The bar in Indonesia is a great place to enjoy a cold beer, a cocktail with exotic fruit or even a night of music and dancing. The city has two distinct drinking scenes; Kuta with its hedonistic party town, and the more refined Seminyak.
There are plenty of bars to choose from in the capital, Jakarta. Many of them offer a variety of cocktails, beers and wine at reasonable prices. Some of them also feature beautiful ambiance and sunset views.
Those with a penchant for high-end cocktails should head to Jakarta’s Union, which was recently ranked the 32nd best bar in Asia by The World’s 50 Best Bars. The elegant and intimate space is decorated with genuine antiques and vintage posters. A curated playlist of blues and jazz songs completes the mood.
There’s a strong local flavor to Indonesian music, with rock, blues, jazz and R&B all popular. Indonesians love karaoke and it proliferates around the country, casting wannabe rock and ballad gods and goddesses into your auditory path. The most common beer in the country is Carlsberg and Bintang. Local brews include Solo’s ciu, Manado’s cap tikus and Balinese arrack.
The opulent lounge and restaurant at Grand Sahid Jaya Hotel in Sudirman offers a taste of traditional Indonesian cuisine and culture. The stylish bar at Granada is a favorite of business and social elites, offering a variety of drinks, wines, coffee and tea. A contemporary Japanese lounge, Maza, is another option for cocktails and conversation with friends.
