Kuta is party central, going full-on from 11pm until dawn every night. Clubs and bars abound, each with its own flavor, though they're mostly "same-same but different." Thankfully, it is all pretty family-friendly and not the go-go bar scene you'd find in parts of Thailand and other Southeast Asian destinations.
For the club crowd, the hottest spot at the moment is Hu'u Bar, Jalan Dhyana Pura, Seminyak (tel. 361/736443; www.huubali.com), a beachside bar and nightclub that hosts international DJs. Other contenders, all located nearby, include the Living Room (tel. 361/735735), Bacio, and Bacio's next-door neighbor, Double Six (tel. 361/731266). A good late-night spot is Paparazzi (tel. 361/731155), which only gets going around 2am. The much-hyped bistro and bar Ku De Ta still remains popular, particularly for cocktails at sunset.
For clubbing in Kuta, try Bounty, on Jalan Legian (tel. 361/752529), which is built to look like a galleon and has a lively dance floor and bar often playing R&B and hip-hop. Watch out for drunk Australians. Kama Sutra (tel. 361/761999), chock-full of local teenagers, is a busy club on the north end of Kuta; it has nightly shows and features local bands. The Hard Rock Hotel's Centerstage (tel. 361/755661) sometimes has good live acts, though it's known to be crowded with tourists.
