Penang nightlife - night life guide
Decent live music is easy to find in Penang
Whether you are craving for a cold pint of draft beer and to sit by the streets to watch people go by, or dreaming of dancing surrounded by beautiful local girls, you’ll find the perfect place in Penang. There is a hedonistic side to this historic island that belies its abundance of temples, and harks back to an era when passing seamen would spend several weeks wages in just a few hours of revelry before their next treacherous voyage.
Penang truly has something mysteriously beautiful about the nighttime. As soon as it gets dark and the traffic slowly disappears you instantly begin feeling relaxed, even in the middle of town or sitting outside a bar with an exotic cocktail. For more on Penang bars.
Most of places offer a very convivial and friendly atmosphere with a great choice of drinks and food. There are plenty of disco clubs where you can dance to the loudest beats of the latest pop anthem by local and foreign DJs. And ever more sophisticated establishments are opening up to cater for expats and the burgeoning local middle classes.
In case if you don’t enjoy loud music and would like to sip your drink in a quiet place or listen to live bands, there are quite a few more laidback venues. The most common and easiest thing to do is to go to any bar, order a drink and the friendliness of local people will inevitably lead to a conversation. This is a simple way of meeting new people and immersing oneself in the modern culture of Penang.
Penang - bar areas
Georgetown is where most of the action is and has more than enough pubs, clubs and discos to keep visitors happy for any length of stay. There are very few bars where you have to pay to enter except at weekends, but many will ask for proof of age as Malaysian law is very strict on underage drinking as well as Muslim citizens partaking in an illicit tipple.
The centre of Georgetown nightlife in Penang revolves around the beginning of Jalan Penang, by the historical Eastern & Oriental Hotel. Upper Penang Road is where expats and Western tourist strut their stuff and thumping music can be heard echoing around the neighbouring streets until dawn. This party zone is jam packed with neon-clad pubs, bars and nightclubs with chairs spilling out onto the pavement for al fresco drinking sessions.
Popular Penang bars
Great club scene in Penang - lots of clubs and bars!
The infamous Slippery Senorita is a top venue for Penang nightlife since it first welcomed customers back in 2001. This trendy and chic Latin dance club is where Georgetown’s young hip things come to be seen. The cream of international DJs and live local bands compete for the crowd’s affections while skillful mixologists concoct bright portions of lethal potions in between magic tricks. Open: 11:00 – 03:00, The Garage, 2 Upper Jalan Penang, Georgetown, Penang, tel: +60 (0)4 263 6868.
Just next door is Soi II Unplugged; this restaurant and bar offers imported beverages from Europe and Latin America and serves great international food. A favourite warm-up choice of young Penangites about to hit the nearby dance clubs, there is sufficient live entertainment and merriment on offer for any night of the week. Open: 21:00 – 3:00, The Garage, Upper Jalan Penang, Georgetown, Penang.
Award-winning Momo is an intoxicating experience for the senses before you’ve even sipped your first mojito. Continental and Arabian charm mix seamlessly within the classy zones of this debonair Penang nightspot in Georgetown with five separate bars meaning it’s always easy to find refreshment. Open: 18:00 – 03:00, The Bungalow, Upper Jalan Penang, Georgetown, Penang, tel: +60 (0)4 262 3030.
Always popular in it’s former guises of Glo and Lush, F.A.M.E is now firmly established as one of the best nightclubs in Penang with hordes of revellers descending every night of the week for an evening of unabashed joviality. Popular with hen dos and commonly regarded as the best ladies’ night in town, the live stage shows are beyond spectacular. Open: 18:00 – 02:30, The Garage, 2 Upper Jalan Penang, Georgetown, Penang, tel: +60 (0)4 261 1045.
Mois is another part venue in Georgetown which could happily rub shoulders with any nightclub in the West. Set within an imposing white colonial mansion, Mois has a younger crowd more tuned into great music than looking cool, and the guest Djs on show rarely disappoint the weekend capacity crowds. Plus guest performances from the best bands in Penang and a chilled outdoor bar by the entrance means there’s much more to this Penang nightclub. Open: 17:30 – 02:30 (free before 22:00), 1 Upper Jalan Penang Road, Georgetown, Penang.
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