Singapore's top party hotspots
The saying work hard play hard has probably never been truer than in Singapore. After the shopping malls and offices close for the day, the centre's buzzing nightlife opens for business. If you're a true night owl, add an evening out in the Southeast Asian city-state to your bucket list. Here's where to go
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Your support makes all the difference.With such a vibrant and varied night life, you've only seen half of Singapore if you limit your visit to the daytime. For nightowls planning a trip to city, we've got everything you need for you perfect evening out.
Kyo
Walk down the dramatic stairwell of the Keck Seng Tower into a former bank vault and you will be greeted by a 6,000 square feet, Japanese-themed club. Huge bronze wall panels, sleek wood and purple seating surround a bar that serves one of the best selections of Japanese sake in Singapore.
Music at Kyo comes courtesy of resident and guest DJs and ranges from house and techno to EDM and minimal with a different genre, or ‘mood’, each night. While some have described Kyo as ‘alternative’ in comparison to its mainstream rivals, it’s on every list of Singapore’s top nightspots for good reason.
(+ 65 8299 8735, clubkyo.com)
Attica
A multi-level mainstream mega-club, Attica fuses style and sound for a night to remember. Located in Clarke Quay and renowned for delivering one of the best parties in Singapore, former guardians of the decks have included the likes of Paul Oakenfold, Pete Tong, Dimitri, Dub Pistols and Dirty South.
One level plays a pop soundtrack while upstairs the groove is more trance, house and progressive and with dedicated ladies’ nights as well as happy hours, Attica is a playground for locals, ex-pats and visitors who want to let their hair down. The riverside champagne bar is a particular highlight, don't miss the chance to take in the views over the water.
(+65 6333 9973, attica.com.sg)
Trace
Also in Clarke Quay, the epicentre of Singapore’s after-dark activities, Trace is an EDM club with a bit of hip-hop thrown in on a Wednesday night for good measure. It’s a hotbed of Singapore’s bright young things and to heighten its exclusive vibe, it’s only open for three nights a week – Wednesday (also ladies’ night), Friday and Saturday.
Come for the music, the drinks and the beautiful people and stay for the awesome multi-dimensional laser shows and 3D projection mapping.
(+65 6443 4500)
Taboo
The grand old dame of Singapore, Taboo on Neil Road in Chinatown is Singapore’s most famous gay and lesbian club and while the clientele is predominantly LGBT, it attracts anyone who loves great music and who wants to party, regardless of sexuality. It’s a two-story, 5,000 square foot club playing happy house and classic anthems with resident and guest DJs who hail from all over the world.
Revellers usually start at the Tantric Bar across the road before migrating over to Taboo at around 11.30pm. There are plenty of themed nights including ‘Hot’ on the last Saturday of the month, FLIRT Fridays, Handbag Party and BodWatch. The upstairs space is more chilled but for a truly kitsch party, Taboo is the place to be.
(+65 6225 6256, taboo.sg)
Refuge
From the people that brought you Kyo and the now-closed The Vault, Refuge is a hip-hop and R ‘n’ B club characterised by its quirky décor. Spread over three floors, you can get your old-school groove on with funk, hip-hop classics and soulful tunes.
Different nights have different themes and there’s a S$5 (around £2.50) happy ‘hour’ from 5pm – 9pm on weekdays and 7pm – 9pm on Saturdays.
(+65 9772 3953, refuge.sg)
Bang Bang
Boasting a state-of-the-art sound system and an HD video wall, Bang Bang takes over from the defunct Mink at the five-star Pan Pacific Singapore on Raffles Boulevard. It’s an intimate space with capacity for just 400 party-goers and is open on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday only.
Go-go dancers occupy the cages on ‘Wild Wednesdays’ against a backdrop of fun décor. The bar menu makes for interesting reading - featuring six litres of Belvedere vodka for £1,500 a bottle of Remy Martin Louis XIII brandy for £4,000 and six litres of Ace of Spades Armand de Brignac Brut Gold NV Champagne for £10,000.
(+65 8127 2808, bangbang.sg)
Canvas
Replacing the much-loved Home club was going to be a tall order but Canvas has worked wonders. By day it’s a creative art space but come the dark hours, Canvas transforms into a more mellow and sophisticated nightclub than its predecessor. As one of the partners involved in the multi-purpose concept venue explains, ‘art is the main feature and music is in the background during the day, then at night, music is in the forefront and art forms the backdrop.’
Resident and guest DJs man the decks and you can expect a mix of nu disco, house, techno and underground beats and they hold regular themed parties, complimented by a spectacular audio-visual experience that is unique to Canvas.
(+65 6538 2928, canvasvenue.sg)
Zouk
Ask anyone what's the Garden City’s most famous club and they’ll all say Zouk. Venture inside and you’ll find a real mix of partygoers, from bright young things discovering the clubbing world to hardcore veterans of the scene. It’s been one of the top party spots in the city-state for 25 years and is an old-school, unpretentious mega-club.
Three big spaces – Zouk, Velvet Lounge and Phuture – are spread over a number of floors where you can dance to a blend of R ‘n’ B, trance, house and hip-hop. On the main floor (Zouk), you'll find some of the world’s hottest names including techno demi-god Paul van Dyk.
(+65 6738 2988, zoukclub.com)
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A version of this article first appeared on firststopsingapore.com