The best LGBTQ+ venues to visit in Hong Kong to celebrate Global Pride

One of the most popular gay bars in Hong Kong, this iconic venue on Jervois Street hosts fun themed nights, live performances, and offers fun activities like karaoke, bingo, and trivia nights. The place attracts a mixed crowd of locals, expats, and tourists, young and old, so expect to gain a lot of friends when you party in the area, especially during packed weekends. Come by every Monday to Saturday from 7pm to 9pm to enjoy their two-for-one happy hour or catch nights when they give out free-flow drinks for an hour to newcomers.

Bing Bing HK – formerly Circo – sits high on the 22nd floor overlooking the bustling Causeway Bay neighbourhood below. The bar boasts a spacious location and an electrifying vibe that's unlike any other places. Sexy mixologists are on hand to serve up affordable signature cocktails. It's hardly surprising that this place has become a popular stomping ground for younger local crowds. 

Located between LKF and Wyndham Street, Petticoat Lane has rapidly established itself as the gay bar to visit in Hong Kong. It shines not only as an inclusive space but as a great party venue to let loose and hit the dance floor. The bar temporarily closed during the height of the pandemic but is now open and has lined up fabulous DJ sets and drag performances to rock the house down. The party here starts at 6pm and goes to 2am from Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, and ends at 4am on Wednesdays, Fridays, and until 5am on Saturdays. Catch the bar's Thirsty Thursday promotion offering two for one on select beers, wine, and shots. 

The newest kid on the LGBTQ+ block, Vibranium just opened this year and is located in the same building as Bing Bing bar. The bar doesn't enforce a cover charge or minimum consumption, so just come by and catch their happy hour every Monday to Friday from 6pm to 10pm. 

The bar recently celebrated their 11th anniversary in the business last June 24, 2020. With bartenders serving drinks in tank tops (at least at the start of the night), this sleek, dark and seductive bar is, obviously, one for the boys. Catch their buy-one-get-one-free drinks every Sunday to Thursday (7.30pm to 11pm) and Friday and Saturday (7.30pm to 9pm). 

A fun spot at Old Bailey Street; grungy American-style dive bar The Pontiac is a staunch supporter of the LGBTQ+ community. People come here for the fun vibe and affordable but award-winning cocktails. Starting July 2 and every Thursday after that, the bar will be hosting The Pontiac Gay Nights to celebrate solidarity and equality. On July 5, the bar is holding the Sixth Annual Red, White, and Rainbow: A celebration of equal rights and independence. Rum cocktails will be available for $50, and they'll also throw in delectable poke plates courtesy of Pololi for a $100 per order donation. Proceeds from the donation will go to local LGBT charity.

One of the only two remaining lesbian bars in Hong Kong today, Virus has been in the business since 1997 and has moved to various locations in Hong Kong Island. Though the bar has shifted to a more gender-inclusive audience, it remains a haven for like-minded women. Drop by here for some fun and karaoke in the main room or cosy up in the couch area and indulge in the all-you-can-drink happy hour from 6pm to 10 pm. 

The city's rising acceptance towards the LGBTQ+ community has decreased the exclusivity that lesbian bars provide, so from nine bars, Hong Kong's lesbian bars started to dwindle. Together, Virus and L’Paradis remain the only two lesbian bars in the city. Younger LGBTQ+ crowds frequent here for their fun drinking games like darts and beer pong and themed events. There's also some table-top dancing on some nights for added fun. 

Established by Tony Wong, formerly a partner at Zoo Bar, Wink is your typical decent Hong Kong gay bar – all black, minimal and sleek, and with ballad covers of pop hits coming out of the stereo with additional live bands and karaoke nights in the ealier part of the night. The speciality cocktails can pack a surprising punch and are just the thing to get you dancing when the DJs are brought in for the weekend.

Linq Bar on Pottinger Street closed momentarily but has since reopened under new management. The venue attracts a mixed crowd of locals and expats which usually spills out onto the cobbled street. They often have happy hours which offer the best drink deals in the city but the promotion times vary, so make sure to check what they have on offer when you visit.  

For laid-back weeknights, drop by at Time Bar for a drink or two. Being tucked away gives Time a sense of privacy and intimacy. There’s a wonderful al fresco vibe here as the action spills out onto the courtyard around Man Hing Lane and complementing all these are some great cocktails. All these elements combine to make this one of the most popular gay bars in the city.

This popular gay bar (a bear haven by reputation) is one of the more reasonably priced bars around, a place where you can sit back and enjoy a drink without draining your bank account. Once you've partaken of sufficient liquid courage, you can try Boo Bar’s state-of-the-art karaoke system, which has one of the better selections of tunes in the city.