Port Moresby by night
A local’s take on where to go drinking, eating and dancing. c
With a growing middle class in Port Moresby (POM) and a consistent expatriate population, the city’s nightlife has expanded in response to the demand for more venues to quench a thirst for entertainment.
While some of the city’s stalwarts for entertainment remain, there are some newer venues worth checking out.
HAPPY HOUR Cafe on the Edge
This cafe is the perfect spot for a happy hour after-work drink on a Friday evening. It is one of the few places in POM to recline and watch the amazing sunsets of Fairfax Harbor. Friendly manager and proud Kiwi, Scotty Osborne, is more than happy to have a chat, share a Heineken with you and gloat about the All Blacks’ latest victory. It’s also a great place to meet other POM residents as most people are happy to welcome a newcomer to town. Come often enough and you will start to feel like you’ve walked into the Cheers bar as the staff greet you by name.
For a bite to eat, the Edge makes some of the best burgers in town. The Boardwalk Burger is a standout with its mushroom sauce, and the steak sandwich should not be overlooked, either. With its affiliation with the Food Station, pizzas and other meals can be delivered to the cafe.
During the day, the cafe is a bustling spot for business meetings with Bank of South Pacific (BSP), ANZ Bank and InterOil located nearby.
The cafe is located in the Edge Apartments at Harbour City. Open Friday night until 10pm. See facebook.com/CafeOnTheEdge.
The Grand Bar
If you fancy starting your Friday evening reclining in luxurious leather chairs with a freshly made cocktail in hand and nibbling on delicious tapas featuring local produce, then the Grand Bar is the ideal spot.
Start your Friday evening recling in leather chairs with a cocktail in hand and nibbling on
delicious tapas
Located in the Grand Papua Hotel, one of POM’s five-star hotels in the CBD, the Grand Bar’s cocktail happy hour draws in workers from the nearby office buildings.
Women receive a free glass of champagne on arrival.
The bar is known for its range of Havana Club mojitos and also showcases a range of top-shelf spirits and wines. The complimentary bar snacks, such as kau kau chips (local sweet potato), will also whet the appetite, which can be satisfied by the bar’s tapas menu.
You may also encounter the popular local cover band, the Betelnuts. While no formal dance floor is catered for in the bar, an impromptu one is often created once the Betelnuts start their set after 8pm.
Happy hour is 4-6pm and, depending on the crowd, the bar will stay open as late as 1am.
See grandpapuahotel.com.pg.
NIGHTCLUBS Club Illusion
For those keen to experience local music and the up-and-coming talent of PNG and the Pacific, Club Illusion features some of the country’s best DJs and artists.
Akay47, Justin Wellington and Moqai are some of the headlining acts that regularly grace the club.
If the names don’t sound familiar, get along to Club Illusion to be enlightened – literally. The club’s stage features a massive and impressive LED screen that adds to the electric atmosphere of the dance floor when these artists start to rev up the crowd. Although it is a smaller venue than some of the other clubs, this allows for a more intimate show and the chance to mingle with the artists after their performance.
The club holds so many theme nights, has drink specials and hosts various album launches that it’s hard to keep up. The major alcohol brands also sponsor various party nights; so one night the dress code may be beachwear, the next, a glow-in-the dark fluoro party.
Club entry fee is usually PGK25, but can vary depending on the entertainment.
Club Illusion is in the Granville Downtown Plaza Shop complex, above restaurant Asia Aromas in the CBD.
See facebook.com/ClubIllusionPNG.
Cosmopolitan Night Club
The club is the newest venue in the POM nightclubbing scene. It has raised the bar with international acts that now put PNG on their tour schedules. The likes of Shaggy and T-Pain are some the artists that have entertained the club’s packed out crowds.
Decked out in sophisticated woodwork, lush carpets, geometric design and a killer sound system, the Cosmopolitan is a place to get your dance on. As the club’s name suggests, the bar staff can also make a wide range of delectable cocktails.
The Cosmopolitan also has a restaurant and can cater for large events such as the club’s inaugural Oktoberfest 2014 celebrations.
Entry prices vary, depending on the night of the week.
The Cosmopolitan is on level two of the Vision City Shopping Mall, open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10am. It closes at 4am from Thursday to Saturday.
See cosmopilitanpng.com.
Lamana Gold Club
This was POM’s first major nightclub. It markets itself as the party capital of the South Pacific and it certainly continues to draw some big crowds.
Celebrating its 20th year, the club recently underwent renovations, expanding the area of the second-level bar, which provides a stadium-like atmosphere for large concert events.
Lamana has also brought some major international acts to POM, including Maxi Priest and UB40. The nightclub has committed to bringing an international act to POM every month, so it is worth checking out its Facebook page for the next act or theme night.
General admission is PGK25, but can vary depending on the event night and areas of the club you want to access.
See facebook.com/pages/The-Gold-Club.
SUNDAY SESSION The Boatshed
To cap off a weekend, you can’t look past the Royal Papua Yacht Club’s newest addition, The Boatshed. An alfresco grassy area, next to the marina, gives patrons the best atmosphere to soak up the tropical ambience of POM’s balmy nights while listening to local acoustic artists.
Large wooden tables under umbrellas allow for groups of friends to gather.
The Boatshed has also started a monthly themed Friday cuisine night. Drawing on his experiences in London, general manager James Illing has a number of ideas up his sleeve to follow his successful Bubbledog and Mexican Fiesta food events.
Being located within the RPYC, entry is at the invitation of a member.
See facebook.com/royalpapuayachtclub.