Come evening in the 'Mother
City', temperatures may start dropping, but the heat is on
with bars and party venues lining up
exciting events and shows. The city
is well known for its vibrant and varied
nightlife - most clubs only get going at 11pm and are open
all night, and many are open seven nights a week,
promising non-stop partying.
Start your evening early in Kloof Street or at a bar
in alberton as you watch the sun set over the Atlantic Ocean...then
hit the city and choose from Cape Town's sizzling club venues.
Long Street is the happening place for the young and hip, and
you could spend all night wandering in and out of pubs
and clubs, getting lost in the crowds of fellow
revellers.
Atlantic Seaboard
La Med is one of Cape Town's most
popular sundowner venues due to its spectacular setting overlooking
the Camps Bay and Clifton coastline. The bar pumps even in winter,
when you can enjoy live music and dancing
long after the sun has set. Choose between La Med or watching the
night descend from the Camps Bay promenade and dance
to house played by a variety of DJs at trendy Baraza every Wednesday,
Friday, and Saturday. If you're more in the mood for chilled cocktails
rather than frenetic partying, Caprice and
Eclipse in Camps Bay are the ultra trendy, understated
alternative.
City Centre
Enjoy live jazz at 169 On Long
every Friday, followed by a good R&B dance party on pumping
Long Street. On Saturdays the mood is Soul Seduction - vibey
R&B Jazz Dance. Marvel, Placebo and
Jo'burg are also on Long Street and offer vibing
dance floors, well-stocked bars and pool tables. TheJet Lounge on Long Street is a slick venue offering
house, funk and disco beats with a pre-club bar downstairs. Further
down Long Street, Cool Runnings is a chilled out
Jamaican-style bar - jam here to the sounds of Bob Marley before your
evening begins in earnest.
In District Six, the Jam and 206
attract a youngish, casual, unpretentious crowd. The venues are
renowned for pumping hip-hop parties, electrifying drum and bass
evenings and adventurous live music.
Club Unity on Buitensingel is undoubtedly Cape Town's
most popular venue for uplifting house, and resident international DJs
will lift you high at themed parties every Saturday night.
The Fez in Hout Street claims to pull Cape Town's
coolest, trendiest, and most beautiful partygoers. Strut your stuff on
a Friday night, and come back on a Saturday for Fun-da-Mental,
a night of sassy US house and garage.
If it's a stylish top-end club you're after, drop in at Rhodes
House on Queen Victoria Street. It's a cutting-edge venue
that prides itself on being outrageous, yet chic. Different dress
codes are required for themed parties from Wednesdays to Saturdays.
For the more refined visitor (and a boys' nights out!), there is
Kennedy's Cigar Bar, reminiscent of a 1920's cigar
lounge, with vintage cigars and bourbons to match.
While house, dance and trance seem to dominate the club scene, there's
a great choice, so all feet will be kept tapping long into the night.
Green Point
Buena Vista Social Club is a
small homage to Cuba situated in the heart of Green Point. This
restaurant and bar's relaxed décor, wooden floors and large balcony
are accompanied by live jazz and sultry Cuban music, all combining to
provide the perfect setting for a festive caipirinha-filled evening
out. Downstairs, the trendy News Cafe is a restaurant
by day and trendy bar by night. Head for the Bronx,
Angels or Detour on Main Road, Cape
Town's three most popular gay clubs, or the Buddha Bar,
an upmarket spot frequented by fashionable folk.
If you're in the mood for something bigger and better, then head
down to Dockside in Century City, Milnerton. This
mega club is situated beside the mammoth Canal Walk Shopping Centre
and occasionally hosts international DJs.
