One of the richest cities in the world, Hong Kong hosts a crowded 7 million people. Among them, you will find a diverse party-loving crowd of executives, expats (and their grown-up kids), students, and a fair number of tourists.
This makes for an extremely dynamic, sophisticated and intense nightlife that I consider to be one of the best in Asia.
Even though the political tensions with China, followed by the COVID pandemic, were catastrophic for the entertainment industry, things are slowly going back to normal. Tons of new bars and clubs have opened, many walking distance to each other, and they are busy every night of the week.
I wrote this detailed review of Hong Kong nightlife to make sure you'll have a great time partying in the city. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them at the end of the article and I'll do my best to answer you!
(Note: Don't forget to bring your ID when going to clubs in Hong Kong. The bouncers may not let you inside if you don't show them proper identification.)
Hong Kong Nightlife Areas, Clubs, Bars + Hotels
You can click on the map above to see the full list of the best bars and nightclubs in the city.
There are three main party districts on Hong Kong island, each with their distinct atmosphere:
- Lan Kwai Fong
- Wan Chai
- SoHo.
On Kowloon's peninsula (the part of the city attached to the mainland), there are fewer nightclubs, but you can find some expensive hotel bars in the Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) district. It also has some affordable, unsophisticated pubs that cater mainly to 30+ executives.
Here's what you need to know about each of these areas:
→ Lan Kwai Fong
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Lan Kwai Fong (LKF) is located in the heart of the busy Central Business District. This is where you'll find most of the large nightclubs.
It is a tiny area with 3 streets that are full of bars: Lan Kwai Fong Street, Wyndham Street, and D'Aguilar Street. If you are new to Hong Kong and you don't know where to start your night out, just go there first and you'll easily meet people from all over the world.
LKF tends to draw a younger crowd of local and international students, office workers, and interns who depart straight from their megalomaniac bank towers after a hard day of work. It is also where you'll find the most tourists and backpackers.
The nightlife really starts at around 10pm: The bars pump up their music, turning the entire streets into dance floors where people smoke, drink and mingle in the middle of the road. While you can party horizontally, going from one bar to another all night long, don’t forget to look up. There are a lot of venues on the upper floors of the buildings. Sometimes an elevator ride can lead you to a completely different and unexpected space.
The nightlife really starts at around 10pm: The bars pump up their music, turning the entire streets into dance floors where people smoke, drink and mingle in the middle of the road. While you can party horizontally, going from one bar to another all night long, don’t forget to look up. There are a lot of venues on the upper floors of the buildings. Sometimes an elevator ride can lead you to a completely different and unexpected space.
Popular bars and clubs in LKF:
Upper-class nightclub, fine to party with a group if you enjoy being surrounded by beautiful people. Entrance fee can be quite expensive for guys (up to HKD400 depending on the event). Bottle service starts at HKD5,000 of minimum spending. Sexy dancers will entertain the guests several times during the night.
Dragon-I has hosted many celebrities in the past, both as DJs and clients (including Bruno Mars or DJ Snake). It prides itself on being exclusive so you need to book ahead and dress up if you want to enter.
Dragon-I has hosted many celebrities in the past, both as DJs and clients (including Bruno Mars or DJ Snake). It prides itself on being exclusive so you need to book ahead and dress up if you want to enter.
One of the biggest nightclubs in HK. Made it to DJ Mag's Top 100. Famous EDM DJs monthly. Great sound and lighting system. Entrance fee around HK$200-300 with one drink.
Previously Cé La Vi, this rooftop bar with a club underneath is the hottest spot on LKF. Cosmopolitan crowd. House/techno music. Expensive entrance (HK$350-400 with 2 drinks)
Mainstream clubs (EDM, Hip Hop), mostly Asian crowd.
Where to stay near Lan Kwai Fong nightlife:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Landmark Mandarin Hotel (rated 9.3/10, US$550 per night) - One of the top 5 hotels in Hong Kong.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ovolo Central (rated 8.6/10, US$280 per night) - Just 1-minute walking distance from the clubs.
⭐⭐⭐ Butterfly on LKF (rated 8.5/10, US$90 per night) - Best value hotel near LKF nightlife.
→ SoHo
Just a few minutes away from LKF, SoHo is the best party district for young expatriates and hip locals.
In the daytime, the area is filled with small, niche art galleries and concept stores. During the night, it is known to have the best cocktails bars and boutique nightclubs in Hong-Kong. There are an innumerable amount of unique places, so it is worth having a walk around to explore their diversity.
