By early evening the lights come up along the Pearl River, and the promenades and piers on both banks begin to fill with people strolling, queuing for boats and settling in for dinner. Later, the action moves inland to the bar and club districts, where the city stays busy well past midnight.
Guangzhou has a relatively large foreign population, and its nightlife reflects that: the city offers a wide variety of nightspots that cater to all tastes, from quiet tea houses to loud dance floors. It suits visitors who want choice rather than a single concentrated party strip — you can spend one evening on the river and the next in a pub, a club or a traditional tea house, depending on the district you choose.
Where to go out in Guangzhou
1. Yuexiu district
Yuexiu is the most concentrated going-out district in the city. Pubs tend to be found here, and dance clubs are clustered in Yuexiu as well, particularly around the Garden Hotel, which is served by Metro Line 5 at Taojin station.
This suits anyone who wants several options within walking distance of one another, and anyone relying on the metro to get home. If you are heading out by metro, note the Taojin stop as your reference point for the club cluster.
2. Tianhe district
Tianhe is the other main pub district, alongside Yuexiu. It is a good choice if you prefer a bar-led evening rather than a club-led one.
Because pubs are spread across two districts rather than one, it is worth deciding in advance whether you want Yuexiu or Tianhe, since they are separate areas of the city.
3. Pearl River night cruise
A one- to two-hour evening cruise on the Pearl River is one of the standard ways to spend a night out here, and a good way to see the Guangzhou skyline along the river, including a light show at Bai-E-Tan. Cruises depart from Dashatou Pier, Tianzi Pier and Xidi Pier.
This suits an early-evening outing, a group, or a night when you would rather sit and watch the city than move between venues. Tickets for the deluxe dinner cruise can be bought from most high-end hotels, and prices run from around ¥50–200 per person, with higher-end cruises usually including a dinner buffet.
4. Tea houses
Tea drinking, known as Yum Cha, runs deep in Guangzhou, a city that sat at the centre of the tea trade between China and Europe in the 19th century. Tea houses are a slower, quieter kind of night out than the bar districts.
Wong Chun Loong Herbal Tea is a traditional herbal tea chain with branches across the city, including on Wenchang South Road, Huagui Road, Dishifu Road and Xihua Road. If you want Wi-Fi with your tea, Starbucks locations include Taojin Road by the Guangzhou Friendship Store, Huanshi East Road in the Peace World Plaza across from the Garden Hotel, and Shamian Island; the chain also serves local fusion items such as a selection of Chinese teas, Green Tea Tiramisu and a Shredded Ginger Pork Panini.
5. Bars and drinking generally
Guangzhou is one of the best cities in China for a night of drinking, with nightspots to suit most tastes. Tsing Tao and Zhu Jiang are the two major Chinese beer brands sold almost everywhere, both fairly standard light lagers; Carlsberg is also brewed in Guangzhou, which is why Carlsberg taps are reasonably common in bars.
This is the default option if you want a low-commitment evening: pick a district, find a bar, and stay local rather than travelling across the city.
6. A cheap ride on the river or the buses
If you want an evening that costs almost nothing, the daytime river ride is as cheap as ¥5 down to the last terminal at ZhongSan University and back — tell the ticket seller at the jetty in front of Riverside Hostel that you just want a joyride. On the way back you can get off on the other side of the river in the heart of the commercial district, spend a couple of hours walking or having dinner, then cross back for ¥1.
Public buses are cheap and generally safe, though you should beware of pickpockets, and electric trams are even cheaper at a flat ¥2. Drivers are generally friendly and helpful; if you have small change and tell the driver you are in just for the ride, they will often let you know when to get off if you sit reasonably close. This suits a low-key, low-budget evening, and works best if you are not overly worried about scams — being paranoid about perceived crime takes the joy out of the trip.
How a night out unfolds
The sources do not set out a fixed timetable for dinner and going out. What they do indicate is that the Pearl River cruise runs in the evening for one to two hours, and that the nightspots — pubs in Yuexiu and Tianhe, clubs in Yuexiu around the Garden Hotel — are evening venues. Tea houses operate as daytime and evening places rather than late-night ones. Plan your evening around a river cruise or a meal first, then move to a bar or club district afterwards.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- Chinese New Year / Spring Festival — first day of the first lunar month, usually January or February; a 15-day celebration, with the flower fair popular in the days before New Year. Some districts can be quite deserted as migrant workers return to their home provinces.
- Dragon Boat Festival — fifth day of the fifth lunar month, usually May or June; dragon boat racing along the Pearl River and rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves.
- Qi Xi (Chinese Valentine's Day) — seventh day of the seventh lunar month, usually August or September; parades and carnivals in the city, though it is steadily losing appeal among locals.
- Mid-autumn Festival — 15th day of the eighth lunar month, usually September or October; Cantonese moon cakes, paper lanterns for children, and ferries on the Pearl River to watch the full moon.
- Double Ninth Festival — ninth day of the ninth lunar month, usually October; the Cantonese tradition of hiking up Baiyun Mountain.
- Winter Solstice — December 22; a family feast with preserved duck and sausages, and hot soup served with flour dumplings.
- Tomb Sweeping Day — around the spring equinox, usually April 5; visits to family tombs for cleaning and offerings.
- Canton Fair — twice a year, spring and fall, at the Pazhou Complex in Haizhu district, lasting several weeks each time. If you are going, book a hotel well in advance, as hotels tend to be booked and expensive during the Fair; the metro is a good option for reaching the fairground, and many hotels provide free shuttle services.
Frequently asked questions
Which districts should I head to for pubs and clubs?
Pubs tend to be in Yuexiu and Tianhe districts, while dance clubs are clustered in Yuexiu, particularly around the Garden Hotel, near Metro Line 5's Taojin station.
How much does a Pearl River night cruise cost?
Prices run from around ¥50–200 per person, and higher-end cruises usually include a dinner buffet. Tickets for the deluxe dinner cruise can be bought from most high-end hotels.
What beer will I find in Guangzhou bars?
Tsing Tao and Zhu Jiang are the two major Chinese beer brands sold almost everywhere, both fairly standard light lagers. Carlsberg is also brewed in Guangzhou, which explains the reasonably large number of Carlsberg taps in bars.
When is the Canton Fair, and does it affect hotels?
It is held twice a year, in spring and fall, at the Pazhou Complex in Haizhu district, and lasts several weeks each time. Hotels tend to be booked and expensive during the Fair, so book well in advance.
Decide whether your evening is a river cruise, a tea house or a bar district, then check the metro and plan your route before you head out.