Partying is one of the best things to do during a trip to Bali. Bars and nightclubs can be found in every major city, especially in the southern part of the island.
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.
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.
How to stay up to date on Bali nightlife?
Bali nightlife evolves constantly. To stay up to date on the latest openings and events, I follow several Instagram accounts such as Beat Magazine, The Canggupedia, Bali Radar, Bali Chronicles, What's New Bali and Bali Event Promoters. Check also Bali Night Clubs on Facebook.
A benefit of these accounts is that they advertise promotions and deals, such as ladies' nights and happy hours. They might also be able to get you free entrances to clubs, especially if you are a woman. Just send them a message and ask if they have any "guest list" available.
I also follow the accounts of Disko Afrika, Who's Your Daddy and PNNY. They organize some of the best parties on the island.
Where to party in Bali?
Read my detailed article: Seminyak and Canggu Nightlife
Canggu nightlife
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The village of Canggu has developed tremendously in recent years with the influx of foreigners looking for a quieter alternative to Seminyak. Most of them are young (typically Millennials and Gen Z), often digital nomads, long-stay tourists, influencers, students, or surfers. Overall, there are much fewer Indonesians than in Seminyak or Kuta.
Canggu has a relaxed atmosphere, affordable housing (though prices keep increasing), 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.
Canggu has a relaxed atmosphere, affordable housing (though prices keep increasing), 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. However, I would say there are 2 main nightlife hotspots:
→ On Jalan Berawa, near Atlas Beach Club and Atlas Superclub. Both are huge properties that attract hundreds of visitors every day. They have big events regularly, including famous international DJs several times per month. Nearby, there are more bars such as Finn's (beach club popular with Australians), Milano's (good for food and cocktails) or Vault (a BDSM-themed nightclub with a minimalist design and techno parties [+ reggaeton on Thursday]).
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| Atlas is the largest beach club in the world |
→ On Jalan Batu Bolong, there are several happening venues in the area between the beach and Luigi's Hot Pizza (best on Mondays) such as Old Man's, Sand Bar, Mason's, and X Bar.
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).
Apart from the bars mentioned above, you can also check Black Sand (a large open-air tavern that brews its own beer), Behind The Green Door (techno) and the Shady Pig. Twice a week, La Brisa has nice outdoor parties too.
Canggu Beach Apartments(around USD 100, rated 8.9)
Aston Batu Bolong (around USD 150, rated 8.6)
Seminyak nightlife
After Canggu, Seminyak is another great area for partying in Bali.
The Seminyak crowd is more diverse than in Canggu (which is mostly young and Western). Here, you will find a mix of upper-class Australians, rich Indonesians from Jakarta, European travelers, and expats living in Asia.
Seminyak has some of the most crowded bars and nightclubs in Bali: ShiShi, La Favela and Mexicola. These are almost always packed, whatever the day of the week. If you are new in Bali, this is probably where you will end up on your first nights out.
Bars and nightclubs in Seminyak are more expensive than average. A beer will cost you at least IDR 50,000 and a cocktail over IDR 110,000. Some venues have an entrance fee on weekends and a dress code, for instance, Mirror.
Where to party in Seminyak?
Seminyak nightlife is spread in 4 main areas: Jalan Kayu Aya (also called Jalan Oberoi), Jalan Petitenget, Jalan Camplung Tanduk (also called Jalan Dhyana Pura), and on the beach.
→ Jalan Oberoi is the best street for dining out and partying in Seminyak. Its heart is near La Favela, which is one of the most popular bars/clubs in Bali. Walking distance from it, there are several other venues that are crowded as well. Most of them 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 apart from La Favela are Red Carpet Champagne Bar, The Goat and Mexicola (in a parallel street). Beware, there are always huge traffic jams right in front of La Favela.
→ 5-minute away, Jalan Petitenget is a street that extends for more than 2 kilometers. It has dozens of bars, clubs and restaurants, usually upmarket. The busiest venue for nightlife is ShiShi, a nightclub with 3 floors, famous for its ladies' night every Wednesday (girls drink all night for free). It is the favorite option for guys who want to meet Indonesian girls in Bali. Other recommended venues on Petitenget are Mirror (Indonesian upper-class crowd), Red Ruby (indoor club with hip-hop or techno, many 30+ guys and some Indo girls), Forge (sports bar that stays open late), Ling-Ling (busy bar). The pizzeria Da Maria has a good party on Sundays and Tuesdays.
