Belly Dancing at Amarna Única

Barrio Colombia is an industrial neighborhood sandwiched between my apartment development, Ciudad del Rio, and the Premium Plaza mall.

Over the years, it has become densely packed with clubs.

Walking down Carrera 43G every week on the way to the gym or supermarket, I’ve counted a dozen clubs within a few blocks of each other.

Amarna Única has the most ornate facade by far.  A sphinx rests above the door, and one can clearly tell from the outside that this is an Egyptian-themed club.

Walking by it so regularly left me curious as to what it’d be like to go there on a Friday or Saturday night.

I’d already seen plenty of pictures on Facebook of Colombian girls posing with shirtless men in traditional costumes to know how the staff would be dressed.

On a Saturday night back in September, I stopped by with a date sometime around midnight to check out the scene.

The inside of the club was much bigger than it appeared from outside. Tall ceilings and an open floor plan helped create that effect.

A giant, square, red-tiled bar was situated in the center, with the requisite tables and chairs all around the perimeter.

There were two VIP areas on either side of a throne (where the King and Queen sat).

Not in the mood to order a bottle of liquor, we pulled up chairs at the bar, and called our waitress over using the handy buttons.

Why do we have to pretend we’re on an airplane to get some attention?

Because the bar is so wide, it’d be impossible to place a drink order directly with the bartender.

It’s built this way to allow for the belly dancing performances and singers to hop up there and entertain the crowd.

The first time I experienced a guy breaking out in a cover song at a packed club was in Chengdu, China.

I thought it was hilarious at the time (probably because he was singing a Michael Jackson song in English), but the custom has grown on me in Colombia.

It offers a break from the DJ’s and gets the crowd engaged in the music (if they aren’t already).

The decor was decidedly Egyptian, with faux hieroglyphics on the walls, columns, and statutes. Having been to Egypt before, I thought they did a good job!

I surmise one of the reasons Amarna is popular is that it gives many Colombians who will never have a chance to visit Egypt in person, a taste for the atmosphere one would experience there.

Overall, I was surprised to enjoy my short time in Amarna Unica. I think the cover was around 10,000 or 15,000 pesos per person ($5-8).

Get there early (before 12 AM) to ensure you catch the belly dancing at the bar.

And be sure to hold onto your receipt after you pay for the night’s drinks, as you’ll be asked to show it on your way out.