This article was updated on 19th June 2021.
I already wrote an article about the best nightclubs in Bali, but here I will focus on the nightlife areas and their specificities. I hope it will help you decide where to party, what kind of atmosphere to expect and how much you will spend. I will also recommend the best hotels in each area.
As usual, you can ask any question by leaving a comment at the end of the page and I will do my best to answer them.
Seminyak & Canggu
Seminyak Nightlife
For me, Seminyak is the best city for partying in Bali. Only 10 kilometers north of Kuta, it is much more upmarket due to the high density of private villas and luxury resorts.
While the beach looks average, it is a great location for those who want to relax, eat well and receive spa treatments.
The Seminyak crowd is mostly made of upper-class Australians, rich Indonesians from Jakarta, European travelers, and expats living in Asia. Typically, they are between 25 and 45 years old.
Weekdays can be quiet, especially on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights. On those days, it is better to go to Kuta instead.
Naturally, bars and nightclubs are rather expensive. A beer will cost you at least IDR50,000 and a cocktail over IDR110,000. Some venues have an entrance fee on weekends and a dress code, for instance, Mirror.
Where to Party in Seminyak?
Seminyak nightlife is spread out in 3 main streets: Jalan Oberoi (officially Jalan Kayu Aya), Jalan Petitenget, and Jalan Dhyana Pura (officially Jalan Camplung Tanduk).
Jalan Oberoi is the best street for dining out and partying in Seminyak. Its heart is near the bar/club La Favela and it extends from there for about a hundred meters. Most venues are in the open air so you can go there and walk around to see which ones are interesting or not. Currently, the most happening spots are Red Carpet Champagne Bar, Rumors, and Mexicola (in a parallel street).
5-minute away, Jalan Petitenget has more stylish venues, including several beachfront bars and restaurants (Potato Head, Woo Bar). There are also smaller clubs and hip bars like Mirror, or Red Ruby. The busiest of all is Shishi, a club with 3 floors, most famous for its ladies' night every Wednesday.
Jalan Dhyana Pura is famous for having several small gay bars (Bali Joe, Mixwell, Bottoms Up) and LGBT-friendly clubs. There are also some late-night clubs (currently Opera and Warehouse). If you want to party after 4am, this is where you should go.
Where to Stay in Seminyak near the Nightlife:
Near Jalan Oberoi
U Paasha (rated 8.6)
Near Jalan Petitenget
W Retreat and Spa (Home of Woo Bar - rated 9.0)
Near Jalan Dhyana Pura
Courtyard by Marriott (rated 8.8)
Canggu Nightlife
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5-minute away, Jalan Petitenget has more stylish venues, including several beachfront bars and restaurants (Potato Head, Woo Bar). There are also smaller clubs and hip bars like Mirror, or Red Ruby. The busiest of all is Shishi, a club with 3 floors, most famous for its ladies' night every Wednesday.
Jalan Dhyana Pura is famous for having several small gay bars (Bali Joe, Mixwell, Bottoms Up) and LGBT-friendly clubs. There are also some late-night clubs (currently Opera and Warehouse). If you want to party after 4am, this is where you should go.
Where to Stay in Seminyak near the Nightlife:
Near Jalan Oberoi
U Paasha (rated 8.6)
Near Jalan Petitenget
W Retreat and Spa (Home of Woo Bar - rated 9.0)
Near Jalan Dhyana Pura
Courtyard by Marriott (rated 8.8)
The village of Canggu has developed tremendously in recent years with the influx of foreigners looking for a quieter alternative to Seminyak (10-minute away). Most of them are young (typically millenials), often digital nomads, long-stay tourists, influencers, students, or surfers. Overall, there are much less Indonesians than in Seminyak or Kuta.
Canggu has a relaxed atmosphere, affordable housing, many cheap restaurants, and a tight-knit community. If you are a hipster, a vegetarian, a designer, a cook or a yoga enthusiast, you'll certainly fit right in.
Its nightlife is also getting more and more exciting each year. The happening venues tend to change every few months, though, so it can be hard to keep up.
Where to Party in Canggu:
Canggu has a relaxed atmosphere, affordable housing, many cheap restaurants, and a tight-knit community. If you are a hipster, a vegetarian, a designer, a cook or a yoga enthusiast, you'll certainly fit right in.
Its nightlife is also getting more and more exciting each year. The happening venues tend to change every few months, though, so it can be hard to keep up.
Where to Party in Canggu:
There is not one single area in Canggu where you can just walk from bars to bars. Instead, the nightlife spots are spread out along the main streets, such as Jalan Pantai Berawa or Jalan Batu Bolong.
Since you cannot walk around easily, it is best to have a motorbike (but make sure you have travel insurance) or to use Grabbike/Gojek (for when you drink).
At the time of writing, the busy spots are Black Sand (a large open-air tavern that brews it's own beer), the Vault (a BDSM-themed nightclub with a minimalist design and techno/hip-hop parties), Neverland (a huge event space in the middle of rice fields with a bohemian vibe). There are good nights out also in Morabito, the Yard, and the Shady Pig. The beach clubs Finn's and La Brisa are worth visit as well during sunset time.
