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Singapore’s late-night options have expanded in recent years to include more highbrow lounges with million-dollar views, mixologists shaking up the trendiest ingredients, and bars tapping into some of the beers from all over. After work, professionals and expats typically congregate at watering holes on Club Street and pubs in Boat Quay, as well as at some of the cocktail bars that have been popping up around Chinatown and Haji Lane.
Nightclubs featuring electronic dance music have a massive following here, and that's been true since the opening of Zouk, back in 1996. Additional clubs can be found around Clarke Quay and throughout the CBD.
First-time visitors should be prepared for the exorbitantly expensive prices that clubs charge. Beer guzzlers on a budget are best off sipping on a few at the hawker centers, one of the only places to find reasonable rates.
Be aware that although the once-bawdy Bugis Street has been sanitized, a seedy underworld still exists elsewhere in town. Red-light districts, which are mostly found in parts of Geylang, have buildings that really are lit by red lanterns. Soliciting for prostitution is illegal, but the deed itself isn't; it's actually tolerated, monitored, and contained, with most prostitutes registered and subject to regular medical checks. If karaoke is what you seek, keep in mind that it is common for "KTV" lounges to be a cover for prostitution.
For a night you will (or possibly won’t) remember, party at this glittering club kid hotspot with Vegas vibes. Also Singapore’s largest nightclub, it goes big with eight private dance pods suspended 20 meters in the air as well as a massive Ferris wheel you can board for a spin.
The long-running Zouk always manages to reinvent itself. The huge dance club, carved out of renovated riverside warehouses, is four venues in one: Zouk, the main dance room that specializes in all genres of electronic music; the more sophisticated and intimate Capital; and Phuture for hip hop lovers; and Red Tail Bar for cocktails and sharing bites. Visiting international DJs take the decks weekly, and the club consistently gets rave reviews overseas.
This bar-club is a popular spot among younger Singaporeans who come to play games and dance until 6 am. The bar has a range of nostalgic table games, including Crocodile Dentist, Penguin Trap, and Pirate Roulette, as well as a large area dedicated to beer pong. The free-flowing alcohol packages make it an affordable place to dance the night away, listening to live bands.
