Courtesy of Tribun Bali / Rizal Fanany

Being one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world, Bali – the Island of the Gods – offers a true escape from real life for everyone ranging from families, honeymooners and solo travelers.

Tourists sure love to go to Bali to witness the beautiful sunsets by the beach or beach clubs, but as the sun is setting in the west, the nightlife in Bali wakes up from its deep slumber.

The night owls will never get bored from staying on this island as it has a plethora of nightlife entertainment to offer, varying from performances for general audiences to adult-only spectacles.

Below, I have listed some places that offer interesting and exciting nightlife experiences unlike any others.

Jimbaran Kecak & Fire Dance

The traditional Kecak dance is definitely a popular attraction among tourists. Also known as the Ramayana Monkey Chant, the dance is usually performed by at least 150 men circling around a fire and chanting “Cak!” as they raise their hands to the sky. The best place to witness this attraction is at the Uluwatu Temple with a sunset view as the background. The performance starts at 6 p.m. every day and is open to the public, although visitors need to pay an entrance fee to watch it.

Night Safari

The Bali Safari and Marine Park is located fairly far from the town center of Gianyar. Just like any other animal safari theme park, the one in Bali offers visitors a night safari. The itinerary for night safaris at this park includes a Walking Safari around the park, followed by a Night Safari throughout the African Savannah, getting up close and personal with the animals as visitors are put inside a cage on the back of a small truck that drives down the safari trail, watching an Afrika! Rhythm of Fire Show and having a barbecued dinner. According to the website, the ticket price for adults is US$75 and $60 for children.

Devdan Show

Performing for four days a week at Bali Nusa Dua Theater, Bali’s newest and most advanced theatrical complex, the Devdan Show is a visual musical performance that is centered on the “treasures of the archipelago.” The lead roles of this performance are a young boy and girl who travel across the archipelago where they visit islands such as Bali, Java, Sumatra, Borneo and Papua to witness a diverse range of cultures from each throughout the 90 minutes. Reservations to watch the Devdan can be made three months in advance.

Bars and Clubs

Kuta and Legian clearly dominate the party scene in Bali with rows and rows of bars, clubs and pubs that stretch along the streets of the two areas. The current favorites are the Mirror Lounge & Club, La Favela and Club Jenja in Seminyak.

An honorary mention is given to a new underground bar-slash-skateboard park called Pretty Poison. Located in Canggu, North Kuta, this place attracts the likes of hipsters, artists, skater boys and girls to come together for skateboarding, listening to music played by resident DJs, watching movies, participating in an open mic show and witnessing exhibitions by local artists. Here in this place you can also ask to get a permanent tattoo on your body by the resident tattoo artists.

Night Markets

If you want to get a glimpse of the local Balinese life, head over to the night markets on the island. Some of the most famous local night markets are located in Sanur, Gianyar, Kerobokan and Denpasar. These markets don’t just sell poultry, fruit and vegetables, they also sell antique goods, batik, traditional kitchen utensils and traditional dishes at affordable prices (haggling skills are definitely useful at these markets). Most of the markets start to come alive at 6 p.m.   

  Nusa Dua Light Festival

Thousands of lanterns light up Peninsula Island in Nusa Dua for the Nusa Dua Festival of Light that runs from June 17 to July 30. The event marks the first and also biggest lantern festival held on Peninsula Island and it features various shapes of lanterns that fit with its theme of “Dragon Palace.” Occupying seven hectares of land, visitors can enjoy fairytale-themed lanterns and other attractions such as car lanterns and a Euro Bungee trampoline. It also showcases music performances, as well as food and beverage stands. Although the festival is open from 5 a.m. until 10 p.m., the best time to come to visit is definitely in the evening. To enter, visitors need to pay Rp 20,000 ($1.50) if they are Indonesians and Rp 75,000 if they are foreigners.

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