By early evening the west bank of the Gan River fills with people flying kites, and the food stalls nearby start serving. Later, the city's bars and clubs take over, most of them clustered along a few known streets and in the newer district across the river.
Nanchang's nightlife is modest and spread out rather than concentrated in one party zone. It suits visitors who are happy to move between a bar street, a riverside promenade and a cluster of clubs, and who do not mind that much of the scene is oriented toward the expatriate community and weekend crowds.
Where to go out in Nanchang
1. MinDe Lu
MinDe Lu is the main bar street, and it is where you will find the bars most popular with the expat community. Venues the source names here include Muse & C2 Clubs, Queen, and Helen's nearby, along with JD's Bar, a German-owned bar on Nan Hu Lu off MinDe Lu.
This suits a night of moving between several bars on foot. Note that the source describes these venues as they were at the time of writing and does not confirm which are still trading.
2. Fuzhou Road
Another cluster of nightlife sits around Fuzhou Road, where the source names VV club and CD 1925. CD 1925 is described as having four different rooms laid out like a labyrinth.
This area suits anyone wanting a club night rather than a bar crawl, and pairs well with the downtown bar scene nearby.
3. Honggutan
West of the Gan River, Honggutan has its own evening life. The source names the second Bossa Nova Bar here, popular with expats, and Bossa Nova Garden on Feihong Lu, a few streets south of Bayi Bridge, which has a drinking garden out front and is busy on Fridays and Saturdays, often with live music.
This suits a quieter, more local-feeling night on the newer side of the river, and is convenient if you are staying in Honggutan.
4. The riverside and BaYi Bridge area
The west bank of the Gan River is an evening destination in itself: on a Saturday or Sunday you can buy a cheap kite and join the many people flying them. Just south of BaYi Bridge in Honggutan there is also a permanent fair-style amusement park with rides, bumper cars and an outdoor food market.
This suits an early-evening outing, especially with children or before a later stop at a bar. The source notes the rides are intense and the bumper cars fast.
5. Around Bayi Lake
The source names Robot Head near Bayi Lake, described as a bar and club with several floors and clubbing rooms.
This suits a group wanting a single large venue with different rooms rather than a walk between bars.
6. DingGong Road / Star-walk
Bar Newz sits at 112-113 Heng Mao on Star-walk, DingGong Road. It is described as a friendly western-style bar serving the usual beers plus some imported beers, cocktails and western bar snacks, open from lunchtime to late.
This suits an early start or a relaxed drink before the main bar streets get busy.
7. Downtown bar and restaurant venues
Downtown you will find Bossa Nova Cafe on Nan Hu Lu near Min De Lu and Ba Yi Park, a Brazilian bar with Brazilian snacks, South American drinks, beers from several countries and wines from Chile, Portugal, France, Italy and Spain. The source also names Jin Du Crow Hotel's Brazilian BBQ restaurant on Heng Chan Lu, with buffet service and live Brazilian music.
This suits anyone wanting food and drink in one place, with a livelier atmosphere than a standard restaurant.
How a night out unfolds
The sources do not give detailed timings for dinner or for how late venues run. What they do indicate is that the riverside kite-flying and the amusement park are daytime and early-evening activities, that Bar Newz opens from lunchtime until late, and that Bossa Nova Garden is busiest on Fridays and Saturdays. Plan on the bar streets and clubs filling up later in the evening and on weekends rather than early in the week.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- National Day and the National Day Golden Week holiday — early October
- Double Ninth Festival — October
- Christmas Day — 25 December
- New Year's Day — 1 January
- Spring Festival Eve and Chinese New Year — early February
Frequently asked questions
Which street has the most bars?
MinDe Lu is described as the main bar street, with the bars most popular with the expat community, including Muse & C2 Clubs, Queen and Helen's nearby.
Where do expats tend to drink?
The source points to MinDe Lu, the Fuzhou Road area, and Honggutan west of the Gan River, where the second Bossa Nova Bar and Bossa Nova Garden are both described as popular with expats.
Is there anything to do in the evening besides bars and clubs?
Yes. You can walk the west bank of the Gan River and fly a kite, or visit the permanent fair-style amusement park just south of BaYi Bridge in Honggutan, which has rides and an outdoor food market.
When is the busiest time to go out?
The source notes that Bossa Nova Garden is popular on Fridays and Saturdays, and that a walking street with several bars and clubs is busy on weekends. Weekends are the safest bet.
Check current opening times and addresses before you set out, then build your evening around one bar street and one riverside stop rather than trying to cover the whole city in a night.