many places where you can party until sunrise.

After 1AM, many clubbers will head to Hero which closes at 3AM. For a more underground experience, I also recommend Savage club, but be careful as they won't let anyone in after 2.30AM (the party lasts until 4AM). On weekends only, Birdcage is open until 5AM.

In the Old Quarter, several small clubs and bars stay open after 1AM until late, behind closed doors (to keep the police away). Temple Bar is open until 3AM. Tom's Bar until 4AM-5AM. Ball Bar 4 and Long Play (LP) until at least 5AM.

Hotels near Hanoi Nightife

You can read my article Best (Girl-Friendly) Hotels near Hanoi Nightclubs for more details about the best places to stay in the city.

If you don't have time to read it, here is a quick summary:

The best location is anywhere near the Saint Joseph Cathedral. It is walking distance from almost everything including the airport shuttle, the train station, the Hoàn Kiếm Lake, the Opera and the Old Quarter. 80% of the bars and clubs listed in this review are also within 2 kilometers.

Some of the best accommodation in this area are
→ More than $100 per night: The 5-star Apricot Hotel (home of Playboy Club)
→ Between $50 and $100: The Chi

→ Under $30: Church Legend Hotel

→ Backpacker: Chien Hostel and Hanoi Backpacker Hostel are famous for being party hostels.

Girl-Friendly hotels

Since many hotels in Hanoi are not girl-friendly (meaning they won't allow you to bring a girl to your rooms if she was not part of your initial booking), you may want to reserve a room in more open minded properties.

The chain A25 is reputed for offering short-time rooms (VND180,000 for 2 hours) and they have very reasonable prices (between $25 and $35) for an overnight stay. There are several locations near the city center such as:

A25 Hotel – Luong Ngoc Quyen (walking distance from Ha Tien bars), A25 Hotel Phan Chu Trinh (Old Quarter), A25 Hotel - Mai Hac De (further but cheaper), A25 Hotel Phan Dinh Phung (near West Lake)

Hotels with Massage/Spa ++

What's even better than a girl-friendly hotel? A girl-friendly hotel that has an in-house spa ++. For instance:

→ Fortuna Hotel ($160 per night)

→ Oasis Hotel, Baoson Hotel and Hanoi Hotel (around $80 per night)

→ Windy Hotel ($40 per night).

For a complete review about Hanoi spas, you can read my article Top 15 Massage Parlors in Hanoi.

NOTE: If you book using one of the links above, I will receive a small commission from Agoda. It does not affect the price you pay and it helps me run Jakarta100bars.

How to Meet Girls in Hanoi

Hanoi, just like Saigon, is one of the best cities in Southeast Asia to meet girls.

The first reason for that is that Vietnamese girls are keen to date foreigners, even when there is a 10-15 years age gap. They won't mind exchanging numbers or add you on Zalo (Vietnamese Whatsapp) after a short chit-chat. On the downside, many cannot speak any English and they are conservative (saving themselves for marriage). Don't expect to bring them to your hotel on the first night.

The second reason is that Hanoi seems to attract more female tourists than male ones (based on my observation). Unlike in Thailand, you won't see many hordes of single guys trying to bang anything that moves. The advantage of foreign girls is that they can be easier to approach in clubs and more liberal-minded. On the downside, many are not as pretty as Vietnamese girls (in my opinion).

Best Pick Up Spots
The best bars and clubs to pick up girls in Hanoi are the following:

To hook up with foreign girls:
- Anywhere in Ha Tien street / Beer corner area (Local, Dragonfly, Tom's Bar, Prague, Temple)
- In backpacker bars (Chien Hostel and Hanoi Backpacker Party Hostel)

For both foreign and Vietnamese girls:
- 1900 Club
- The Bank
- Hero
- Camelia

For Vietnamese girls:
- Ball Bars
- The Doors
- Vina House nightclubs: Difficult unless you can speak Vietnamese. Most girls are either hostesses or accompanying guys.

Online Dating

Online dating is your best friend for hooking up in Hanoi as long as you use the appropriate websites/apps.

