Three of a kind … a good night out

GOLD CLUB, LAMANA HOTEL, PORT MORESBY

Some visitors may think there isn’t much to do after dark in Port Moresby, but those in the know have long been heading to the Lamana Hotel’s Gold Club. It’s well established and it is considered a safe venue for locals, expats and visitors to meet and mingle.

DRINK

If you can’t find something to slake your thirst at the Gold Club’s five bars, you’re not trying. Ice-cold local beer? Refreshing cocktail? Glass of wine from an international selection?

EAT

The hotel’s adjoining Palazzo restaurant is, perhaps somewhat confusingly, renowned for its Indian curries. But the menu also runs to ‘international’ offerings with a Mediterranean twist. The restaurant is open until 10.30pm during the week and until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights.

DANCE THE ROCK BAR, AYANA RESORT, BALI

Bali’s famous rock bar is actually on a rock, at the base of a cliff, jutting out into the ocean. The DJ booth is in a cave cut into the cliff face. There’s even a gondola ride down the cliff to get there. It’s the perfect spot to watch the sun set over a cocktail.

DRINK

Japanese designer Yasuhiro Koichi of Studio SPIN exploited the natural formation and character of the rock on which the bar sits, with the 360-degree vantage point putting nothing between you and the horizon but shimmering ocean waves. As you sip your cocktail, wine or beer, contemplate the bar, created by Japanese glass artist Seiki Torige using thousands of layers of recycled glass canes.

EAT ELEVEN, FORTITUDE VALLEY, BRISBANE

Perched 11 storeys above Brisbane’s Ann Street, Eleven rooftop bar offers unrivalled 270-degree views of Fortitude Valley, the CBD and surrounding suburbs. The rooftop bars of Istanbul, Bali and Ibiza inspire Eleven’s look – open-air yet cosy and intimate. Remember to dress to impress – Eleven has a strict door policy – and for a really exclusive experience you can ring ahead to book a booth with a guaranteed view.

DRINK

Eleven’s cocktail list draws on the classics, using top-shelf ingredients (over 20 different gins are on the list, for a start) and fresh twists. The wine and beer offerings are extensive, ranging from Australian staples to interesting (and not outrageously expensive) imports.

EAT