1. Johannesburg
Joburg has it all, from hipster bars and dancing clubs, to historic pubs and bar districts. The only tricky bit is that nightlife areas are spread across the city, although this just adds to the variety. Wherever you go, make sure that if you are driving you stay sober or take a taxi. The legal drinking age in South Africa is 18. Credit cards are accepted everywhere unless otherwise stated.
2. Cape Town
There are essentially four nightlife precincts in Cape Town: Victoria Road in Camps Bay, aka the ‘sunset strip’, with tables on the pavement or on raised platforms – all the better to toast the setting sun; Long Street, an increasingly grungy area attracting a young pan-African crowd, and where most of the backpackers are located; upper Kloof street – though the bars are not as densely packed as Long Street.
3. Abidjan
Abidjan has a reputation for its vibrant nightlife, it is considered to be the liveliest on the continent. There are many nightclubs; bars and what are called maquis’ to discover all over the city.
4. Lagos
Lagos offers the elusive electrical charge that all travelers crave: the authentic, even if that means having to watch your back on the street at all times.
5. Nairobi
Kenyan nightlife is infamous for its anything goes attitude. Things however are tightening up, and in Nairobi, rules are becoming more common, and more enforced. That being said, if you are looking to party in Kenya, Nairobi and the areas around Mombasa have you covered. Beer and other forms of alcohol in Kenya are widespread and easily available. Recently there has been an effort to crack down on people getting drunk and lazy during the day, so the selling of alcohol has been restricted. But you can never be certain if these regulations will be enforced, or if it is just another means of corruption.
Typically nightclubs are open late, often till the sun shines the next day. It’s common to take your time, eat dinner and possibly visit a cheap bar to hangout before checking into the main destination of the night. Small neighborhood bars, guest houses, or just the side of the road are good places to get started before moving on. Attire for going out is really up to where you go, and where you are in the country. Nairobi has its share of upscale nightclubs and bars that require closed-toed shoes and long pants, with most people choosing to wear button down shirts. Upper class Kenyans and Indians like to dress smart, and make sure they look good going out.
6. Luanda
Luanda: a city where everyone seems to have money, kids drive better cars than some senior execs in New York do and attending a mundane New Year’s Eve party costs at least $100. If you’re visiting Luanda and want a good time, you’ll need cash – lots of it, preferably in US dollars. Conventional wisdom will tell you that when visiting a foreign city it’s always better to go out with a local, and this could not be truer in Angola. Locals will help you navigate the fluid Luandan nightlife scene and keep the notoriously unfriendly bouncers at bay. The savvy ones will also show you how to party without breaking the bank.
7. Durban
8. Kampala
The nightlife in Kampala is anything, but boring. The city is filled with discos, nightclubs, and live music venues. Black Angel is one of the more famous dance clubs in Kampala.
9. Accra
Like everywhere else, but especially for Accra, music is integral to the nightlife. Ghana is pioneer of key sounds to emerge from the continent (most prominently highlife, and the Afrobeats sub-genre Azonto).
10. Addis Ababa
Nightlife in the Ethiopian capital can be either very low-key or borderline raucous, depending on where you go. The country has a jazz tradition going back to the 60s, which was, sadly, temporarily suspended during the years of communist regime (along with other kinds of live music), but is now back up and ready to be thoroughly enjoyed at venues across town. An alcoholic beverage not to be missed is tej, a murky honey wine served in bulb-shaped glass containers at designated “tej houses” (tej bet), and not only.
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