Photo story: Partying in Bali
May to October in Bali promises sunny days, the perfect place to enjoy a summer break.
Students usually make up the bulk of the world's travelers this time of year due to school holidays.
Spring break in March is a popular travel time for Americans and Canadians, while Australians have “Schoolies week” after final exams in late November.
Beaches and coastal towns all around the world become crowded during these periods.
Summer and spring breaks are usually filled with all-day-long parties.
In many “party towns”, rave-like parties are held on beaches.
In Bali, however, it’s a little bit different.
Despite being a world-class destination with glorious sunsets and long lines of magnificent beaches, the so-called “Island of the Gods” does not follow the average spring break style trends.
You won’t see parties during the day on Bali's beaches.
When the sun is still high in the skies, Bali will display its cultural and laid-back self.
The beaches are crowded but there isn’t any thumping music, while the bars are merely places for people to shade themselves from the scorching sun.
Nobody is dancing yet. However, things gradually change as the sun sets.
Beach-side bars will slowly transform from sunbathing havens into nightclubs. DJs and musicians start setting up their gear.
But, it still takes some time for Bali to go from a refined shrine of ancient cultures to a full-blown partying hotspot.
Kuta's famous Jl. Legian and the Seminyak area are highly recommended if you seek to lose yourself in ear-thumping music with plenty of other foreigners dancing and having fun.
These areas offer the best tourists-filled bars and nightclubs. With an array of upscale clubs, such as Potato Head and the W Hotel's club, Seminyak is perfectly suitable for those who are looking for high-class entertainment splurge.
The clubs on Jl. Legian, on the other hand, are better suited for low-budget backpackers staying at low-cost accommodations at the adjacent Poppies lane.
Do take your time when you are going out for a fun night. You have plenty of time to get a proper dinner because arriving on party scene at 10 p.m. is still considered too early.
Take the Sky Garden establishment on Jl. Legian, for example. During the day, its rooftop area is known as a fantastic restaurant with an all-you-can-eat buffet priced at just Rp 50,000 (US$5).
Come after 10 p.m., though, and you will see that all five stories of the building have been turned into one gigantic nightclub.
As the clocks strikes closer to midnight, traffic on the narrow streets of Legian and Seminyak areas become heavily congested.
You are better off walking instead of taking a car, if your lodgings happen to be nearby. Walking will also give you the chance to see just how wild Bali can get, not always in a positive way.
Legally, you must be at least 21-years-old to consume alcoholic beverages in Indonesia, however, it’s very common to see younger people nursing a beer on the streets.
In a nutshell, if you’re looking for an all-day party destination, Bali might disappoint you. But do stick around until night falls.
By then, Bali will cast away its pure and innocent image and turn into a wild place filled with the parties you are looking for.
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