Best of Bali Nightlife

Nightclubs on Bali and the Gilis draw acolytes from across Southeast Asia. The large numbers of relatively well-heeled tourists and nonexistent licensing laws have spawned an ever changing line up of clubs that book celebrity DJs spinning mixes that are soon heard worldwide. Bouncing from one club to another all night long is a Bali tradition, guaranteeing overheating from the exertion, the mixes, the booze, the companionship or all of the above. Bali’s Kuta Beach is the centre of the scene, Seminyak is a little more classy (though only a little) and Gili Trawangan is the new kid on the block.

Here are some of the best place showing off Bali Nightlife:

Sky Garden Lounge

 

This multilevel palace of flash flirts with height restrictions from its rooftop bar where all of Kuta twinkles around you. Look for top DJs, a ground-level cafe and paparazzi-wannabes. Munchers can enjoy a long menu of bar snacks and meals, which most people pair with shots. Roam from floor to floor of this vertical playpen, where everybody seems to end up at some point.

Ku De Ta 

 

Ku De Ta teems with Bali’s beautiful people (including those whose status is purely aspirational). Scenesters perfect their ‘bored’ look over drinks during the day, gazing at the fine stretch of surf right out the back. Sunset brings out crowds, who snatch a cigar at the bar or dine on eclectic fare at tables. The music throbs with increasing intensity through the night.

Potato Head

 

Kerobokan's popular beach club is south Bali's grooviest. Wander up off the sand or follow a long drive off the main road and you’ll discover a truly captivating creation on a grand scale. The clever design is striking and you’ll find much to amuse, from an enticing pool to a cafe and a swanky restaurant.

Chillout Lounge 

The name says it all: chill out. Loungers spaced around a large lawn are sheltered from the street thanks to shrubs and a wall. The open-air dining area has long tables with benches. It's the perfect venue for meeting up and planning your night; linger and you can do it under the stars. Best of all the proceeds go to support the Sacred Childhoods Foundation (www.sacredchildhoods.org), a nonprofit that supports programs to help impoverished Indonesian children.

Ubud Palace

 

Performances are held here almost nightly against a beautiful backdrop in the palace compound, with the carvings highlighted by torches. You’ll see lots of locals peaking over walls and around corners to see the shows.

Tir na Nog 

 

Known simply as 'The Irish', this barnlike place has a sports-bar interior with big screens ideal for international football matches and tasty pub grub (mains 35,000Rp to 80,000Rp). Its shoreside bar is the probably the busiest meeting spot in the island. Jovial mayhem reigns on Wednesday nights when the DJ takes over.

Kecak Dance 

 

Although the performance obviously caters for tourists, the gorgeous setting at Pura Luhur Ulu Watu in a small amphitheatre in a leafy part of the grounds makes it one of the more evocative on the island. The views out to sea are as inspiring as the dance.