Jakarta nightlife, as I mentioned in previous posts (Jakarta Nightlife Tips), is best enjoyed if you explore a few venues on the same night, and it is preferable if those are close to each other (to avoid traffic). If you don't know Jakarta very well, I give you below 10 great bar-hopping routes. Some are famous, some are chic, some are dirty, and some are still unexplored... Anyway, follow one of them and I guarantee you a great time!
Blok M - For the Beginner Difficulty: Easy, but be careful when you leave Jalan Falatehan, most taxis will overcharge you. Transportation: Walking only Places to see: D's Place, Sportsman, My Bar, Oscar, Highway to Elle, Top Gun, Maxi, Everest Highlights: Hectic street life on Jalan Falatehan, with a mix of beggars, prostitutes and fake blue bird taxis; Secret backroom in D's, Live band in Top Gun
Don't arrive too late and drink plenty of water beforehand. Start at 8pm, during the week (Wednesday or Thursday), with the bars that are located in the end of the street (Oscar and Maxi). After a few beer in those deserted joints, visit My Bar, Highway to Elle and D's Place, have a pause in Everest and Sportsman, then finish in Top Gun.
Jalan Jaksa - For the Tourist Difficulty: Easy Transportation: Walking only Places to see: Dyna Pub, Domares, Embassy 21st, Melly's Garden, Ocha & Bella, Obama Bar, Pappa Cafe, Ali's Bar, Venus, Cocktail and Friends, Equal Park, Memories Highlights: Live bands in Equal Park and Memories Café; Cheap beers; Friendly backpackers; Street food; Chatting with Paula, owner of Dyna Pub; Ladyboy spotting on Jalan Wahid Hasyim
The base camp for the Jalan Jaksa trail is actually on Jalan Wahid Hasyim: Dyna Pub, which has been around for ages, is not crowded but it is pittoresque. After that, you can have a quick look at Domares, 20 meters from it, and Embassy 21st (in front of Akhmani hotel). This bars are far from happening, but they are interesting because you will hear live bands playing old Indonesian favourites. On your way to Jalan Jaksa, you will see Melly's Garden on your left, with a nice crowd of young Indonesians, but stopping is optional.
Further east, at the crossing between Jalan Jaksa and Jalan Wahid Hasyim, you may stop in D'Consulate, a lounge popular with arabs. The elegant "Ocha & Bella" in Morrissey Hotel is noteworthy too if you want to meet some higher class Indonesians.
In Jalan Jaksa, most busy places are located around Margot Hotel: 3 bars should be on your to-do list: Equal Park, Memories Cafe, and Cocktail and Friends. If you still have time and/or need a drink, you may go to Ali's Bar, Venus, Obama Bar, and Pappa's Café.
The Jalan Jaksa trip can be undertaken any day of the week.
Kemang - For the below 21 Difficulty: Easy. Many venues have a First Drink Charge (FDC). Transportation: Walking, but if you take a cab for a few short rides, you can extend to some cool bars. Places to see: Within the "walking distance perimeter": Eco 365, Monaco, Elbow room, Tipsy, The Green, Attics, Nu China, 999. Optional, with a car: SHY, Beer Garden, Bremer, Eastern Promise, Venue (all of these to begin the evening), SF Club and Barcode (for clubbing, on weekends), Dim Sum Festival (to close the night) Highlights: The irrespirable atmosphere in smokey Tipsy; Hearing electronic music until you become deaf; Watching the Indonesian youth getting hammered.
You should do this route on weekends since the clubs might be empty on weekdays. There is a vibrant nightlife in Kemang, but one area has such a high concentration of bars and clubs that you may spend a whole night there without taking a cab. You could follow this trail: Start eating and drinking in Elbow room at approximately 10pm. At 11pm, walk about 200 meters to the right, and go to Eco 365 near Aksara. At this time it should still be quiet and "loungy", so don't hesitate to have at least a couple drinks. Around midnight, move to Tipsy, which should be already packed with students. If you cannot stand the smoke, go to Monaco, then head for Attics, Nu China, and finish in 999. Those venues usually close around 4am.
Senayan: "Hookers and Socialites" Difficulty: Moderate. Expensive, you will have to pay at least Rp500,000 in entrance fees. Dress appropriately: No T-Shirts or torn jeans. Transportation: Walking + Car Places to see: Union, Red Square, X2, Domain, Portico, CJs. Optional: Hyu, Black Cat, Hacienda, KTV Boutique Highlights: One of the best bar hopping trail in Jakarta because of the diversity of the fauna you will encounter.