Tinder: Half the profiles are Vietnamese, half are foreign. It works well if you have nice pictures of yourself and if you are a good chatter (witty, funny and fast typer). Easy to get matches but a bit superficial. Girls residing in Hanoi may not be interested if you are only staying for a few days.

Vietnam Cupid: This is the best site for those looking for a more serious relationship with a Vietnamese girl. They have 500 to 1,000 girls online at any time, most of whom are interested in meeting a foreigner for marriage. I prefer it compared to Tinder because I can use it on my laptop and have more interesting conversations. It is also the best dating sites for those who are not living in Vietnam: Girls won't mind if you are living far away as long as you're serious.

Badoo and Skout: A mix between Vietnam Cupid and Tinder, but with less available girls and more prostitutes.

Zalo, WeChat and BeeTalk: These messaging apps have a "look around" feature allowing you to add girls who are located near from you. If you can speak Vietnamese, they are a goldmine. If not, it will be more difficult.

To maximize your chances, don't rely on only one 1 app/site and don't hesitate to "cheat" by upgrading to premium membership. The cost is usually reasonable (25$ for a month in Vietnam Cupid) and it will give you the edge over the competition.

You can also read: 15 Best Online Dating Apps and Websites to Meet Asian Girls.

Hanoi Nightlife Map

Many Asian girls won't admit it but they are primarily looking for foreigners when using online dating apps and websites (if they weren't, why would they write their profiles in English?).

As a European or as an American, this means you will get much interest from girls and all that will translate into an incredible number of dating opportunities. If you have 1 or 2 matches per day on Tinder in your home country, you can expect to get at least 20 or 30 per day upon landing in Asia.

All guys have a different reaction to their newfound success. Some will go on a banging spree to compensate for years of sex drought. Others will become insanely picky, rejecting girls they would have dreamed of dating just a few months back. What is certain is that all of them feel much happier with this situation.

Each country in Asia has its own challenges though. First of all, you need to know what are the best dating websites/apps in the region. You can read my guide Best Dating Apps and Websites in Asia to help you with that.

Second, you need to know the characteristics of each countries: What are the girls like? How easy is it to date them? Do they accept an important age gap? Are they conservative or open-minded? What are the best cities for online dating? Etc.

The objective of this article is to answer those questions. If you still have some interrogations after reading it, please just leave a comment below and I'll do my best to help you with them.

These are the 10 best (easiest) countries in Asia to meet girls online:

1) Indonesia

It is simple to understand why Indonesia is the best country in Asia to meet girls. It has a population of 260 million people, among which an estimated 10 million are single girls from the middle class aged between 18 and 40. Considering there are less than 10,000 single male expats living in the country, that's about 1,000 single girls per foreigner.

In a city like Jakarta, you could probably spend your entire days dating and meeting girls, and yet you would still have to pass on great opportunities due to a lack of time.

Note that the situation in Bali is different than in the rest of the country. The number of foreigners is much higher and therefore the competition is more tense.

Pros

- Indonesian girls are exotic, fun, friendly, open-minded and easy-going.

- An age gap of up to 15 years between a man and a woman is common and accepted.

- Very high ratio of available girls / foreigner

- Contrary to stereotypes, Indonesian girls are not particularly conservative, especially in the main cities (Jakarta, Surabaya, Bali)

- Bahasa Indonesia, the local language, is easy to learn

Cons

- Some girls can be a bit overly religious. I also noticed there is an increasing number of girls wearing a veil which I don't find very attractive.

- Lack of tourist activities in the main cities, huge traffic jams.

- Higher cost of living (accommodation, food, alcohol) compared to Vietnam/Thailand
- Very few foreign girls online (except in Bali)

Best Cities/Provinces:

Jakarta, Surabaya, Batam, Bali, Yogyakarta

Best Dating Apps

Tinder, IndonesianCupid, Badoo, Skout, Beetalk, WeChat, Paktor

2) Philippines

The Philippines is basically a copy of Indonesia with a Spanish/American influence and Catholicism instead of Islam as the major religion.

The country attracts more foreigners, especially Asians (Koreans, Japanese), yet it is still a great destination for single guys.

