African Bar
Despite a new entrance and a new bar area, African Bar unfortunately has the same decor and now looks so last millennium. Even so, there were still a good handful of locals enjoying a few beach-buster summer sounds although not a single gwei lo (foreigner) in sight. H/H 7-9pm.
Daily 7pm-2am. No cards. 2/F, Zi Dong Hua Bldg, 707 Dong Feng Dong Lu (8762 3336, 8762 4348) 

An Quan Di Dai
Is there really enough musical talent to go around all the local show bars these days? You probably wouldn't think so after a night here. A seemingly endless parade of talentless dollies and overdressed giffords churning out half hearted covers of Cantonese classics. I'll get my coat. H/H 8-10pm.
Daily 9pm-2am. 228 Hai Zhu Bei Lu (8318 1743) 

Apple Bar
Getting quieter all the time as those in the know migrate to Fishman's Port. It is such a shame that the non-hetero bunch are such a fickle lot when it comes to choosing their bar allegiances. Open from 8:00p.m. till 2:00a.m.
Daily 6pm-2am. No cards. 42 Ti Yu Dong Lu (8551 9496)

Auckland Romantic Bar
Not sure what is so romantic, maybe the dark corners and reasonable prices. Live music Th.Fr.Sa. 10.30-11.30pm.
Daily 7.30pm-3am. No cards. G/F, Yue Kang Ge, Wu Yang Xin Cheng (8737 4999)
 
City Bar
Here you can do a pub crawl without leaving the premises. 5 bars surround a stage which has live entertainment starting at 21:30. Expensive drinks and no cocktails.
Daily 7.30pm-3am. All cards. 1/F, Garden Hotel, Huan Shi Dong Lu (8333 8989 ext 3733) 

Boy Shao
Cosy is about the most polite we can be about these bars. Luckily they are off the beaten track and do not get busy enough for the cramped conditions to be a problem.
Daily 10am-2am. No cards. 1) 54 Nan Hua Xi Lu (8437 5640); 2) 2/F, 72 Jiao Yu Lu (8334 0996); 3) 1/F, 4 Yu Xian Fang, Wen Ming Lu (8337 7689); 4) 2/F, 204 Guang Fu Zhong Lu (8190 7151); 5) 72 Cao Ji Zhi Jie, Shi Ba Pu Bei Lu (8139 3370); 6) 6 Deng Men Xi Jie, Dong Chuan Lu (8381 2007)

 
Catwalk
A popular choice for a relaxed weekend among expatriates. Live music from local and international bands every day from 9.30pm to 1.30am. Though located in a five-star hotel, prices are reasonable. 3 beers for RMB 100.
Daily 9pm-2am. Inside the China Hotel, Liu Hua Lu (8666 6888 ext 3068)
 
Chao Paraya Thai Restaurant and Haha Tiger Bar
Daily 11am-3pm, 5-10.30pm. No cards. 28, Tao Jin Jie, Tao Jin Lu. (8357 7017, 8359 1509)
 
China Club
It takes more than a few lip-synching, disco dancing duos to get a club jumping. Even performing insurance salesmen would be preferable to another Jackie Cheung cover tune but then again, maybe we have just been spoiled.
Daily 8pm-2am, 1/F, Zhao Qing Bldg, 304 Huan Shi Lu (where the Chinatown Disco used to be) (8356 6491)
 
Class Club
Another must see, once. Huge dance floor, but with ropes around it? Located inside Tian He sports ground . Good decor with prices to match.
Daily 8pm-2am, Wing A, 1/F Hu Bin Hotel 451 Yan Jiang Dong Lu (8378 1888 ext 3888)
 
Classic Club
Kung fu and kick boxing, which is mildly interesting the first time round. The real draw here is the choice selection of Karaoke girls if you like that kind of thing. Popular with Honky businessmen with ridiculous prices to match their clientele.
Daily 8pm-2am, Tian He Stadium, Ti Yu Xi Lu (3879 8088)
 
Covert Wing Bar
Not really one of the highlights of the local night-life scene but they do have regular English corners every Wednesday night and Saturday afternoon if you're into that.
Daily noon-2am. No cards. 3 Liu Yun Er Jie, Tian He Nan Yi Lu (8766 7538)

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DIY@Bobo Art Bar
In case you're wondering, BoBo stands for Bohemian and Bourgeoisie. A place for those that advocate the simple life and like to manipulate things with their hands, not what you're thinking! Equipped with various tools, the second floor is a mini-workshop where you can try your hand at pottery, leather tooling, and paper cutting.
Mon-Fri 6.30pm-1.30am, Sat-Sun 2.30pm-1.30am. DIY @ Bobo.Art Bar. No cards. 24 Xiao Shi Xin Jie, Xiao Bei Lu (8351 6171) 