Start with a karaoke in Hyu or KTV Boutique (optional), then have a drink in Union, or alternatively Portico. At 11pm, head to Hotel Mulia with a car (5 min ride) and stay in CJs until 1am. Then go to Domain (5min with cab) until 2.30am, then Red Square (walking 10 min or with cab, 3 min) and at last X2 (just in front of Red Square) which closes at 5am. In the same area, if you need more bars to warm up, you may visit Hacienda or Black Cat in Senayan Arcadia.
Sudirman to Hayam Wuruk: "From One World to Another" Difficulty: Moderate, once in the North, you should be careful with taxis. Girls should dress with skirt and high heels if you plan on going to Immigrant. Transportation: Mostly by car Places to be seen: Face Bar, Social House, Paulaner Brauhaus, Hard Rock Café, Immigrant, Malio, Millennium, Stadium Highlights: Very interesting route as it takes you from some of the hippest bars in Jakarta to some of the worst places the city has to offer. Start in a classy venue such as Facebar or Social House, perfect to warm up. At 11pm, go to Paulaner Brauhaus or Hard Rock Café to enjoy live music. At 00.30am, Immigrant should start being busy... You can stay an hour or two because clubs in North Jakarta stay open very late. Before 3am though, head to Malio Club (not Malioboro Spa). Warning: This is a place with " dancers" so anyone may not feel comfortable inside. Malio closes at 4am, so after that you should go to Millennium, only 300 meters from there. If you take a cab, try to get a Blue Bird or Ekspress, or pay Rp20,000 without hargometer.
Millennium is interesting because it is one of the largest disco in Jakarta, with an incredibly loud sound system. Inside the club, ask for the room with "western music" (music barat). When you're sick of Millennium, and depending on the time (if it is before 5am), you may still have the chance to visit a few places such as Illigals, Monggo Mas (scary), ML Disco (even scarier). There is also the very funny Mandarin singing hall De Volvo.
Stadium always closes very late (and it doesn't close at all on Sundays), so it is the best place to finish your route.
Lokasari-Glodok-Mangga Besar: "Holy Sh*t! Where Am I?" Difficulty: Hard. You need to feel confident visiting club with almost no foreigners, full of drugs and prostitutes, sometimes dirty, dark and trashy. You will also need to walk at night in a reputedly unsafe area to go from one place to another and/or to find good taxis. Transport: Walking + Car Places to see: Golden Crown, Sydney 2000, Diamond, Sun City, Club 36, Super, Nuansa Permai, Siera, Exotis, Mille's, Mn'B
Highlights: Most venues you will discover are incredible and are highlights of their own.
You can start with a drink in the lounges of Sparks Hotel (Mn'B) or Golden Crown at 9pm on almost any nights. It is North Jakarta so expect some dancers between breaks. At 11pm, move to Sydney 2000 (walking distance from Golden Crown, 5 min taxi ride from Sparks). Sydney 2000 is pretty much hell on earth, and its nickname is the "ectasy factory": It will be so dark and loud that you won't stay more than 10 minutes. Once done, you can walk 5 minutes to Diamond Club, where you have live music again, and plenty of working girls.
More fun, Sun City is worth spending at least an hour, from midnight to 1am. Many foreigners from other Asian countries there, and a fun atmosphere most of the time. Don't stay too long though because you still need to visit 2 very local entertainment venues: Super Club and Nuansa Permai, both on Jalan Labu, to where you can just walk from Sun City. These venues are a bit old-fashioned, but very friendly: Do not hesitate to take the mic and sing some dangdut. When they close, you can stay in Jalan Labu and visit one of Jakarta nightlife's icons: The Club 36. This coyote bar features dancers non-stop all night long until 5am, and it is always lively and crowded.
After such easy fun, you're ready for more hardcore stuff: Head to the crossing between Jalan Mangga Besar and Jalan Hayam Wuruk and ask for a club called "Siera". Locals should know about it (my review about Siera is not online yet). If you are walking, it should not take you more than 10 minutes from Club 36. It is a horrifying disco, with at least 500 persons high on drugs inside. Bring a torchlight because it is impossible to see even your hand. Once you are out of Siera, if you want to see another club just like that, you can take a taxi and go to "Exotis" (less than 5min). If not, then head to Mille's, the best nightclub for afters in Jakarta. Mille's rarely closes, so you're free to party there forever.
Pen-J: The Blok M of North Jakarta Difficulty: Medium (Hard to find, very local, mostly bad taxis) Transport: Walking only Places to see: Sari Ayu, DV, LA bar, Astro, Royal, M Karaoke, MTR Club
Highlights: For those who wish to experience Indonesian-style male entertainment.
I must say I went to Pen-J only to take pictures from outside the bars, so it still needs to be explored. From what I could understand, many of these venues have live music or club music with working girls, and some rooms upstairs. Once you find the street with all the bars, it is extremely easy to go from one place to the other by foot. Here are some photos I took in July 2011:
source:
http://www.jakarta100bars.com