The Complete Bali Party and Clubbing Guide
So you have just arrived in Seminyak for the first time and you are wondering what to do. Here’s a general guide to the options around Seminyak in nightlife.
Seminyak is the more laid back and sophisticated part of south Bali. It’s north of Kuta and was originally the area inhabited by the European expats frequenting Bali’s shores. They brought with them new electronic sounds and European dining. Now it’s a growing metropolis where you will find all the best that the world has to offer from food, shopping, beaches and the famous Seminyak nightlife.
Sunset hotspots
Sunset starts the action and is a good warm up for the Seminyak nightlife. Try the restaurants on the Double Six/Blue Ocean strip for the hubbub of racket ball playing Euros and the buzz of the beach scene. Well, it used to be like that, now it’s more full of Indonesian families (sometimes) and a sea of umbrellas and daybeds. The restaurants are good enough and the price is right. try Blue Ocean, pavilion, Zanzibar or Doublesix Rooftop with its sweeping ocean views, they are all good. Move along the beach north and get a seat at La Plancha or the myriad beach side cafes along that stretch. Cheap beer, food, and you can find exactly what a lot of people coming to Bali are looking for along this stretch of beach. Sunset drinks and food are also good at Cout d’etat, Potato Head Beach Club, and W Retreat’s Woo Bar with DJs chilling the tunes and great dining – all in the Petitenget area. Further north, down Jl Batubelig you can find an old Bali style sunset beach bar called 707 and next door Il Lido. Both spin tasty sounds, 707 is a little more party like, and they are always busy with expats and tourists around the sunset. The newly opened Mari Beach Club and Café del Mar (further north) is busy every day now and sunset with more house techno flavors and special guest DJ events.
Dining in Seminyak
As the sun sets and the tummy rumbles it’s time to find some grits (if you haven’t already). ‘Eat Street’ or Jl. Laksmana in Oberoi/Petitenget is still offering decent options. Ultimo has moved down the road across from Batu Kali Bistro. The new GOATS is serving up awesome burgers and live music most nights. Balinese Café, Junction House and Batik are serving up good food. For finer dining, try COUT D’ETAT, La Luciola, W’s Starfish Bloo, Sarong, Red and white and the excellent all you can eat dinners at ShiShi are not to be missed. Further along Jl Petitenget Ling Ling’s and Shooters are always busy and right between those two is The Forge which quickly became the hottest place in town when it opened a few years ago. Mamasan and Boy’n’Cow on Jl Kerobokan, don’t disappoint. Another spot in Seminyak for dining with a touch of Balinese history is Made’s Warung on Jl. Raya Seminyak – a truly authentic Bali experience.
The Seminyak nightlife
So now you’ve had something to eat, it’s time to look for the Seminyak nightlife. Red Carpet Champagne Bar at the beginning of Jl Ayu Kaya (Eats Street) is a popular spot with an older crowd, busy most nights. Over the road La Favelas is the happening spot for the younger hipsters, expats, tourists and locals with two levels of hip hop and commercial sounds. The venue is enormous. On the 3rd floor of La Favelas is Attica with underground house/techno sounds. There are a few other bars popped up recently in that area including The GOAT mentioned before. They all seem to have an old KUTA vibe to them. Envie Lounge is next down the road a bit further, which I am told is opening up again soon. COUT D’ETAT has DJs spinning every evening during sunset and dinner in a more relaxed environment – they also have special guest DJs on some weekend nights. Hotel Mexicola is up the road and famous for their massive parties, Mexican food and tequila shots. The place pumps every night. Going further along Jl. Petitenget, Mrs Sippy is a popular day/pool club that offers great tunes, cocktails and food all day and up to 10pm, Potato Head Beach Club is always packed thru the day and especially around sunset with electronic sounds and the occasional big live music and dance parties. (More live music options can be found here). Red Ruby is next, popular with the expat and tourist crowds, the house/techno club kicks off around midnight inside the club and the out front Terrace bar and restaurant is always busy from earlier too. ShiShi’s a three floor lounge and club opened in November and has quickly become the place for a stylish night out in Petitenget. Wednesday Ladies Night (where ladies enjoy free dinner and drinks. Book in advance, tho) and the rest of the week and weekends, with a top line-up of guest DJS, are pumping in both the EDM and hip hop rooms. Woo Bar at W Retreat Bali is right next door but down a long alley with house music every night in front of the beach and regular guest DJs in the basement club. Mirrors plays mostly EDM, tech house and sometimes hip hop and caters to a more up-market mix of locals, expats and Jakartans on holiday. Da Maria continues to rock it on Wednesdays (hip hop), and Thursday and Sunday nights with deeper electronic sounds and the fashionable Seminyak crowd.
And for the alternative scene you can’t go past the bars and clubs of Dhyanapura Street, highlights Mixwell and BaliJoewhere everything you desire if you’re that way disposed will be lined up along the strip – it can also be a lot of fun for straighter folk too. Santa Fe turned into The Warehouse a while ago and has been pumping since as an underground late-night club. Then there is Opium now called Obsession and datdash, both playing underground sounds till very late, or as they say, till breakfast.
Seminyak, while looking more like Kuta every day, still offers the best high-end nightlife of Bali, with stylish, upmarket clubs and restaurants serving the finest food, drinks, entertainment and classy electronic music. Be sure to dress up if you are out for a big night. That includes shoes!
Enjoy the Seminyak nightlife and click below for more nightlife tips around Bali