Nightlife In Singapore

Bars, Pubs and Karaoke Lounges

Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay are the three main entertainment areas in the city, with Clarke Quay packing in most of the merrymaking. Club and house music are frequent enough occurences, but if you are looking for alternative rock pop, Timbre is a smart choice for its quality live music.

Visitors and locals alike complain of the high alcohol prices in Singapor but everybody drinks like a fish anyway. In middle-to-upper range establishments, prices in the menu are often subject to 10% service charge and GST (Goods and Service Tax). A pint of beer can easily set you back S$10-20. Cheaper drinks can be found at coffee shops and hawker centres, where a 600ml bottle of Tiger, Heineken or Carlsberg should cost S$5-7.

To shave a few dollars of the bill, look for Happy Hour promotions, widely available in most bars and pubs. For example, at Paulaner Bräuhaus, a rather overpriced German microbrewery, there is a one-for-one promotion on beers, house pour sprits & wines, from 2 to 8pm daily, on Sundays and Mondays.

Singapore also has a decent choice of karaoke lounges. K-Box is the largest chain on the island. Prices start from S$8 to S$30, depending on the time and day. Some karaoke loungs are notorious for bolstering prostitution under the pretext of music, drinks and fun - be wary of these.

Generally, bars, pubs and karaoke lounges close around 2 to 3 am.

Clubs and Discotheques

Zouk has been ranked by DJ Mag as the top 10 clubs in the world as of April 2010. Expect a lively and enthusiastic crowd there (though missing on Mambo Jumbo, a retro-themed night). A must-mention is the yearly ZoukOut, held every December at Siloso Beach on Sentosa. It is an outdoor dance-music all-out crazy party extravaganza that has always been a headliner and talking point for locals and party animals. Prices start from a steep S$48.

St. James Power Station houses nine bars and clubs under one roof, and charges a single cover charge. St. James has something for everyone, from quiet bars to Chinese pop-rock and even live Latin American salsa tunes.

The Butter Factory is also extremely popular, playing hip hop and RnB; popular music genres in Singapore. The young ones flock here for its music in a hip, cool and stylish setting; come early, as the queues are always long.

Cover charges in Singapore can be anything from S$10-30 but Attica, Azzucar and Zirca have Ladies’ Night with complimentary entries for females on Wednesdays. On Saturdays, clubs typically open from 9PM until the next morning.

Beware of dubious hostess clubs though where scantily-clas slender Chinese hostesses try to sweet-talk you into buying an expensive drink. A night out like that can easily burn the pocket by hundreds.

Gay and Lesbian Scene

Gay and lesbian talk are taboo topics, given Singapore's conservative views and strict laws that forbid sex between two men. There are, however, a few establishments that cater to gays.

Chinatown is a popular meeting spot for gays at night. People in the scene know Taboo for its wild gay crowd, though friendly straights are welcome, too.