→ 5-minute away, Jalan Petitenget is a street that extends for more than 2 kilometers. It has dozens of bars, clubs and restaurants, usually upmarket. The busiest venue for nightlife is ShiShi, a nightclub with 3 floors, famous for its ladies' night every Wednesday (girls drink all night for free). It is the favorite option for guys who want to meet Indonesian girls in Bali. Other recommended venues on Petitenget are Mirror (Indonesian upper-class crowd), Red Ruby (indoor club with hip-hop or techno, many 30+ guys and some Indo girls), Forge (sports bar that stays open late), Ling-Ling (busy bar). The pizzeria Da Maria has a good party on Sundays and Tuesdays.
→ Jalan Dhyana Pura is famous for having several small gay bars (Bali Joe, Mixwell, Bottoms Up) and LGBT-friendly clubs such as Opera (which closes at 5 AM on weekends, good to know if you need an after-hour place).
→ Finally, on the beachfront of Seminyak, there are several bars as well. Some are part of upscale hotels, like Potato Head, Woo Bar and Morabito (great on Fridays). Others are independent, like La Plancha, the chic Kudeta, or the laid-back 707 (techno nights on Sundays).
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)
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)
Kuta nightlife
Only 15 minutes away from the Ngurah Rai international airport, Kuta is the epicenter of Bali's tourism industry. Or I should say "was" as it suffered a lot from COVID-19 and it hasn't fully recovered yet. Many businesses are still closed and the nightlife has seriously deteriorated as most young people now prefer Canggu or Seminyak.
Where to party in Kuta:
You can still have fun if you don't have high expectations. The best thing about Kuta is that it is cheaper than elsewhere. For this reason, it is popular with Indonesians who live and work in Bali.
The biggest party zone is located on Jalan Legian, near the Ground Zero monument (in memory of the 2002 Bali bombing). There are at least 10 nightlife venues there, almost side by side.
The best one is probably LXXY. They have promotions for each day of the week, some very interesting if you are a woman or a student (free drinks on specific days). There is no cover charge and it's not very expensive to get drunk. The club has several dance floors to choose from and a rooftop. The music is generally EDM.
The other popular venues are SkyGarden (which is not as busy as before), Engine Room, Paddy's or Bounty. There are also some live music pubs and some hostess bars.
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)
- Aloft Beachwalk (70$ per night, rated 8.3)
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)
- Aloft Beachwalk (70$ per night, rated 8.3)
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 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 |
Uluwatu nightlife
I lived in Uluwatu in the early 2010s and I remember that there was close to zero nightlife back then.
I lived in Uluwatu in the early 2010s and I remember that there was close to zero nightlife back then.
Nowadays, it is still quiet compared to Canggu/Seminyak, but you can definitely have some fun at night.
Savaya is the most iconic venue in the area. It is a beach club but they have big events several times a month, usually with famous international DJs or singers. They are quite active on social media and you might get a free ticket if you contact them beforehand.
Another busy hangout spot in the Uluwatu-Bukit area is Single Fin, especially around sunset time. On weekends, they open until 1 AM and they have a DJ/live band.
Ubud nightlife
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Even though Ubud has a calm atmosphere at night, a few cafés can be lively until 2 AM in the city center (along Jalan Monkey Forest, Jalan Dewisita or Jalan Gutama). The most happening is the live music pub Laughing Buddha, always packed with backpackers and long-stay residents. Their salsa night on Wednesday, with a live band, is great fun. Another interesting venue is Bali Bohemia. Check their Instagram for their open-mic night (currently on Thursdays). Also on Jalan Monkey Forest, the bar No Más has salsa and rock nights while Blue Door has afro, techno and hip-hop.
Clubbing in Ubud is possible in Kabana, about 20 minutes from the city center by car (free shuttle every 30 minutes). Cool hippie vibe with progressive house / techno DJs.
Recommended hotels near Ubud nightlife: Anywhere along Monkey Forest Road.
Sanur nightlife
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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, notably on Jalan Danau Tamblingan. You can try Casablanca for instance.
Overall, not interesting for me at least.
Recommended hotels in Sanur: Taksu Hotel (rated 8.5) or Akana (rated 8.6)
Gili Trawangan
I know, it's not Bali nightlife. But I wrote a complete guide that you can read here: Gili Trawangan Nightlife: Best Bars and Clubs.