Pros

- Some of the hottest girls in Asia (some with Latin and Western features)

- Easy to get plenty of matches and dates

- English widely spoken

Cons

- Many conservative girls (Catholic)

- Most large cities are boring

- Slow internet

- American way of life = Obesity is developing rapidly and at least 20% of girls are overweight

Best Cities/Provinces

Manila, Cebu

Best Dating Apps

Tinder, FilipinoCupid, PinaLove, Badoo, Skout

3) Vietnam

Vietnam has the reputation of having the most beautiful girls in Asia, but also the most conservative (I confirm both). While it is relatively easy to get a date with a local girl, you may struggle if you want to kiss her or sleep with her. They will politely tell you that they are keeping themselves for marriage, or at least for a serious relationship.

For this reason, Vietnam is not the best country for those looking for easy one-night stands. Instead, I would recommend it to guys who are searching for a serious girlfriend or a potential wife.

Pros

- The most beautiful girls in Asia: Slim, fair skin, feminine, classy (but often surgically-enhanced with fake boobs, fake nose, etc)

- An age gap of up to 20 years between a man and a woman is acceptable

- Easy to get at least a date in coffee shops, dessert houses, etc.

- A lot of interesting things to do for tourists in Hanoi or Saigon

- A higher education level compared to Indonesia, Thailand or the Philippines

Cons

- Conservative girls who often live with their parents until marriage

- English skills sometimes poor (and Vietnamese is hard to learn)

- Character is not as easy-going and fun as Filipinas or Indonesian girls.

Best Cities/Provinces

Saigon, Hanoi, Danang, Nha Trang

Best Dating Apps

Tinder, VietnamCupid, Badoo, Zalo, Beetalk

4) Singapore

Most likely, you won't meet a Singaporean girl in Singapore. However, you'll find it relatively easy to match with European, American, Australian, Indonesian or Filipino girls.

Pros

- Lots of girls from various nationalities and backgrounds
- Many highly-educated and independent women

- An enjoyable, yet expensive city

Cons

- Dining and drinking out is pricey

- Not that many good looking girls
- High competition among foreigners

Best City

Singapore

Best Dating Apps

Tinder, Paktor, SingaporeLoveLinks, OKCupid

5) Thailand

Many foreigners assume that Thailand is great for meeting girls, but in reality the country is a disappointment.

As an expat or permanent resident, you will get plenty of opportunities with lower to middle-class girls. Rich girls may be harder to get, especially online.

As a tourist though, you will not be an interesting candidate except for older girls, prostitutes and ladyboys.

Pros

- Convenient and interesting country for foreigners and tourists (even larger cities)
- Open-minded, fun and hot girls
- Decent english skills

Cons

- High number of prostitutes and ladyboys
- A lot of competition among foreigners

Best Cities/Provinces:

Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Isaan Province (Udon Thani). Avoid Pattaya and Phuket.

Best Dating Apps

Tinder, ThaiCupid, ThaiFriendly, Badoo, Skout

6) Taiwan

Sexy Taiwanese model Jennifer

For geopolitical reasons, the country has a positive view of foreigners, especially Americans and Europeans. As a result, girls are generally easy to approach and they make fantastic girlfriends.

Pros

- A lot of very educated, English-speaking, independent girls
- Rather low competition from other foreigners
- Great country for an expatriation

Cons

- 70% of the girls look like nerds/bookworms
- The most popular apps/websites are in Chinese

Best Cities/Provinces:

Taipei, Kaohsiung

Best Dating Apps

Tinder, Paktor, Skout, I-Part (in Chinese)

7) Cambodia

Hot Cambodian model Sunisa Kim

A few years ago when I first visited Cambodia, more than half the girls on dating sites were prostitutes, ladyboys or girls trying to find a way out of poverty. Things are much better today, as the middle class is slowly growing in size.

Pros

- Friendly, fun and genuine girls
- Low competition from other foreigners (usually older guys with limited financial means)

Cons

- Still quite many prostitutes and ladyboys online
- The number of middle class girls is still limited

Best Cities/Provinces:

Phnom Penh, Siem Reap

Best Dating Apps

Tinder, Badoo, Skout, AsianDating, Beetalk

8) Malaysia

Malaysia is an interesting country for guys who can't decide if they want to date Chinese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian, Filipino or Western girls. Another advantage is that Malaysian girls are often educated and they have decent salaries.