Elephant & Castle
Large outdoor area, cramped indoors, reasonably priced drinks to drink with all the other expats.
H/H 5-8pm daily.Daily 5pm-2am. All cards. 363 Huan Shi Dong Lu (8359 3309)
 
E-Party
Not the easiest of bars to find and is often overlooked with the party powerhouse of Elles only just down the road, but occasionally worth a look in, all the same.
Daily 8pm-2am. No cards. 2/F, 102 Shui Yin Lu (8761 9045)
 
Face Club
Still the best music in town but everything else has all gone a bit Pete Tong. Tables of bottle blonde rich girls outnumbered ten to one by guys that dance like my dad. Fortunately the sounds pull at your arm like a little brother seeking attention, demanding that you put your hands up for the up tempo, industrial chugging rhythms.
Daily 8.30pm-2am. Basement, International Bank Tower, 191 Dong Feng Xi Lu (8388 0688)
 
Fantasy
The mental Congolese DJ is sadly long gone, but the party is far from over. This place is always hopping at the weekends so we really have no objection to a twenty kwai entrance fee. Anyway, drinks here are cheap. Still, this ain't no Face and most of the revelers are residents from around Yangjie. Polish your Putonghua and go make some new friends.
Daily 8.30pm-2am. First Floor, Guangzhou Kowloon Railway Station Hotel, Zhongshan Yi Lu, Yang Ji £¨8739 6999 ext 2189£©
 
Fine Horse Bar
Not much more than a hotel lobby bar. Sure there is live music but apart from that, it is little more than an upmarket coffee shop.
Daily 9am-2am. No cards. B/F, Hua Tai Hotel, 23 Xian Lie Nan Lu (8778 9888 ext 88825)
 
Focus
Guangzhou's biggest disco is still packing them in but we are not sure exactly why. Pretty bog standard canto-pop gubbins that is currently gathering dust among a stack of mid-'80's disco kitsch in hundreds of 'one-kwai-for-everything' stores all over the country. Tons of weapons grade stupidity teenagers necking big handfuls of pharms.
5/F, GITIC Riverside, 298 Yanjiang Zhong Lu (8386 3333)
 
Gipsy King Bar
Lucky draw scam for ladies night on Wednesday. Good dance floor with music by DJ's 2200-0200 daily. Another underground low ceilinged meat market with cheap shots.
Daily 7pm-2am. No cards. Basement, West Tower, Pearl River Building, 360 Huan Shi Dong Lu (8387 5177)

Gold Mango Bar
Happy hour 6-8pm daily. There's outdoor seating under a big Mango tree in the courtyard where you can have a BBQ and drinks. Reasonably priced and a quieter, smaller version of the bar next door, The Elephant.
Daily 4.30pm-2am. No cards. 361 Huan Shi Dong Lu (8359 7564)
 
Golden Sparrow
In the middle of 3 bars, a tiny diverse place with lively bartenders. Cheaper drinks and plenty of hospitality.
Daily 8pm-2am. No cards. 1 Zheng Ping Nan Jie, Tao Jin Bei Lu (8358 6949)
 
Golf Club
Despite the lousy layout and the worst dance floor in town, Golf Bar is now geek chic central. Hordes of overpaid chuppies and snotty, "I'm in a rush" type karaoke girls. The music ranges from redline cheeseometer to awesomely unlistenable and really makes us wonder why this is one of the hippest places on the circuit.
Daily 8pm-2.30am. No cards. Huan Shi Xi Lu, next to Yong Fang Shan Zhuang Restaurant (8666 6708)

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Happy Bar
A classic wine bar with jazz and mellow pop music. Plenty of stronger beverages too. For teetotalers, they have flower teas but we have to ask, who goes to a bar and drinks tea? There are snacks on offer and cigars from Holland.
Daily 8pm-2am. No cards. H16 183, Yan Jiang Lu. (83332329) 

Headley Disco
The Golden Times bar is for rich drinkers who like Dancers and Live music. Check out the all girl band on weekends. Downstairs is the Harley bar, great if you like bikes and loud music. There are also 60 karaoke rooms in a variety of decors for those that like privacy.
Daily 8pm-2am, Jing Yi Bldg, 248 Heng Fu Lu (8358 0490)
 

Hooley' Irish Pub and Restaurant

A traditional Irish pub and restaurant with a focus on live music and great food prepared by a foreign chef. Expect a packed house from Thursday to Saturday. A great place to meet upwardly mobile Chinese and foreigners any day of the week. Daily 4:30pm--2:00am, 2 Tian He Bei Lu, Corner with Guangzhou Da Dao, Ground Floor of Bing Hua Hotel. Call Rob at 13560231914 for details/directions.

