There’s no need to retreat to the confines of your hotel once the sun goes down in Langkawi – as Malaysia’s hottest resort destination, good times after dark are guaranteed. While you won’t find heaving mega-clubs and raging all-night parties, what you will find are lively beach bars, cosy pubs and classy cocktail lounges – including plenty where you can get your groove on to the sounds of talented local and international live bands.
From sultry jazz to smooth island grooves and party-hearty cover bands, these live entertainment hangouts in Langkawi offer enough variety to suit almost any taste.
1. Kalut Beach Bar & Café Langkawi – Pantai Cenang
We can pretty much promise nothing less than a great night out at Kalut. What makes this always-lively bar one of the most popular beachfront establishments in Langkawi is the outdoor seating – a scattering of brightly coloured beanbags right on the sand, metres from the gently lapping waves of Pantai Cenang. After a delicious dinner of Malaysian-style grilled meats and satay skewers, sit back, puff on some tasty shisha and watch the exhilarating beachfront fireshow, accompanied by a live DJ. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights see a retro cover band take up residence in the bar – singing and dancing is wholeheartedly encouraged!
2. St. Regis Bar – Kedah
The elegant bar at the upscale St Regis attracts a discerning crowd with its extensive menu of premium wines, high-end cocktails and cigars. The interiors are lavishly deck-out, with soaring ceilings and tables carved out of fossilised wood. As a nod to the legendary St Regis jazz bar in New York, jazz bands, sometimes accompanied by top-notch singers, get the mood going nightly from 9pm.
3. Sunba Retro Bar – Pantai Tengah
As the name suggests, Sunba is all about feel-good retro vibes. Part tiki bar, part beerhall, it offers reasonably priced drinks and a pool table. There’s live music every night except Thursday, with the band usually kicking off around 11pm. By midnight, the usually chilled-out Sunba becomes one giant dancefloor, as revellers party to live renditions of old school favourites. Afterwards, a DJ takes over, spinning 70s and 80s pop, rock, funk and disco anthems.
4. Antero Langkawi – Pantai Tengah
This two-storey bar/club is about as close as it gets to the party venues you’d find in Bali or Phuket, with a pumped-up vibe and a sound system that packs a real punch. The downstairs sports bar hosts live bands including local talent and international guests. Refreshingly, Antero support not just the usual cover bands but original music as well. Later in the evening, the upstairs bar becomes booty-shakin’ central, with DJs spinning EDM, house, hip hop, R&B, soul, funk and reggae, making Antero Langkawi’s most intoxicatingly exuberant late night hotspot.
5. Marrakesh Musiteque Club & Lounge – Pantai Tengah
Marrakesh is a glitzy, slightly gaudy venue in the Aseania Resort, boasting the biggest dancefloor in Langkawi. This is Langkawi’s answer to a mainstream nightclub, hosting regular themed events and the occasional big-name DJ. Mainstream EDM and club anthems are the main drawcard here, but the lounge also regularly hosts live bands playing up-tempo favourites to an excitable crowd, with a good mix of both locals and tourists.
6. Nest Rooftop Café – Pantai Cenang
If you’re after a laidback sundowner spot, the Nest is a charming café with rooftop views over the gorgeous expanse of Cenang Beach. Being halal-friendly, the Nest only serves mocktails, juices, coffees and other non-alcoholic beverages, but you are welcome to BYO while enjoying live bands, DJs, movie nights and the occasional open jam session.