Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
This cosy, retro cocktail bar is one of KL's top-secret drinking spots. The expert mixologists here each have their own menu of speciality cocktails, but…
Must-see nightlife in Malaysia
Melaka City
This cosy pub is staunchly unhip and all the more enjoyable for it, especially for older visitors. At weekends there's live blues and rock, often with…
Pulau Langkawi
Perched on a wave-lashed rocky outcrop between Pantai Cenang and Pantai Tengah, this is an exhilarating spot for a sundowner, with cocktails (from RM18) a…
Malaysia
Laptops seem almost mandatory at this greenhouse-like cafe, a favourite with local office workers (and a great place to eavesdrop on tech start-ups). The…
Sarawak
It wins no prizes for an original name, but the bar at the new GoldenBay Hotel is the best place in town to combine sunset views of the South China Sea…
Malaysia
Seven kilometres south of Klang town there's a chic set of art-cafes and coffee haunts, and one of the best is Coffee Ink. Abstract art, wooden birdcages…
Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
Meaning 'hotel' in Cantonese, this cafe-bar's name alludes to the building's former use as a hotel in 1910. There's a vague art deco style to the lofty…
Lake Gardens, Brickfields & Bangsar
This chilled-out drinking spot offers comfortable chairs and soothing sounds on the decks. The first Monday of the month it hosts a jazz jam session that…
Lake Gardens, Brickfields & Bangsar
Wine lovers will appreciate this cosy place which stocks a good range of bottles from around the world. Tuesday and Wednesday nights you can indulge in…
Kota Bharu
A cold pint of draught beer goes down very nicely at this centrally located combination of pub and sports bar especially during happy hour from 4pm to 9pm…
Pulau Langkawi
Sink into an umbrella-shaded beanbag on this beach bar in the middle of Pantai Cenang. A bassy soundtrack of house and pop animates the place by day,…
Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
Unagi, the tattooed guy who runs this cool coffee stand on the 2nd floor of the Zhongshan Building, got the name for his business from the sound effect…
Pulau Langkawi
This open-air restaurant and cocktail bar has some creative drinks – who fancies a five-spiced poached apple and cinnamon mojito? Tom yum martini, anyone?…
Melaka City
You'll want to grab a seat out front by the boardwalk overlooking the river to maximise what this no-nonsense waterside bolt-hole has to offer. Beer is…
Cameron Highlands
One block back from Tanah Rata's main street, this welcoming bar is a beacon to hikers in need of a cold beer or a frosted cocktail at the end of a long…
Lake Gardens, Brickfields & Bangsar
This Polynesian-style tiki bar, which goes a little too heavy on the red lights, is one of KL's many high-rise bars with panoramic city views. DJs spin…
Kuala Lumpur
Occupying the ground floor and front garden of an old shophouse, Pahit immortalises its 'juniper and joy' ethos with a neon sign. Inside the brick-lined…
Kuala Lumpur
Take your pisco sour in the cosy, exposed-brick interior or the plant-filled courtyard of this slick tapas joint. The chef is half Peruvian, so naturally…
Melaka City
Serving superb coffee and featuring a different bean each week, this lovely cafe is tucked away out of the action. The baristas really know their stuff,…
George Town
Since it roasts its own beans and trains baristas at this giant warehouse space, you can rely on the place for a decent cup of coffee. On the menu are…
Kuala Lumpur
This slick club has three separate spaces where DJs pump out dance and house, hip-hop and reggae until the early hours. The reggae bar happy hour runs…
Kuala Lumpur
Taps specialises in ale from around the world, with some 80 different microbrews on rotation, 14 of them on tap. There's also a menu of Malay- and…
Kuala Lumpur
The owners of this creative spot are keen divers, which explains the name and the decoration. Enter through the mouth of a giant shark painted on the…
George Town
Graffiti-covered walls, shisha pipes and free-flowing booze: this classic formula has allowed Micke's Place to remain one of the most popular backpacker…
Kuala Lumpur
Traders Hotel's rooftop pool area provides a grand circle view across to the Petronas Towers – it’s a great spot for sundowner cocktails or late-night…
George Town
Mixology magic takes place between the whisky- and wine-bottle-lined walls of Mish Mash, a grown-up bar whose moody interior offers a welcome retreat from…
Melaka City
The views of Melaka from the air-conditioned dining space and leafy outdoor area of this bar and steakhouse (mains RM28–148) are impressive, making it a…
Johor Bahru
For delectable views over the harbour and across the waters to Singapore, stop by the ambient restaurant/bar SkyBar. As the sun sets, sip a cocktail or a…
George Town
This cavernous cafe carved out of an old shophouse has exposed brick and Kinfolk-inspired minimalism that complement its sophisticated coffee drinks,…
George Town
All major styles of Chinese tea are on sale here, but the fun part is deciding which to buy. For RM20 you choose a tea (which you can share with up to…
Kuala Lumpur
Not much evidence of Alice or a Wonderland here but it is one of the more convivial bars at the head of KL's rowdiest nightlife strip. There's plenty of…
Cherating
At the time of research, this beachfront option was being rebuilt closer to the action, but its predecessor was a fun spot and the main drinking hub, with…
Kuala Lumpur
Serving the Maids of Honour egg tarts made famous by the UK-based tea shop of the same name, Newens offers a genteel place to indulge in afternoon tea …
Malaysia
Western-style coffees come with a correspondingly high price tag at La Roasteria, but we still can't resist its iced coffee and banana-croissant pudding…
Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
On the ground floor of the Tian Jing Hotel, this contemporary take on a traditional kopitiam (coffee shop) serves wonderfully refreshing fruit sodas – try…
Kedah
An unexpectedly modern and rather flashy bar with polished concrete walls, draught Guinness and other imported booze as well as a tapas menu (items around…
Sandakan
This cosy harbour-view bar in Sandakan's top hotel features a few international beers, wine and decent cocktails as well as excellent snacks. There's a…
Pulau Tioman
On the far side of the path from Nazri's II and towards the northern end of the beach at ABC, this tiny but popular open beach bar offers a three-beers…
Johor Bahru
A trendy and comfortable back-alley cafe/bar with retro furniture and laid-back staff, Roost is a cool spot in the colonial district. Beer is half the…
Kuala Lumpur
No need for you to strip off – that's taken care of by some hunky topless male bar tenders on Friday and Saturday nights, when this cosy cocktail bar…
