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| Bali
Nightlife |
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When the sun sets and
thousands of stars twinkle in the dark blue sky, Bali's nightspots
attract party animals, with their flashing neon and fluorescent
signs. Tourist areas on this island cater almost anything for everyone:
whatever your dreams, tastes, or desires they are out there in the
many pubs, discos, karaoke lounges, nightclubs and theater-restaurants.
The opening hours of nightspots vary but in general the late evenings
are best for night clubbing. There is always time to shower and
relax after a hard day of sightseeing or sunning on the beach, time
to enjoy sunset drinks followed by a leisurely dinner.
The Sunset Hour
There are many "Happy Hours" to enjoy
all over Bali. In Nusa Dua all the hotels have beach side bars that
offer sunset prices on their tall cold drinks. Poco Loco,
located in Jalan Padma Utara, has happy hours from 06:00 P.M. to
08:00 P.M. and live music on Tuesdays and Thursdays. A spacious
layout, a water theme and vibrant Mexican colors give the restaurant
a strong contemporary feel. Menu items are Californian Tex-Mex,
from tacos, enchiladas and nachos, to the modem offerings of rotisserie
chicken and chargrilled tuna. Poco Loco also has a branch at Jalan
Pantai Mengiat.
In Jimbaran, the Inter-Continental has happy hour
drinks with complimentary snacks at their sophisticated beach bar.
PJ's at the Four Seasons has a large drinks list
to get you in the party mood. Melodi 1 Music Bar
at the Radisson hotel is popular. It hosts games, quizzes and drinking
events along with showing great music videos and good service.
The best sunset views are on the Kuta side of the island. Simple
beach bars are built on the sand from the airport to La
Lucciola, a splendid two-floor restaurant. Sunset on Legian
beach is a great place to catch the Balinese and expatriates winding
down after a hard day's work. The hotels along this beach are popular
for cocktails and many offer excellent prices. Nero Bali
has everything you need from a stylish bar-restaurant. Happy hours
are from 06:30 P.M. to 08:30 P.M.and food is available until 01:30
A.M.
The Villas in Seminyak has the Champagne
and Stage. Overlooking the hotel's central courtyard, Champagne
is an air-conditioned bar with relaxed ambience. After a few aperitifs
and cocktails, one can move to the Stage to watch live action of
an eclectic mix of musicians, entertainers and performers.
The Dinner Hour
Bali restaurants cater to every taste and every appetite. No matter
what your diet is, Bali can always offer something delicious. In
Nusa Dua, all hotels have a wide range of restaurants, each with
their own specialty nights, where specialties are served.
Pasar Senggol is a name for a miniature of a Balinese village
with a traditional temple, food stalls and stores in the grounds
of the Grand Hyatt Bali. It comes alive every evening
with its cultural shows on an open-air stage.
Different dances are performed each night. Pasar Senggol offers
with arts and crafts lessons and exhibitions throughout the day.
At the same hotel, Lila Cita pampers visitors with its colonial
style decor and an outdoor terrace. Relax and endulge in cocktails
while a live band entertains you.
Nusa Dua Galeria presents an outdoor courtyard
with restaurants and a lively atmosphere.
In Jimbaran you can enjoy succulent fresh seafood
at the fish night-market near the InterContinental. Something more
local can be found in Benoa at Bumbu Bali, a restaurant owed by
an expatriate chef and his Balinese wife.
In Sanur, the hotels and restaurants serve all
kinds of food and the night market is worth a visit.
In Ubud, Casa Luna and Cafe Wayan
are popular. Roughly 20 minutes drive from Ubud on the way to Pujung
is Kampung Cafe that has become the gastronomic
talk of the town. It serves great Balinese, Indonesian, Southeast
Asian and European food.
Made's Warung is a fantastic spot for people watching
and nearby TJ's serves the best Mexican food and Margaritas on the
island. The Ship, The Bounty,
the Hard Rock and the Macaroni Club
are all good spots to warm up for the night ahead.
Uptown in Seminyak is another Poco Loco
serving Mexican food. There is the very stylish Made's
Warung Seminyak serving great food, as well as the well-liked
La Teras and Goa 2001. Bestest
Cafe blends acid jazz and fusion cuisine for a fun place
for dining.
For that high-quality dinner in a restaurant without the high prices,
try Kafe Warisan, situated further along the road
amongst the rice terraces. It is recommended to book as this is
a very popular place. La Lucciola is also popular
during dinner; booking is also advised here, as its beach side location
is exceptional.
The Party Hour
Note: Nightclubs have short life spans. Please
check with your concierge or the locals for the most up to date
information.
Wherever you are on the island there is always some good place to
eat, drink, dance and be merry.
In Ubud the nights are quiet but Jazz Cafe offers
live performances every night except on Sundays and Mondays. In
Sanur the late night disco is Janger and goes on
until the wee hours of the morning, past sunrise. Air-conditioned,
it has a large bar staff to make sure you have everything you need.
Kuta offers the largest choice of bars and discos. The Bounty,
The Ship, Sari Club and Peanuts
are busy, and the popular Hard Rock Cafe has live
bands except on Mondays. There are also alternative bars such as
the Paddy's and the Hulu Bar.
Uptown in Legian and Seminyak, Goa 2001 and Cafe
Luna are the popular watering holes. The Jaya Pub
also has live music and a very casual pub atmosphere.
Santa
Fe is open 24 hours for food, drink and live music. The
Salsoteca bar and disco upstairs, and you can even
learn how to Salsa during their dance classes held there twice a
week. The other extremely popular bar down this road is A
Bar. It is called the A Bar because it sells Absolute Vodka
in every different way imaginable.
The two main nightclubs are both open-air and operate on alternate
nights. Double Six at JI.Double Six, near Goa 2001
and GadoGado at the end of the road with the same
name. They are home to some of the best nights out with some of
the island's best DJs and Double Six even has Bungy Jump during
Club hours. Cover charges at both include one free drink.
Other Entertainment Programs
The following are 2 spectacular night time activities that are on
the opposite end of a spectrum, and are truly Balinese:
The
Kecak Dance
Named by Westerners as the Monkey Dance, the Kecak
Dance is a spectacular choreographic performance that displays another
aspect of Balinese artistic excellence. 100 or more bare-chested
men sit surrounding a fire made from coconut husks or a bonfire,
led by a female dancer or a priest in the middle. The only music
to accompany them are the beats of their palms clapping or hitting
their thighs, chests, or other parts of their bodies, rhythmically
accompanied by chanting and shouting. The dancers sway in unison,
creating a spectacular movement of hands stretched out, pulled in,
rested on the shoulder of the next person, and waists gyrated left
and right.
Wayang Kulit
Wayang Kulit or shadow puppet
is typically performed very late at night and this theatrical
performance can last until morning. The night performance of wayang
kulit is considered entertainment, as opposed to a day performance
which generally serves strict religious purposes. Temple festivals
and other ceremonies are good places to find a wayang performance.
Balinese dances are sometimes performed at night and regularly scheduled
performances are available throughout the year. |
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