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After hours, Singapore practically transforms itself from an ever-so-efficient
business hub to a buzzing network of bars and nightclubs. Busy executives
loosen their ties and kick up their heels to the sound of jazz swingin
'at Harry's Bar along Boat Quay, and earnest students-by-day let
down their hair for some laid-back bar-hopping at famous Mohammed
Sultan Road.
Pubbing and clubbing at Singapore is a must if you want to feel
the night-pulse of the city; experience the city only by day and
you get just half of the picture.
In the past decade, bars and nightclubs have blossomed in a big
way in the Lion City. Long labeled as an over-protected nanny state
where its well-behaved inhabitants just don't know how to have fun,
partying the night away has become a norm.
Many of the bars and clubs have taken on a unique Singapore or
Southeast Asian character; you'll find restored Chinese godowns
pumping out rap or retro, trendy bars of glass-and-steel exteriors
and buddhist temple-style interiors, historic drinking dens that
will you bring back to the days of the Raj.
It's convenient to go bar- and club-hopping in Singapore, as the
golden triangle of nightspots -- Zouk - Mohammed Sultan - Boat Quay
-- are all a short taxi hop from each other. Be warned, on Friday
and Saturday nights the clubbing herd comes out in full force and
you may have to call for a taxi to avoid waiting in queue.
Drinks - including beer -- are fairly expensive in Singapore. Most
bars have happy hours, where drinks are at a sharp discount or standard
drinks like vodka tonic are on one-for-one offer. Wednesday night
is Ladies Night at many bars, while some bars and clubs mark out
one night of the week with a special dance or music theme. The bars
serve finger food, some offer the usual pub grub like fish and chips
or spring rolls, while the trendier ones have sushi or teppanyaki
on their menus.
If you're hungry for a real meal after all that clubbing, there's
usually an Indian roti prata stall, hawker centre or coffee shop
open nearby. The Newton Circus hawker centre is alive all night,
while many hotels have coffee houses that welcome the tired and
hungry until the wee hours of the morning.
Boat Quay and Clarke Quay are dotted with restaurants as
well as pubs, so the mood here is slightly laid-back and the
crowd mixed.
Patronised by serious party-goers, but also people just out
for a pint after work, couples chatting over a leisurely dinner,
and tourists. The pubs are old Chinese godowns and shophouses
given a heartening facelift.
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This famous shopping belt also harbours some great clubs. Venom (Pacific Plaza Penthouse, 9 Scotts Road, 7347677)
boasts a state-of-the-art dance floor and a sweeping view
of Orchard Road.
The theme changes every night, and the music ranges from
pop to retro to house. The crowd -- well-heeled and chic.
Read more...
In the past few years, this once-forgotten back alley has
taken on legendary proportions. Once a ramshackle row of old
Chinese godowns, the street has been transformed into a vital,
throbbing artery of Singapore's nightlife.
The godowns have retained their colourful Peranakan facades,
and many of the bars in this area have adopted a Shanghai-Old
World type of interior.
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Any review of the Singapore club scene should begin with Zouk (17, Jiak Kim Street, 7382988). This hugely popular
club, which has been compared with some of the best in Europe,
plays mainly House music to a mostly young crowd. Zouk's music
is spun by its seven resident DJs, while regular live acts
from visiting artistes - such as Galliano, Chemical Brothers,
Heart and Kylie Minogue -- are an added draw.
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No list of Singapore nightspots would be complete without
a mention of the Long Bar at Raffles Hotel. Housed
in the historic Raffles Hotel, this is where the Singapore
Sling, the island's most famous cocktail, was invented. The
décor, in line with that of the hotel, is high-class colonial.
Old-style fans flap about on the ceiling (although now they're
automated, not pulled by some poor servant), and you're encouraged
to throw your peanut shells on the floor -- they're there
to add to the planter's ambience.
Read more...
More Nightlife:
Bangkok Nightlife, Pattaya Nightlife, Hua Hin Nightlife, Chiang Mai Nightlife , Phuket Nightlife, Koh Samui Nightlife, Singapore Nightlife, Kuala Lumpur Nightlife, Hong Kong Nightlife
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