What to Do at Night in Malacca City
Nightlife in Malacca town is varied. When the sun goes down, most of the restaurants remain open but the pubs, clubs and discos take precedence. Those after more feisty entertainment, at the clubs and pubs, need to head to Melaka Raya. You can choose to spend your time at the hotel bars – which are decidedly classy albeit moderately quiet – or you can choose to hang around the city centre to find a club which suits your taste.
The good thing about Malacca is that it is studded with watering holes so you can choose to enjoy your drinks indoors or sip your drinks on the outside boardwalk. Belt out cheesy tunes at GoGo KTV till 2 a.m. or spend the night listening to the thumping good hip hop beats spun by DJ Tokyo at Pure Bar and dance the night away at The Cube. It goes without saying that Malacca nightlife allows plenty of scope for visitors to join the party despite being a small town.
Arena – The Jetty
A complex that houses fine dining restaurants, trendy cafés and a karaoke lounge, The Jetty is a prominent nightspot of visitors due to its convenient location. At the foot of the jetty in front of Holiday Inn, Arena – a glass walled night spot with a big stage for live performances and a hopping band – draws in a crowd on the weekends.
Address: 12-A, Jalan Syed Abdul Aziz, 75000.
Tel: (6016) 675 2000
Bay Lounge & Terrace
Located within Mahkota Hotel Melaka, Bay Lounge has an adequate menu of drinks and snacks. Service is friendly and there is a 4-piece live Filipino band – D’Ventures – that belts out kitschy tunes Mondays to Saturdays.
Address: Mahkota Melaka
Flo
Flo is Hotel Equatorial Melaka’s modish and sophisticated lounge which offers an extensive selection of wines, cocktails, cigars and good entertainment. Designed for socializing in style, it has become a popular hangout for locals as well as hotel guests.
Address: Hotel Equatorial Melaka, Bandar Hilir.
Tel: (606) 282 8333
GoGo KTV Lounge – The Jetty
Built between Mahkota Melaka and Holiday Inn Melaka, The Jetty was never meant for boats or ships to dock. It’s gained its name from the fact that it physically looks like a jetty and extends far out towards the Straits of Melaka. For a night of harmless fun belt out cheesy karaoke tunes at the GoGo KTV Lounge – which charges by the hour.
Address: 12-A, Jalan Syed Abdul Aziz, 75000
Tel: (606) 288 1788
Portugese Settlement
Fondly known as Portugese Square, this area is touted to be the centre of the small Portuguese community – the descendants of the past Malaccan colonists – in Malacca. The Square is simply a little patch with plenty of restaurants, food stalls and pubs and on Saturday evenings becomes a hub of activity, as the local community put up traditional dances to entertain tourists and celebrate their unique culture in style. Grab a beer and plonk yourself down for a night of listening to pseudo-pop bands strut their music with the sound of the waves in the distance.
Tel: (606) 283 6538
Pure Bar
It’s hard to miss this club with its bright blue neon sign and music thumping from its speakers. Chock-a-block on the weekends, the upstairs is a swanky nightclub with a live band – Swerve – playing a medley of songs while the downstairs is a hopping bar. Wednesdays are Ladies Night with free cocktails offered to members of the fairer sex. DJ Tokyo spins some pretty catchy R & B and pop beats downstairs while DJ Nizzam conquers the crowds upstairs with some of the hottest hits.
Address: Lot 591-593, Taman Melaka Raya, 75000.
Tel: (606) 281 4309
Station 1 Café
It’s important to note that this little café isn’t a chic and sophisticated joint. In fact it is actually a small locally flavoured dive that features Malaysian cuisine and some Western snacks on its menu. However on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night, it features a live band and you can sit down, sip a cup of coffee and listen to the dinky band belt out Chinese tunes.
Address: 64, Jalan Melaka Raya 4, 75000.
Tel: (606) 286 3111
The Cube
This nightspot in Malacca isn’t hard to locate; just look for a bright white building with the words The Cube in neon blue perched on top of it. The design theme at this new club is, you probably guessed it, cubes. However what stands out the most at this joint is the posh colour-changing lightning.
Opening Hours: 18:00 – 02:00Address: 66 & 68 Jalan Melaka Raya 25, Taman Melaka Raya.
Tel: (6012) 669 4959
Sunshine Bar
Even though the gaudy red furnishings tend to be an eyesore, Sunshine Bar, a cosy open concept bar by the sea, has gained quite a fan base. Largely due to its free flow drinks for the ladies, this somewhat-hip tavern rakes in a crowd especially during the weekends.
Address: Jalan Syed Abdullah Aziz 75000.