Heavyweight
Interesting combinations of shows and hands-in-the-air disco sessions. Just far enough out of town to be ignored by your average chuppy snob but plenty of friendly Xia He residents all looking to have a good time.
Daily 8pm-2am, Xian Lie Bei Lu, Sha He
 
Hill Bar

Lots and lots of Blues, with great Reggae tunes and Latino beats mixed with top Chinese songs. The Hill Bar can make a truly enjoyable and unique experience in Guangzhou. 7pm-2am daily. Great atmosphere, good food. Info. Call Thomas at 135 0001 1859
Daily 11am-2am. No cards. 367 Huan Shi Dong Lu (8333 3998 ext 3913)
 
Hollywood East
A hot hopping place with a pop-rock band on the first floor. On the second floor there is a huge disco with a real pumping beat and next door a dance floor for erotic dancers. 18 KO rooms. This is so hot it costs RMB30 on Fri & Sat, RMB10 Sun-Thur , ladies free. Snacks and beer normal prices.
Daily 8pm-2am. Dong Jun Plaza, 836 Dong Feng Dong Lu (8765 1867) 

House Disco
Definitely a place to make you feel your age. Plenty of teen 'casherette' types in orange moon-boots, followed by little troupes of tops-off boys. A bit like the cheerleaders in Daria, sad in retrospect but laff-out-loud funny at the time.
Daily 8pm-2am. 5/F, Liwan Plaza, Chang Shou Lu (8139 1118)
 
In Bar
It's a multifunctional and multi-style bar. A western restaurant with light pop by day and a night club at well, night.
Daily 11am-1am. No cards. H 17, 183, Yan Jiang Lu. (8333 5326)

Inn Bar
Redecorated, very light and open. New resident band "Star Beat" from the Philippines, playing Pop & Rock every Sunday-Thursday, 8.45pm-12.30am, Friday and Saturday, 9.15pm-1.15am. H/H: 4-8pm. The bartender won the world title. A good choice if you want to try some of the best cocktails in Guangzhou.
Sun-Thur 4pm-1am, Fri-Sat 4pm-2am. All cards. Lobby, Holiday Inn, Overseas Chinese Village, 28 Guang Ming Lu, Huan Shi Dong Lu, (8776 6999 ext 3124)

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J-Life
H/H 7-9pm. If you are out and about at 2am, then there will be people and music. Special parties and DJ's always. A shop front converted into a bar. Reasonable drink prices.
Daily 8pm-1am. Tao Jin Bei Lu (Opposite the Northerner Restaurant (8358 4379)
 
Lotus Bar
A one-man band plays twice a night. Expensive food and drinks in not so private surroundings with great scenery.
Daily 9am-1am. All cards. 1/F, Garden Hotel, Huan Shi Dong Lu (8333 8989 ext 3191)
  
Lucy's Bar & Cafe
Brits and Aussies with a hankering for some great fish 'n' chips will love this place. A comfortable setting and you'll probably want to go back.
Daily 11am-2am. No cards. 3 Sha Mian Nan Jie (8187 4106)
 
The Old House Bar
Quaint country pub decor, that is if there were any pubs in the country. Country prices on booze and food.
Daily 7.30-2am. Min Zhu Bldg, Ming Yue Yi Lu (8736 4390) 

Petrus Bar
It sounds quaint but Petrus Bar rocks, quite literally, with regular bands on the first floor playing rock & pop classics and solo singers in the bar on the second floor every night after 9pm. Head bartender Kavin gives his own performances at the weekend, with special cocktails including the inimitable Back Street Boy (RMB 45), a blend of banana, strawberries and brandy. Sounds fruity. (8349 4568)
Daily 7.30 pm-2am. No cards. 6, He Ping Lu, Hua Qiao Xin Cun. 

