written by Marco Ferrarese
updated 9.11.2020
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written by Marco Ferrarese
updated 9.11.2020
Truth be told, the region's party reputation has been greatly tarnished by the excesses of Ko Pha Ngan's full moon parties and drug- and alcohol-fuelled incidents at Vang Vieng's tubing bars, Laos' backpacker central. Yet the real picture is far from this portrayal of a gap-year fool's playground.
Southeast Asian nights hide many more vibrant and authentic experiences. Here are a few of the best.
In the outskirts, Petaling Jaya's Merdekarya hosts one-man-band blues wails, while Ampang's Rumah Api and rehearsal space Live Fact are underground venues for alternative, metal and punk bands.
Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur © Shahrul Azmi/Shutterstock
Acoustic Bar in District 3 has pop-rock cover bands, while Carmen in District 1 offers an odd selection of Spanish flamenco played by skilled Vietnamese musicians.
For a casual good time, the plastic tables along Bui Vien – also known as 'Beer Street' – in backpacker central Pham Ngu Lao are a must.
The Khaosan Road area, Bangkok's backpacker haunt, is where young Thais go dancing and drink, while the RCA (Royal City Avenue) area, Bangkok's biggest nightlife district, is where well-heeled Thais and celebrities uncork expensive whisky bottles.
Alternative Bangkok haunts include hostel-cum-bar the Overstay, who throw electro-dance parties and underground rock gigs, while Fatty's and Immortal Bar host local and visiting punk and metal bands.
© pio3/Shutterstock
At Narrow Marrow, a hole-in-the-wall hipster bar renovated from a storage space, artists and musicians chat over coffees and mojitos made with coconut-flavoured liquor. Soundmaker Studio keeps Penang's rock underground alive with weekend gigs, and every August, the month-long Georgetown Festival brings to town dozens of international art performances.
The result? Punk bands with bleached mohawks who criticise corrupt politics and the massacre of the Islamic Rohingya minority; vibrant bars spread around 7th Street in Chinatown; and the dance clubs of Tein Gyi Zay Plaza, where you may have to leave your fingerprints upon admission.
Yangon, Myanmar © MemoryMan/Shutterstock
Hunt more music down side alley Sosrowijian street, enjoying Oxen Free's DJ sets and cosy, open-air bistro, or Lucifer Bar's reggae, country, classic rock and R&B bands on most nights. Asmara in Prawirotaman district is another spot where young Indonesian musicians know well how to work up the crowd.
Catch impromptu spoken word or music performances at the Artistry, admire the huge 'girl with lion cub' mural that Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevich etched along Victoria street's wall, or attend rock gigs and theatre performances at the Aliwal Arts Centre.
Read our guide to the best things to do in Singapore and find something to do for all tastes.
Top image: Bangkok at night © Nano Tanongsakmontri/Shutterstock.
written by Marco Ferrarese
updated 9.11.2020
Marco Ferrarese has lived in Penang since 2009 and is an expert on South and Southeast Asia, with a deep personal connection to Malaysia and Borneo. He has reported from 70+ countries and authored books on Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, India and China for the Rough Guides, and published several books and a novel, "Nazi Goreng" (2013). He has written about travel, culture and extreme music in Asia for a variety of top-tier international publications and is a long-term correspondent for Nikkei Asia. He shares his Penang intelligence on Penang Insider. Follow him on Twitter @monkeyrockworld.
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