However, I've noticed that there is only a small number of girls on datings sites and apps. Also, on average I don't find them particularly attractive.

Pros

- Girls from different nationalities and ethnicities

Cons

- Not a large choice available on dating sites

- Many conservative and religious girls
- Some girls will not date guys outside of their ethnicity

Best Cities/Provinces:

Kuala Lumpur

Best Dating Apps

Tinder, Paktor, OKCupid, MalaysianCupid, Badoo

9) Myanmar

Burmese Model Khin Coco

Burmese girls are not very active yet on dating sites and apps, but the country is popular with female tourists. For this reason, it is relatively easy to meet Western girls over there, especially in Yangon and Mandalay.

Pros

- Many desperate Western girls
- Some interesting cities to visit

Cons

- Few Burmese girls online

- Poor internet

Best Cities/Provinces:

Yangon, Mandalay

Best Dating App

Tinder

10) Laos

Laotian model Eileen Khaosanga

Lao girls can be quite pretty, but you won't find many on dating sites. Even worse, it is officially forbidden for foreigners to date Lao girls.

Pros

- Some pretty girls
- Many female tourists and backpackers

Cons

- Conservative country

Best Cities/Provinces:

Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng

Best Dating App

Tinder

Note
I've not tried online dating in a few additional Asian countries like South Korea, Hong Kong and China, which is why they are not in this list. My plan is to visit them before the end of 2017 so I will update this review by then.

I recently wrote about the best things to do in Jakarta. In the following review, I will be more specific and focus on night-time activities.

A cliché used to describe Jakarta is that of "a city that never sleeps." While this could apply to any major capitals in the world, I think it is particularly accurate here. There is always some kind of life in Jakarta, whatever the time and whatever the location.

It is quite logical considering the city has one of the highest population densities in the world. Another reason is that there are a lot of Indonesians working long shifts or night shifts, especially small business owners and independent workers. As long as money can be made, they won't close shop or go home. This is why you can always get food, cigarettes or a taxi ride at any time of the night.

For the traveler, the advantage of this situation is that there are a lot of things to do at night. Even better, if you go out after 9pm, you'll also enjoy less traffic, cooler temperatures and less pollution.

The following list will give you some ideas on how to spend time after the sun sets in Jakarta. If you feel I forgot something, please don't hesitate to leave a comment below the article.

Street Food

Photo: Jonathan Perugia

Night-time is the best moment to go around and try some delicious Indonesian street food. Many of the small stalls on the sidewalk are actually only allowed to operate in the evening (to avoid disturbing pedestrians during the day).

My personal favorite location for street food in Jakarta is Jalan Mangga Besar, a red-light area busy with an eclectic mix of people. It's a great place to try some authentic Chinese food or some more unusual specialties like cobra and monkey.

If this is too far or too weird for you, Jalan Sabang and Jalan Wahid Hasyim in Central Jakarta are a good alternative. You'll also find many 24/7 restaurants in the area.

Rooftop Drinks

Photo: Sandrine VB

Jakarta is the 9th city with the most skyscrapers in the world and it is at night that the view is the most spectacular. The darkness hides all the city's flaws: The potholes, the dirt, the dust and the rust disappear, replaced by millions of colorful lights.

The best rooftops to enjoy the view of the skyline are Cloud or Skye. I give more recommendations in my review Top 10 Rooftop Bars in Jakarta as well. I also enjoy watching the city from the Burgundy Bar in Grand Hyatt even though it is not a rooftop.

Live Music, Theater and Concerts

Photo: Aura Kasih and Atika Dora

There are several great venues for listening to live music in Jakarta. Two of the most famous are B.A.T.S in Shangri-La and CJ's in Mulia. Both have a Western band playing Top 40 and pop/rock hits. They may not suit everyone's taste though as they attract a lot of working girls. Paulaner Brauhaus in Kempinski, Hard Rock Cafe in Pacific Place or Eastern Promise in Kemang are three more family-friendly options. I also like to visit the speakeasy Prohibition in Senayan Arcadia (make sure to check their secret live jazz room).

