Jun 1st, 2010 Contributed by: Ivette Figueroa

HONG KONG — After exploring the picturesque sights of Hong Kong in the daylight hours, the nightlife scene can be quite a shock. The foggy skyline is swallowed up by a multitude of lights as the city keeps burning the midnight oil straight into the next day.

Tourists, curious about how the locals spend their nights on the town, often find their way to Lan Kwai Fong—an L-shaped street in Central where over 20 bars, restaurants and clubs are compacted.

“It’s my first time out to explore the nightlife although I’ve been here for a week,” said Victoria Wong, a California native. “I heard about this area and just wandered in.”

Although tourists may be looking for the local scene, Lan Kwai Fong is predominantly overrun by foreigners. But, this is not necessarily a bad thing.

“I really enjoy the diversity of people here than in Cambridge,” said Emily Wright, 22.

The steep cobbled lanes of Lan Kwai Fong are lined with several open-front bars that often spill out onto the streets. The names and furnishings are all westernized with simple décor — usually just a bar, bar stools, and a bar cabinet with all kinds of beer and drinks.

“Apparently you can take your drinks on the street, which is a plus,” said Noah, 25, another Californian.

The most popular of these open-front bars is La Dolce Vita 97 and it’s easy to see why.

Although smaller than the average bar back in the states, the atmosphere is carefree, with clusters of people spread out along the rows of stools and hip hop playing in the background.

As the night creeps closer to a close, the bar includes the majority of the street in front of it.

“My favorite bar is La Dolce Vita because it’s right there and it’s the right size,” said Hong Kong local, Nick Fui, 20.

Of course, there are other reasons that were suggested for the bar’s popularity.

“It’s because there’s a handsome body like me,” said Sanjeev Gurung, 27, a bartender at La Dolce Vita. “Besides, La Dolce Vita has the best cocktails and a good location. It’s the best place to see and be seen.”

Indeed, the crowds packed into this tiny bar are avid people-watchers, due in part as a diversion from paying for more drinks.

“The drinks here are really expensive,” said Wong.

Typically, each bottle of beer cost HK$40 to HK$50 (US$5.16 to US$6.45), but the cocktails can range from HK$70 to HK$150 (US$9.03 to US$19.35). Of course, happy hour cuts the price in half, but there is a service charge tacked on.

“The drinks here are expensive,” said Amanda Dewes, a UK native living in Hong Kong for the last seven years. ”Wan Chai is a bit cheaper than Lan Kwai Fong, but Lan Kwai Fong has good happy hours.”

Generally speaking, an evening in Lan Kwai Fong is divided into two parts: Happy Hour and Spree Hour. Happy Hour is for white collars from 5 to 9 p.m. and Spree Hour starts at 10 p.m. when many university students and foreigners join the fray.

But no matter what time you decide to join the party, Lan Kwai Fong is pulsing with people and places to drink.

“I like it better here because you can stay out all night. In Nepal, the latest you can stay out is 1 a.m.” said Nisha Thapa, 25.

This may not be the best place to mingle with the locals, but it’s still an interesting place to cut loose with the international crowd.

Bar Highlights:

La Dolce Vita 97
Opening Hours: Mondays-Thursdays, 12 p.m. – 2 a.m.; live shows every Friday 12 p.m. – 3 a.m. , Thursdays and Saturdays, Saturdays 2 p.m. – 3 a.m., Sundays 2 p.m. – 2 a.m.  Happy Hours:    Mondays-Sundays 4:30 p.m. -8:30 p.m.

Post 97
Opening Hours: Mondays-Thursdays 9:30 p.m. – 1 a.m.; Reggae Night on  Fridays-Saturdays 9:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m., Sundays 9:30 p.m. – 1 a.m. Happy Hours:    Mondays- Sundays 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.

C Bar
Opening Hours:  Mondays-Thursdays 9 a.m. – 1 a.m.; Good for people watching Fridays-Saturdays 9 a.m. –till late.  Sundays 3 p.m. –12 a.m. Happy Hours:  Mondays-Sundays 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Tips For Surviving A Night On The Town:

  • Girls should wear flats! If you haven’t noticed by now, Hong Kong streets are anything but smooth and no one wants to hike up a cobbled road in heels.
  • Beware of cockroaches. Despite what the guide books say about sanitary controls, many of these places are infested with these critters.
  • Although the bars do not have a cover charge, you might be not-so-subtly asked to purchase drinks while you are inside. The message in between the lines: Buy a drink or get out.
  • The dependable MTR (Mass Transit Railway) stops running around 1 a.m. But not to worry, there are lines of taxis just outside Lan Kwai Fong, waiting to take you home.

If You Go:

  • Where: Lan Kwai Fong Street and D’Aguilar Street in Central, Hong Kong.
  • How to Get There: Metro: Exit D2, MTR Central station, five minutes by foot; Public Bus route No. 12M, 13, 23A and 40M; Green Light Bus: route No. 10A & 10B; Taxi.

Reposted from The China Journalism Project, University of Miami: labs.com.miami.edu/china

Popularity: unranked

You Should Also Check Out This Post:

More Active Posts: