I spent a few days in Medan and I had the opportunity to try its nightlife.
As you would expect, Medan is far from being a party town. It is more conservative than many other Indonesian cities and there are also very few tourists. The few foreigners you might meet there are often Singaporean and Malaysian businessmen, or English teachers.
In spite of being Indonesia's third-largest city, the number of decent clubs and bars in Medan is low. To write this review of Medan nightlife, I had to include some underground clubs that most people wouldn't feel comfortable visiting. For this reason, if you are a "normal" clubber, I would only recommend trying the first three venues listed below.
Where to stay near Medan Nightlife?
It's best to stay within a short distance from Medan's train station. This is an area with several things to do, for instance: DeliPark Mall, Centre Point Mall, Lapangan Merdeka, Retrospective Club, and Amavi Lounge.
The hotels I would recommend are:
⭐ - Cordex Hotel Medan (15 USD per night)
⭐⭐ - D'Prima Hotel (18 USD per night)
⭐⭐⭐ - Desatu Hotel (22 USD per night)
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - The Reiz Suites by Artotel (40 USD per night) or Grand Central Premier (50 USD per night)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - JW Marriott (100 USD per night)
Best Dating Apps in Medan
The dating apps that work best in Medan are Tinder, Bumble, Badoo and OkCupid.
If you are not in Indonesia currently, then you might want to try IndonesiaCupid or Seeking.com (luxury dating) instead. Both sites have members who are interested to date foreigners and they don't mind long distance relationships.
Medan Nightlife: Best Bars and Nightclubs
Below is a list of the best clubs and bars to party in Medan:
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New and modern club, probably the best in the city. Make sure they have an event that interest you before going, though. Often, they alternate between EDM DJs (sometimes foreign) and local artists singing cheesy songs. FDC (first drink charge): Around IDR 200,000 for famous artists.
Nicknamed "Retro", Retrospective Reserve is a modern bar, nightclub and event space located in Capital Building, near the city center and walking distance to DeliPark Mall.
The best nights are almost always on Friday and Saturday, and you usually have a guest artist about once a month. It is usually a famous local band or DJ, and more rarely a foreign performer. The music is mainstream EDM/pop/rock/R'n'B depending on the evening.
They are more strict than elsewhere in Medan for the dress code, so make sure to avoid sandals, short pants and singlets.
The crowd is upmarket, including many Indonesian Chinese. Not so great if you come alone as most sit with groups.
Another local club that I didn't visit. Don't seem really worth it.
One of the most famous rooftop bars in Medan. Not so crowded or happening, but still nice for a quick drink before heading elsewhere.
Medan Nightlife: What do you think?
Do you know about partying in Medan? If so, please don't hesitate to share your tips about Medan nightlife in the comment section below. Thanks in advance!