For cheaper drinks and a younger atmosphere, you can try any branches of Beer Garden.

In Menteng, Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) is an art complex popular with Indonesians. There are daily cultural performances (concerts, theater, movies, etc).

Clubbing and Karaoke

Normal clubs (meaning those that don't have a majority of prostitutes) are usually busy on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night. You can read about my favorites here: Best Nightclubs in Jakarta.

The other days of the week, only the more naughty places are crowded. Apart from BATS and CJs mentioned above, you can try the famous one-stop entertainment centers like Malioboro, Alexis, King Cross, Emporium or Golden Crown. The bar Club 36 is also always very lively. North Jakarta is also where several 24h karaokes can be found.

Cinemas

Jakarta has excellent and modern cinemas that cost about half what you would pay in Europe. The CGV-Blitz chain has movies until 10pm during the week and until midnight on weekends.

Read Best Cinemas for Watching Movies in Jakarta.

Massage and Spas

Some massage parlors and spas close rather late in Jakarta (and I'm not talking about the naughty ones), especially those located in 5-star hotels: Bimasena (Dharmawangsa Hotel) and Willow Stream (Fairmont) close at 11pm, the spa at the Ritz-Carlton Mega Kuningan is open until 12am.

Read Best Luxury Hotel Spas in Jakarta.

Shopping

Photo: Pasar Bary by Art535

All the high-end shopping malls close at 10pm in Jakarta but there are some more traditional markets (pasar) that stay open 24 hours, for instance the fish market of Angke Muara and the flower markets of Cikini and Rawa Belong. Closer from the city center, you also have Pasar Senen and Pasar Mampang Prapatan.

Exercise

Photo: Jeremy Tobing

Running/cycling at night or very early in the morning is very common among fitness enthusiasts in Jakarta. It is a way to avoid the heat, the traffic and the pollution. Popular running spots include the Monas, the Senayan Stadium and Ragunan Zoo.

A good way to meet Indonesians is to join a running club. Indorunners run every Thursday starting 7.30pm from FX Mall in Senayan. On the same day, you can also join the Nike Run Club.

Amazingly, there are also some 24h gyms in Jakarta such as Rai Fitness in Senopati, Clark Hatch in Sari Pan Pacific Hotel (which I heard is a gay hangout) and Club Olympus in Grand Hyatt.

Night Tourism

Photo: Bunderan HI by Inguna

Many tourist sights in Jakarta can still be visited at night. Taman Fatahillah, the Monas, Ancol or the Kota Intan Bridge remain crowded until very late. They attract middle-class Indonesians, especially tourists, and all kind of street vendors. During Ramadhan, you can also visit the Istiqlal mosque all-night long.

Young Indonesians also like to hang out in some public areas like the Taman Suropati and Taman Menteng parks or around the Bunderan HI fountain.

If you are wondering where you can party in Jakarta, this review will guide you through all the most famous nightlife areas in the city. You can also read 10 Best Nightclubs in Jakarta and Where to Stay in Jakarta for more detailed information.

I've circled in blue two main areas: South Jakarta and North Jakarta. Each has its own characteristics:

• South Jakarta is the most modern part of the city, with plenty of skyscrapers, luxury malls and upmarket houses. Naturally, this is where you will find the most high-end nightclubs and bars in Jakarta. Expats and rich Indonesians will normally party there.

• North Jakarta, or Kota Tua (Old Town) is the historical part of town. Most of the buildings are only a few floors high, and they may look shabby. The nightlife is often within large one-stop entertainment complexes comprising of a club, a massage parlor and a karaoke. Drugs and prostitution are common. The party crowd is local and you'll only spot a random tourist once in a while. It is not as safe as in the South, particularly for the taxis, but it is still OK compared to any other world capitals.

South Jakarta Nightlife

Where to Party in South Jakarta?