Peace Road Music Bar & Restaurant
Huge garden area and two floors of entertainment. DJ on the first floor, live music and bands on the second floor. H/H before 9pm weekdays. Average prices.
Daily 6pm-2am. No cards. 2 He Ping Lu (behind Holiday Inn) (8358 1720)

Red Sun Club
Second rate shows, hundreds of drinking girls and a maze of Karaoke rooms but not a dance floor in sight. Time for a sharp exit.
Daily 8pm-4am,2/F, Sui Feng Bldg, 75 Xian Lie Zhong Lu, Behind Dong Shan Plaza (8776 9101)

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Secret Garden
A quaint sort of place with live singers Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday from 11pm-midnight. Another shop front with a pale green interior and expensive drinks.
Daily 8pm-2am. No cards. Zheng Ping Bei Jie, Taojin Bei Lu ( 8358 4373)

Show Bar
Still the busiest show bar in town, and while the quality of the acts might occasionally be rather questionable, the atmosphere is always pumped, with nary a table in sight not filled with drinking, dicing and laughing locals. H/H 9pm-2am.
Daily 8pm-2am. All cards. 1/F, Parkview Square, 960 Jie Fang Bei Lu (8666 5666 ext 2141)

Shui Bian Bar
Not easy to find, but a lovely little lair it is, with Chinese Opera and other performers. Good prices, must try the hot yellow wine.
Daily 2pm-2am. No cards. Rm 102, Block 15, Ji Nan Garden, Shi Pai Dong Lu (3889 9695)

Strange Brew, 200m from the Ramada Hotel, 103 Ming Yue Lu. Three Canadians own this bar and burger joint. It is simply the best place in Guangzhou to get a great burger and put back some cheap draught beer. It is the the only bar in Guangzhou serving German and Belgian draught beer and it hosts regular parties that rock out. This is a meeting place for Expats and Chinese and a good place to start your night. Directions/information: 13450227140

Taipei
A perennial favorite with youngsters that do not know any better and who should really be at home cramming for another test rather than bopping around in a disco shaking their collective booties
Daily 9pm-2am. 3/F, Nan Fang Theater, 80 Jiao Yu Lu (8339 6568, 8339 6730)
 
Time Disco
Just close enough to the smoke to have big club aspiration but just far enough out of town to lack the ability that could put those dreams into practice. Occasionally there is an up-for-it crowd but the DJs play tracks that would be considered musical Hari Kari in any half decent venue.
Daily 8pm-2am. President Hotel, Zhong Shan Da Dao (8551 2988 ext 8866)
 
The Cave Bar
Live music most nights with a one-man band. Aptly named, hope they have cured the smell by the time you get there. Not cheap drinks; beer RMB30.
Daily 5pm-2am. No cards. Basement, Pearl River Bldg, 360 Huan Shi Dong Lu (8386 3660)
 
The Place
With both floors now well and truly open, this is now giving Peace and Windflower a good run for their money. Good choice of inside and outside seating as well as some interesting resident bands.
Daily 8pm-2am, 4 He Ping Lu 

Time Story
Difficult to find unless you are a Taojin resident as it is not on any of the main thoroughfares and is tucked away under one of the residential apartment buildings. Good for quiet conversation, questionable for anything else.
Daily 7pm-2am. No cards. 1/F, Jin Yuan Bldg, Zheng Ping Nan Jie, Tao Jin Bei Lu (8358 6989)
  
Windflower Music Pub
Plenty of room in the garden and various nooks and crannies, but the main room is usually packed. Great DJ's with a live Jazz band 10.15-11pm weekdays. Bar-B-Q and drinks average prices
Daily 6pm-4am. No cards. 387 Huan Shi Dong Lu (8358 2446)
 
Wonder Bar
The place is worth a visit just for the staff uniforms. Some old disco on the first floor, 23 KO rooms on the second. No food, drink prices normal.
Daily 8pm-2am. No cards. 3/F, Block C, Dong Du Er Tong Da Shi Jie, 475 Huan Shi Dong Lu. (8716 8484, 8356 3730)
 
Yes Disco
The very latest addition to the Guangzhou disco circuit which should be open by the time you read this. Expect high octane, hard house and plenty of that "8-deck knobtwiddly mashup" thing. Look out for that big cockney grin of Toby Crowder, mixing pyrotechnic cocktails just like he used to at Backstreet Bar. Not for the weak-hearted, meek-shirted or just-farted. Definitely for everybody else
Daily 8pm-2am. 2/F Liu Hua Square, 132 Dong Feng Xi Lu (8136 6184)
 
You Tian Xia Bar
Good for meeting friends from around the world, as is indicated by the name of the bar. This two-floor cozy bar is home to travelers and photographers, who display their travel photos and post their traveling schedules all over the place. Regular travel slide shows on Wed night after 8pm.
Daily 4pm-2am. No cards. 2/F, 410 De Zheng Bei Lu (8386 1641)