The 7 gay-friendly “Unofficial” destinations to travel in China

Hello! My Lalas and others, I am back after few days and this time with a topic that I believe you will be interested at because who hasn’t asked the question before: I am gay and I want to travel in China, Where can I go?

Either if you are new in China or you have been few years, as I have, we all know that to this day China is still very conservative about the LGTB+ community and most people feels the need to hide, However, I believe that there has been progress and there are places where we can go and be ourselves! For this really I give you my selection of the 7 gay-friendly destinations in China you can totally visit and have fun!

Hong Kong 香港

According to GOOGLE:

Hong Kong is an autonomous territory, and former British colony, in southeastern China. Its vibrant, densely populated urban centre is a major port and global financial hub with a skyscraper-studded skyline. Central (the business district) features architectural landmarks like I.M. Pei’s Bank of China Tower. Hong Kong is also a major shopping destination, famed for bespoke tailors and Temple Street Night Market

It is also the city where you can find a city with a big expat influence (around 5% of total population in Hong Kong come from other countries. You can also find several LGTB+ Bars and it host an annual Gay Pride.

2. Shanghai

According to GOOGLE:

Shanghai, on China’s central coast, is the country’s biggest city and a global financial hub. Its heart is the Bund, a famed waterfront promenade lined with colonial-era buildings. Across the Huangpu River rises the Pudong district’s futuristic skyline, including 632m Shanghai Tower and the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, with distinctive pink spheres. Sprawling Yu Garden has traditional pavilions, towers and ponds.

Shanghai is the New York of mainland China, it is a cosmopolitan city that host an annual pride event [The Shanghai PRIDE last one week and it is part of the TOP 10 Gay Prides in the world], there are multiply LGTB+ Bars, they have cultural events as well as Job fairs for the LGTB community.

3. Guangzhou

According to GOOGLE:

Guangzhou is a sprawling port city northwest of Hong Kong on the Pearl River. The city features avant-garde architecture such as Zaha Hadid’s Guangzhou Opera House (known as the “double pebble”); the carved box-shaped Guangdong Museum; and the iconic Canton TV Tower skyscraper, resembling a thin hourglass. The Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, a temple complex from 1894, also houses the Guangdong Folk Arts Museum.

I, personally , believe that if you travel around China this is a City that you must see, specially if you are in the south, it is one of the biggest cities, with a growing expat community and important financial centers as well as markets, you have find BARS and a relative big LGTB community.

4. Shenzhen [South of China, border with Hong Kong]

According to GOOGLE:

Shenzhen, in southeastern China, is a modern metropolis that links Hong Kong to China’s mainland. It’s known for its shopping destinations, including Luohu Commercial City, a massive mall with a vast array of wares, from tailors’ custom clothing to faux designer bags. The city also features contemporary buildings, such as the 600m-tall skyscraper Ping An International Finance Centre, and a number of amusement parks.

I love this city, probably because I have been living here for the last 7 years, it is a new city [just over 30 years] and well planned, with tourist friendly public transportation, restaurants and a growing cultural scene that makes this city ideal for work and living, the LGBT scene is relative new but growing, for 2 years in a row they have been hosting parties during GAY Pride in Summer and there are monthly events for those that visits.

5.. Xiamen

According to GOOGLE:

Xiamen is a port city on China’s southeast coast, across a strait from Taiwan. It encompasses 2 main islands and a region on the mainland. Formerly known as Amoy, it was a British-run treaty port from 1842 to 1912. Many Europeans and Japanese lived on Gulangyu, today a vehicle-free island with beaches and meandering streets lined with old colonial villas.

This is what many people think will be the next Shenzhen, or the Miami of China, also with a big expat community that influence how this city is becoming more and more cosmopolitan .

6. Yangshuo

According to GOOGLE:

Yangshuo, a county and resort town in southern China’s Guangxi region, is known for its dramatic karst mountain landscape and outdoor recreation. The town is set amid pinnacles like Bilian Feng (Green Lotus Peak), which has a hiking trail to the top. Tour boats offer cruises on the Li River past picturesque countryside from the town of Guilin to the north.

If you are or were a big fan of Dragon Ball [Yes the Japanese anime] You should visit this place or if you just like nature, it is one of the best places to visit, the local food and people are kind and helpful to the tourist, if you go please go around the river!

7. Qingdao

According to GOOGLE:

Qingdao, in China’s eastern Shandong province, is a port city of skyscrapers, parks and beaches bordering the Yellow Sea. It’s known for its beer, a legacy of the German occupation (1898-1914). The Tsingtao Beer Museum celebrates the namesake brewery, founded here by Germans in 1903, and the Qingdao International Beer Festival is major event. There’s also German-style architecture in the old city center.

How should you visit this city? I will explain in a simple sentence: They have their own Oktoberfest! The city where the most famous Chinese beer is made it is a must!

We all know that in China there is still a long way to go for the LGBT + community to be accepted, but step by step there have been changes, so if you plan to travel do not worry, just remember that we must follow the rules of behavior and registration of the police, for the rest just enjoy the trip with friends or as a couple!