With a long and storied history, Indonesia’s bar scene is a mix of the exotic (think Balinese rice arak liquor mixed with fresh mangoes) and the merely delicious. You can get your drink on in all sorts of ways, from an elegant lounge to a beachfront hut. But a few things are consistent: cocktails that will make you swoon, a jukebox full of tunes from the country and pop that puts your own karaoke to shame and an ever-present sense of adventure.
The best bars in Indonesia have something special to offer: the ambiance, the service and of course, the drinks. Here are some of the top choices in Jakarta and beyond.
Located high above Mandapa, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, the rooftop bar of this Ubud hotel offers spectacular cocktails with sunset views over verdant valleys and jungles. Settle in a cosy lounge and sip your way through the expertly curated list of tipples – from classic mojitos and margaritas to evocatively named creations such as The Lazy Cat and the Rujak Bali, which combines rum, triple sec, lime juice, peanut butter, and honey.
This large, open-air space in Kemang is more of a beer garden than a proper bar but it’s still one of the busiest places in the area. It’s a good place to hang out with a group of friends and meet fellow expats in the city. It gets very busy on weekends. They have a DJ and live music on certain nights of the week.