Popular bars and clubs in Soho:
For the bars, you can check any of these: Leone (Italian cocktails), Old Man's (named one of the 50 best bars in Asia), Pontiac Bar (LGBT-friendly, named one of the best bars in the World), Globe (British Gastropub), Draft Land (minimal design, tea cocktails on tap), COA (recently awarded Best Bar in Asia, long queues to get in), Shady Acres (cool dive bar), and plenty more that you can find by just walking around at night.
There are also several interesting nightclubs where DJs play something different, less mainstream than the EDM/Hip-Hop you can hear in LFK.
Among them, The Quality Goods Club (expensive supper club in a basement with tasty food and eclectic DJs), Padre (packed on weekends, underground vibe, techno/house/old school music), and Oma (also a techno club, with Funktion-One sound system).
Outside Soho, two other similar nightclubs are worth mentioning: The LGBT-friendly Mihn Club (written 宀 Club, it's very dark, smoky, underground, no seats or table) and Social Room.
→ Wan Chai
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Often seen as the red light district of Hong Kong, this is a popular party area among older expats and foreigners. Apart from the naughty venues (mainly a few hostess bars and massage parlors on Lockhart Road), you'll find a bunch of great expat pubs such as Queen Victoria, Churchill's, Trafalgar, Carnegie, and Delaney's.
The red light area in Wan Chai is actually quite small. Once you leave Lockhart street, you won't notice anything special compared to other parts of the city. It is actually a wealthy part of town, with offices, luxury apartments, schools, etc. The area near Sun Street, Star Street, Moon Street and Ship Street is quite pleasant if you are looking for trendy cafés, restaurants and bars to hangout.
Finally, on Sundays, Wan Chai is also where many Indonesian and Filipina workers party on their day off. Their favorite bars, like Escape, Amazonia, or Joe Banana will be packed.
Recommended hotel near Wan Chai nightlife:
⭐⭐⭐⭐Burlington Hotel (rated 8.1/10, US$80 per night) - Good value for money, guest-friendly, located on Hennesy road (1 street away from the red light district on Lockhart street).
⭐⭐⭐⭐Burlington Hotel (rated 8.1/10, US$80 per night) - Good value for money, guest-friendly, located on Hennesy road (1 street away from the red light district on Lockhart street).
Must-Try Nightlife Experiences in Hong Kong
For both a great festive environment and an unmissable local cultural attraction, the Hong Kong Jockey Club comes to life every Wednesday evening. Starting early at 7pm, there is a $10HKD fee to enter the ring and watch horse races until 10pm.
The horse track is enormous, endowed by the silhouette of skyscrapers in the background. While betting on horses is certainly part of the attraction, there is also live music between races, craft beers, dancing and celebrating. On the bleachers, you can observe what seems to be the taxi drivers that zoom around Hong Kong during the day, deeply concentrated on their newspapers in order to bet on the right horse to score big.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club on Wednesday night is a unique event, but make sure to come early because, after the final race at around 9.30pm, the festivities are over. Generally, if the gamble has gone well, the partygoers will then shift to Wan Chai Wednesday to celebrate.
The horse track is enormous, endowed by the silhouette of skyscrapers in the background. While betting on horses is certainly part of the attraction, there is also live music between races, craft beers, dancing and celebrating. On the bleachers, you can observe what seems to be the taxi drivers that zoom around Hong Kong during the day, deeply concentrated on their newspapers in order to bet on the right horse to score big.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club on Wednesday night is a unique event, but make sure to come early because, after the final race at around 9.30pm, the festivities are over. Generally, if the gamble has gone well, the partygoers will then shift to Wan Chai Wednesday to celebrate.
Drinking at the International Financial Centre (IFC)
As Hong Kong remains a pricey place to live in, and even pricier to go out in, students and locals have found hacks to still enjoy the natural beauty and ambiance without breaking the bank.
Carrying open cans of alcohol in public spaces is legal in Hong Kong. Many young adults will buy alcohol at a local 7/11 and consume it on the roof of the International Finance Centre – one of the most famous skyscrapers in the Hong Kong skyline. On the roof, there are benches, a garden and arguably the best view of the port. You can sit on the roof, bring a speaker and drink with your friends while enjoying a view of Kowloon’s light show on the other side of the port.
It’s cheap, economical and authentically Hong Kong.
Carrying open cans of alcohol in public spaces is legal in Hong Kong. Many young adults will buy alcohol at a local 7/11 and consume it on the roof of the International Finance Centre – one of the most famous skyscrapers in the Hong Kong skyline. On the roof, there are benches, a garden and arguably the best view of the port. You can sit on the roof, bring a speaker and drink with your friends while enjoying a view of Kowloon’s light show on the other side of the port.
It’s cheap, economical and authentically Hong Kong.