With so many different cultures mixing together, the nightlife is anything but dull in Kuala Lumpur. Although Malaysia is a Muslim country, alcohol is freely available in the capital and the nightlife is some of the liveliest in Asia. Strict government controls close many bars by 0100, although some clubs stay open later. The legal drinking age in Kuala Lumpur is 21 years.

Traditional nightlife for many locals still involves a visit to a bustling pasar malam (night market), where the focus is as much on socialising and people watching as it is on shopping, savouring the excellent hawker food and quaffing ice-cold beer. The Saturday market on Jalan Raja Muda is the highlight, although Jalan Petaling in Chinatown closes nightly to traffic and is still a local favourite, despite the presence of many tourists. The main area for bars is in the Golden Triangle, where there are many European-style bars and nightclubs inside the luxury hotels.

Over the last few years, the buzzing Jalan Sultan Ismail-Jalan P Ramlee strip has taken over from Jalan Bukit Bintang as the place to be. The dress code veers towards the relaxed side of smart-casual, except in some of the classier establishments frequented by the city's yuppie brigade. Bangsar, on the city fringe, is a serious rival to the city centre, with half a dozen streets of bars and eating places packed with a younger crowd.

The monthly Vision KL Magazine (website: www.visionkl.com) gives visitors the low-down on the city's latest hip nightlife spots. The magazine is available free of charge from 4 and 5-star hotels and is also occasionally available in bars.

Bars: Fun bars in the Golden Triangle include El Nino, 21 Jalan Mayang, which is themed around Latin-American music and culture, and Citrus Rouge, 19 Jalan Sultan Ismail, where live jazz, a bustling dance floor, fabulous cocktails, cigar divan and stylish restaurant combine to make this one of the most popular places in town. Nearby, Bravo, Crown Regency, Jalan P Ramlee, is a bar/cafe with a real buzz, a sprinkling of pool tables and a small dance floor. The Beach Club Café, 97 Jalan P Ramlee, is a wild and nefarious party place that attracts expats, local students and bar girls, with its cheap drinks and buzzing atmosphere.

In the Golden Triangle, abstaining Muslims hang out in the numerous cafes on Jalan Bukit Bintang, near the JW Marriott Hotel. The Roof, 2 Jalan Telawi 4, and Soleil, 7 Jalan Telawi 4, are buzzing bars to look out for. Finnegan's, 6 Jalan Telawi 5, is the Bangsar bar most locals point visitors towards, although the high density of single males seems to have attracted an informal bar-girl scene.

Clubs: Nightclubs tend to be quite far out of the city and are normally geared towards Kuala Lumpur teenagers, although a number of dancefloors now grace the Golden Triangle. In the city, the best place for a dance is probably the big hotels' bars. Planet Hollywood, Jalan Sultan Ismail (website: www.planethollywood.com), and Hard Rock Café, Jalan Bukit Bintang (website: www.hardrockcafe.com), often have dancing after their live music performances (see below).

The Embassy, 26 Jalan Ampang, is a bona fide club in the city centre, considered hip by an increasing number of locals and expats. Emporium, 97 Jalan Sultan Ismail, is one of a new breed of clubs in the Golden Triangle, with an outside terrace and an indoor bar and dancefloor. The KL smart set ease through cocktails on the outdoor terrace, before delving inside to dance to the tunes spun by the ever-changing domestic and international DJ guests. The hottest club in town is currently Zouk, 113 Jalan Ampang  (website: www.zoukclub.com.my), with a roster of top local and international DJs, as well as two dance floors and two bars.

Live Music: In Kuala Lumpur, live music often means one thing - karaoke. The city is overrun with karaoke bars, but a few bastions of live music do survive. The Hard Rock Café and Planet Hollywood (website: www.planethollywood.com) may not be considered the epitome of cool in many parts of the world, but in Kuala Lumpur they are where the trendies troop to for some live music, although this is often provided by dubious cover bands. Often a better bet is TM2, Mutiara Hotel (formerly the Hilton Kuala Lumpur), Jalan Sultan Ismail, which hosts a wide range of live music acts as well as DJs.