Entertainment in Asia
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A
Tuba
Used-furniture shop by day, Italian restaurant-slash-bar by night; oddly enough, this business formula is not entirely unheard of in Bangkok. Pull up a leatherette lounge and take the plunge and buy a whole bottle for once. And don’t miss the delicious chicken wings.
reviewed
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B
TakeOut Comedy Club
If your idea of a perfect evening involves laughing, Hong Kong’s first comedy club will blow your socks off with consistent stand-up and improvised acts in English, Cantonese and Mandarin.
reviewed
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C
Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre
You can't leave Hanoi without seeing a traditional water-puppet show. The shows, which appeal to all ages, are charming, picaresque entertainments accompanied by a traditional Vietnamese pit orchestra. Order your tickets early in the day for the best seats. Your hotel can probably help.
reviewed
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D
Open Hand
A cafe-cum-gift shop with fresh coffee and juices and a range of cakes and snacks plus a few main courses. There’s free wi-fi plus a large selection of gorgeous handi- crafts (jewellery, toys, clothing) made in the local community.
reviewed
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E
Punchline Comedy Club
A veteran on the scene, the Punchline hosts local and imported acts every third Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9pm to 11pm. Entry costs around $300. Book tickets online or call.
reviewed
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F
Treat’s Café
The backpacker bar of old Hoi An, this place is regularly full to bursting, particularly during its generous 4pm to 9pm happy hour.
reviewed
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G
Honky Tonk Haven
A great new addition to the Melaka drinking scene, this music bar is run by Kiwi jazz pianist Joe 'Itchy Fingers' Webster and his singing wife Jill. Jazz memorabilia photos line the walls and spontaneous sessions of live music are performed by Joe, Jill and their collection of talented friends. It's a place to make fast friends, grab a quick meal (including real New Zealand-style burgers, and all-day breakfasts) and find out how funky you really are.
reviewed
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H
Liquid Lounge
The coolest (and loudest) pub in town, this place has funky posters and neon-lit interiors, including a backlit Les Paul guitar replica dangling above the bar! A good selection of beers is on offer, and its staff in floral shirts are a courteous lot.
reviewed
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I
Tiānqiáo Acrobatics Theatre
West of the Temple of Heaven, this is one of Běijīng's most popular venues. The entrance is down the eastern side of the building.
reviewed
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J
Full Moon
Full Moon is a tiny chill-out bar and den of iniquity that draws a mixed Nepali-foreign clientele.
reviewed
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K
High Spirits
Brand new bar that's caught the attention of the student population. Has a nice open terrace.
reviewed
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L
Bobby Brewers
This is a contemporary cafe set over three floors, and the range of coffees here is professional. There are also juices, sandwiches, pastas and salads, plus movies upstairs.
reviewed
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M
Equinox Bar
Acoustic jam sessions are held every Thursday and Saturday night in this animated bar. Happy hour 17:00 to 20:00.
reviewed
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N
A-Bar
This is a raucous student izakaya with a log-cabin interior located in the Kiyamachi area. There’s a big menu to choose from and everything’s cheap. The best part comes when they add up the bill – you’ll swear they’ve undercharged you by half. It’s a little tough to find – look for the small black-and-white sign at the top of a flight of concrete steps above a place called Reims.
reviewed
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Ageha
This gigantic waterside club rivals any you’d find in LA or Ibiza. Mostly international DJs appear here, with Japanese DJs filling out the mix. Counterbalancing the thumping dance floors are lounge spaces and a little pool area. Free buses run to the club every half-hour from the east side of Shibuya Station on Roppongi-dōri; bring photo ID.
reviewed
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O
Bo’s Coffee Club
A super popular Cebuano franchise that makes genuine top-notch espresso along with the usual mocha, latte and frappé selections. A favourite with both students and business types, this is a good air-con escape from the streets and there’s free wi-fi with any hot drink. There’s another outlet on Pres Osmeña Blvd and a third at Ayala Center.
reviewed
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P
Before & Now
An energetic bar that’s good for its pop-rock-funk playlist, Milan-trained chef and buzzing crowd. If you run out of conversation topics, contemplate the ramifications of Bono-as-Superman, as depicted on one of local artist Tran Trung Linh’s pop-art portraits on the walls (the eclectic mix includes Lenin, Mao, Che, Marilyn and Gandhi).
reviewed
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Q
Bar 109
Tired of rubbing, er, shoulders with working girls in the Wanch? Well, even if not, the 109 will give you 110 reasons to flock here. It’s a serious chill-out zone cobbled from a 1920s-vintage bakery and divided into three sections, including a bar, a covered ‘outside’ area and a 1st-floor balcony.
reviewed
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R
Warehouse
A popular bolt hole for expats escaping the madness of Bar St, this ‘local’ has lured many a traveller in for table football and indie anthems. The bar food is more cosmopolitan than most and best enjoyed from the 45-degree angle of a satellite chair. Free wi-fi.
reviewed
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Bluefrog
The most exciting thing to happen to Mumbai’s music scene in a long time, Bluefrog is a concert space, production studio, restaurant and one of Mumbai’s most happening spaces. It hosts exceptional local and international acts, and has cool booth seating.
reviewed
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S
Samui Shamrock
More classic than chic, Samui Shamrock is a good-times pub where house bands belt out dated cover tunes that inspire the tipsy crowd to sing along. At some point in the night you’ll hear ‘Hotel California’, the ultimate foreigner tribute song.
reviewed
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T
Club FF
A top live venue with up to eight bands playing at the weekend until midnight. Afterwards it becomes a dance club with DJs. Local bands such as Galaxy Express and Pink Elephant play here. The youthful groups let rip with attitude and style.
reviewed
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U
Temple Club
As the night wears on, the only worshipping going on at this temple is ‘all hail the ale’. Loud tunes (often too loud) and some liberally minded local girls (some are actually boys) draw a dance crowd. Mad happy-hours from 10am to 10pm.
reviewed
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V
Carmen
One of HCMC's rarer breeds, Carmen has a stone wall exterior and a cosy wine cellar-like interior (duck your head when you enter) with live music nightly (from 19:00-21:00) - often Flamenco, hence the name.
reviewed
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W
Sathyam Cinema
Chennai has more than 100 cinemas, a reflection of the vibrant film industry here. Most screen Tamil films, but Sathyam Cinema often shows English-language films alongside local fare.
reviewed