The famous Old Man's was closed during COVID-19 but it should reopen soon.
Where to Stay in Canggu Near the Nightlife:
If you can afford it, it's better to stay in a villa. Villa Echo Padi is near the Batu Bolong Beach (Old Man's) and rated 9.4 on Agoda.
Some cheaper alternatives are:
Echoland Bed and Breakfast (rated 8.4)
Aston Batu Bolong (rated 8.6)
Alternative Beach Club
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Alternative Beach Club is a great place to spend a lazy afternoon in Canggu. Located in the same complex as Kos One Hostel and Canggu Village Accommodation, it features plenty of activities, including daily yoga classes, movie nights (Monday), pool parties (Wednesday and Saturday), salsa nights (Thursday) and BBQ (Sunday). Happy hours from 3PM to 6PM every day.
Kuta & Legian
Covid Update 2021: Kuta and Legian are dead at the moment apart from the nightclub Lxxy. Avoid this area until things get back to normal.
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| Skygarden from outside |
Kuta Nightlife
Only 15 minutes away from the Ngurah Rai international airport, Kuta is the epicenter of Bali's tourism industry. If you haven't been there yet, just picture a crowded gold-sand beach, hundreds of souvenir shops, and endless traffic jams.
Though it has much improved in the past ten years (new sidewalks, new malls, new luxury resorts), it is still a rather lower-class area, popular mainly with Australians, Indonesians, and backpackers under 25 on a budget.
Clubbing in Kuta can be fun, especially if you are young. The atmosphere is similar to that of a massive frat party with an additional holiday vibe. Sure, the music sucks, you drink from plastic glasses and people are drunk way too early. But on the positive side, you meet people easily and you won't spend so much money.
In general, there is no entrance fee (except in Skygarden after 11 PM) and the prices of drinks are cheap for Indonesia standards. A beer is around IDR40,000 and cocktails start at IDR80,000.
Where to Party in Kuta:
The biggest party zone in Kuta is located on Jalan Legian, near the Ground Zero monument (in memory of the 2002 Bali Bombing). There are at least 15 nightlife venues there, side by side.
The most famous is the 4-floor SkyGarden nightclub. They have plenty of exciting promotions, some very interesting if you are a woman (free drinks on specific days). The club has several dance floors to choose from (EDM, Rn'B, Top 40) and a rooftop with old-school hip-hop. Famous DJs play at least every week.
The other popular and recommended venues are Vi Ai Pi (live music), Apache ("reggae" bar with a long terrace) and Lxxy). The renovated Engine Room is huge but too trashy. Elsewhere is often terrible, for instance in Paddy's or Bounty which are both bogans' territory. It doesn't hurt to have a look but don't say I didn't warn you.
You should know that in each club in Kuta, there is a fair number of prostitutes. If a girl stares at you for no reason, you can assume she is after your wallet.
Where to Stay in Kuta near the Nightlife:
Here are a few recommended hotels in Kuta walking distance from the nightclubs (Book early to get the best prices!)
- Harper Kuta (40$ per night, rated 8.3)
- Citadines (70$ per night, rated 8.3)
- Sheraton Beachwalk Mall (160$ per night, rated 8.6)
Here are a few recommended hotels in Kuta walking distance from the nightclubs (Book early to get the best prices!)
- Harper Kuta (40$ per night, rated 8.3)
- Citadines (70$ per night, rated 8.3)
- Sheraton Beachwalk Mall (160$ per night, rated 8.6)
Legian Nightlife
Legian is the village between Seminyak and Kuta. Its nightlife is rather laid-back, consisting mostly of family pubs with live music and reasonable prices.
Where to Party in Legian?
Jalan Padma, Jalan Padma Utara and Jalan Melasti. In those streets, walking distance from the beachfront, you will find several laid-back open-air sports bars with an occasional live band. The crowd is overwhelmingly made of Australian families who visit Bali regularly for holidays. It's perfect for people who just want to drink cheap Bintang and chill with their friends.
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| Y Sports Bar in Jalan Padma Utara |
Nightlife in Other Balinese Cities:
Sanur
Sanur is infamous for having a rather important sex industry for both locals and older expats. Prostitutes will usually wait for customers in "fishbowls" inside villas marked with an X (for instance 18X). Most can be found near Jalan Danau Poso or Jalan Tirta Ening.
Apart from that, there are a few expat pubs too.
Overall, not interesting for me at least.
Recommended hotel in Sanur: Taksu Hotel (rated 8.5) or Akana (rated 8.6)
Ubud
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| No Mas party |
Recommended hotels near Ubud nightlife: Anywhere along Monkey Forest Road.
Nusa Dua
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| Mixologist in ZJ's |
Uluwatu
The busiest hangout spot in the Uluwatu-Bukit area is Single Fin. After sunset, though, it gets rather quiet and it closes early. On weekends, they open until 1 AM and they have a DJ/live band.
Gili Trawangan
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| Jiggy Boat Parties in Gili Trawangan |