SCBD

SCBD, which stands for Sudirman Central Business District, is a mixed-use development with many prestigious offices, a luxury mall and high-end residences. It has been the most happening party area in Jakarta for a few years already, especially among hip Jakartans and younger expats.

The best location for party in SCBD is the Fairgrounds complex where Lucy In The Sky, Fable Nightclub, The Pallas and Hide & Seek are located. Other popular nearby venues include Empirica, Beer Garden and the restaurants on the Ground Floor of Pacific Place Mall (Potato Head, Cork & Screw).

Best Hotels Nearby:

→ 5-star: Ritz Carlton Pacific Place

→ 4-star: Harris FX Sudirman

Senopati

Just a kilometer South of SCBD, Senopati is the most expensive residential area in Jakarta. There, you'll find smaller clubs, lounges and restaurants catering to the elite. The trendy places change every year, but currently you can go to Monty's, Pao Pao, Lola, Branché and H Gourmet & Vibes.

Best Hotel Nearby:

→ 4-star: The Gunawarman (Boutique hotel, 120$/night)

Mega Kuningan

It is also a mixed-use development, similar to SCBD, but with more residences and hotels. This is where many single expats in their 30s choose to live.

There are no nightclubs but several busy bars and restaurants like Loewy, Basque, E&O or Bauhaus. All of these are walking distance from each other and they are great for meeting expats and Indonesian girls.

Mega Kuningan is bordered to the South by Jalan Gatot Subroto on which two famous nightclubs (Dragonfly and Blowfish) are located.

Read also: Best Bars in Mega Kuningan

Best Hotels Nearby:

→ 5-star: Ritz Carlton Mega Kuningan or Oakwood (near Loewy)

→ 2-star: Favehotel Gatot Subroto or Amaris Satrio (35$/night both)

Senayan

Between Senopati and SCBD, Senayan is a popular shopping hub with 3 major malls: Plaza Senayan, Senayan City and FX.

Each of them has bars, restaurants and nightclubs. X2, the largest and most crowded nightclub in Jakarta, is located inside Plaza Senayan. Domain Club is within Senayan City.

Some other recommended venues are Union Lounge (for a date/drinks), CJs (for live music if you don't mind freelance prostitutes) and Prohibition (jazz bar).

Best Hotels Nearby:

→ 5-star: Mulia Hotel (with CJ's bar) and Fairmont (connected to Plaza Senayan)

→ 4-star: Harris FX Sudirman

Sudirman-Thamrin

The axis Jalan Sudirman-Jalan Thamrin is the most important thoroughfare in Jakarta as it connects the South and the North of the city. It is lined up with skyscrapers, most of which have a lounge, a rooftop or a restaurant.

Around the iconic Bunderan HI (or Hotel Indonesia roundabout - see photo above), you have some of the most exciting nightlife venues in Jakarta (most of which are within the malls Plaza Indonesia or Grand Indonesia): Immigrant nightclub, the rooftops SKYE and Cloud, and plenty of bars like Cork&Screw, Social House and Paulaner Brauhaus.

Best Hotels Nearby:

→ 5-star: Kempinski (Grand Indonesia) or Grand Hyatt (Plaza Indonesia)

→ 4-star: Pullman Thamrin

→ 3-star: Holiday Inn Express

→ 2-star: Favehotel Wahid Hasyim

Jalan Jaksa

300 meters from Sarinah, Jalan Jaksa is the backpacker street of Jakarta. There are some cheap, friendly, open-air cafés where you can easily meet travelers and young Indonesians. You can also go to the nearby Wahid Hasyim street to visit popular bars like Beer Garden Menteng or to the B.A.R.T. rooftop in Artotel.

Best Hotels Nearby:

→ 4-star: Morrissey Hotel

→ 3-star: A One (New property)

→ 1-star/backpacker hostels: It is better to go to Jalan Jaksa directly and ask around. You can get a room with a fan for 10$.

Kemang:

Kemang is a residential expat area with many of the best-value Western restaurants in Jakarta. The bars and nightclubs are affordable, some catering to foreigners (Eastern Promise) and some to Indonesian teenagers (Tipsy, 999, Venue, Nu China).

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