Banda Aceh
Banda Aceh’s most famous coffee house has been doing business since 1974. It’s an excellent place to try kopi sanger (coffee with condensed milk) –…
Must-see nightlife in Indonesia
Jakarta
Occupying a fine old colonial building dating to 1878, this elegant art-deco-style cafe has twirling ceiling fans, marble-top round tables and vintage…
Sanur
There's some old Hollywood style at this open-fronted pub. Vaguely 1960s Hollywood-esque portraits line walls; you almost expect to see a young Dennis…
Canggu Region
La Brisa, the sandy sibling of Seminyak's La Favella, soars above the sand. Constructed using reclaimed wood from old fishing boats and a forest of palm…
Yogyakarta
A little out of the way in a residential area north of town is this hip, contemporary Belgian-owned gastropub. It has several local beers on tap along…
Canggu
One of the few genuine third-wave coffee roasters in Bali, Hungry Bird does superb single-origin brews. The Javanese owner is incredibly knowledgeable on…
Jakarta
Cool, laid-back, bright neighbourhood coffee shop with marble tabletops, vintage chairs, tiled walls, hardwood floors and a chrome cage over the serving…
Yogyakarta
A good spot for a beer, this atmospheric bar is set within a crumbling, stylised, ruined-brick courtyard. It's a sprawling, eclectic space with bench…
Canggu
Pretty Poison's bar overlooks an old-school '80s skate bowl, so a surfboard isn't the only board you to need to pack. Run by longtime Aussie expat and…
Seminyak
Choose from more than 200 types of champagne at this over-the-top glam bar on Seminyak’s couture strip. Waltz the red carpet and toss back a few namesake…
Yogyakarta
A must for coffee enthusiasts, this tiny cafe feels more like a laboratory with its frosty white decor and high-tech coffee-brewing station installed with…
Kerobokan
This club is big with south Bali expats, who may own those designer shops you were in a few hours before. The interior is sort of like a cathedral out of…
Canggu
One of several slightly stylish beach cafes all in a row, the French-owned Koko Loko has tasty, beachy fare and a kaleidoscope of brightly colored pillows…
Jakarta
In an affluent north Jakarta suburb, this cool little neighbourhood cafe offers pour-over coffees using beans sourced from across the archipelago. Patrons…
Gili Air
A stylish bar with huge pillows and a rainbow of tables and chairs on the sand. Classy jazz plays over the sound system and some nights there's live…
Canggu
Easily Canggu's most alluring bar, Ji is a fantasy of historic Chinese and Balinese wood carving and rich decor. From the terrace on the 1st floor there…
Bukit Peninsula
A lively and convivial alternative to the stiff hotel bars, this rollicking place serves a long list of cheap mixed drinks and even offers massages (from…
Bukit Peninsula
A super-high-concept clifftop club. Find your cushioned enclave near the pool and luxuriate through the day soaking up the sweeping views. At night there…
Seminyak
The Seminyak branch of the Bali chain of Japanese restaurants has live jazz three nights a week on an intimate stage under a traditionally thatched roof…
Kuta & Legian
A fab open-air bar, with nightly crowds for live music and vivacious drag shows. The music spans pop to country.
Canggu
The perfect hang-out for those who like their music with an extra dose of loud, Gimme Shelter regularly stages alternative gigs by the island’s rock and…
Jakarta
Occupying the top floor of a gritty office building is this rooftop dive bar that's a good spot to tap into Jakarta's underground music scene. It's a…
Canggu
An enormous spectacle built from soaring bamboo, Finns overwhelms its beachfront. There are four huge pools, a vast 'VIP' area and a driving sound system…
South Jakarta
Inspired by 1930s-style Shanghai speakeasies, this decadent lounge takes you to a bygone era. Grab a booth or a stool at the long marble-topped bar where…
South Jakarta
A well-respected coffee chain specialising in quality Indonesian beans prepared by expert baristas using Aeropress, V-60 pour-overs and espresso. It…
South Jakarta
One of the few places serving craft beer in Jakarta is this Singaporean microbrewery that has a bar in the Crystal Lagoon part of Senayan City mall. It's…
South Jakarta
Head upstairs to this atrium rooftop garden space to soak up one of Jakarta's best party spots with fun-loving locals here for nightly DJs spinning…
Jalan Jaksa Area
Gorgeous little cafe, modelled on an old Chinese teahouse, and part of a national chain. It comes with antique tiles and vintage prints on the walls,…
Bandung
A good reason to hit the hills is this outdoor cafe set among pine plantations and pastoral outlooks. There's an excellent choice of Indonesian coffees,…
Ubud
That 'coffee studio' moniker isn't for show; the baristas here make a point of experimenting with different styles of single-origin coffee. Take a seat on…
Central Java
Named after the first tea mogul of Java and set in the 19th-century home on his original plantation, this teahouse teems with visitors at the weekend,…
Jalan Jaksa Area
In a dimly lit parking lot off the main street, this place has a clandestine feel – but it's more on the sleazy than hipster speakeasy side. Still, it's a…
Semarang
For those feeling inspired by DMZ, the 3D 'trick art' museum opposite, this sweet little coffee shop helps continue the sense of illusion into the…
Gili Trawangan
This friendly beach bar straddles the road just north of Turtle Point. The Western and Indo fare is good (mains 65,000Rp to 85,000Rp), tables and loungers…
Central Java
With unrivalled views across the gorgeous little village of Selo, towards the looming, brooding presence of Gunung Merapi, this open-air coffee shop…
West Sumatra
Around 4km west of Bukittinggi is this tranquil cafe set in an attractive thatched building overlooking ridiculously picturesque countryside – complete…
Medan
Offering respite from the horrendous traffic is this two-storey pub with an outdoor Astroturf terrace for enjoying cocktails and cold beers (including…
South Jakarta
A classic British-style pub in the heart of Kemang, serving Bintang, Heineken, Anker, Carlsberg and Guinness. It has a pool table, well-worn furnishings…
Seminyak
Ku De Ta teems with Bali’s beautiful people (including those whose status is purely aspirational). Scenesters perfect their ‘bored’ look over drinks…
Makassar
Across from the floating mosque Masjid Amirul Mukminin, the Level actually has three levels: a chill coffee bar on the ground floor, a passable restaurant…
