Top 12 Cities with Beautiful Night Scenery in China

Written by Sally Guo Updated Jun. 29, 2021

When dusk comes, there are outstanding great night scenes in a lot of cities such as Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Chongqing. Lit by thousands of lights, you will get a different experience from the daytime. Walking along the Bund in Shanghai has been on numerous travelers' travel lists. Have you been touched by wonderful night scenes? Here, China Travel provides you with the best night scenes in China to have a great night experience.

1. Hong Kong

Hong Kong has one of the top 3 night scenes in China, and Victoria Harbor and Victoria Peak at night are the most spectacular night scenes in Hong Kong. There are the top 3 places to view the beautiful night scenes, including Tsim Sha Tsui, Victoria Harbor, and Victoria Peak. Tsim Sha Tsui is the main tourist destination and shopping area in Kowloon. There are a lot of museums, entertainment centers, restaurants, and bars where you can have a vivid nightlife.

Located in the south of Kowloon Island, it's a good place to glance at Central and Wan Chai on the opposite side of Victoria Harbor. And you can get to the top of Victoria Peak, also known as the Peak, to have a panoramic night scene of Hong Kong. In addition, there is a short performance in which about 40 famous skyscrapers cooperated with music and narration to introduce the buildings of Hong Kong. The show starts at 20:00 every night in English, Cantonese, or Mandarin. You can also take a boat along Victoria Harbor to enjoy Hong Kong's night scene.

2. Shanghai

Night scenes in Shanghai consist of the Bund, Xintiandi, Xujiahui, Anting Old Street, Huaihai Road, Jing'an Temple, Lujiazui, Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, People's Square, and Putuo Section of Suzhou Creek. The Bund, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, and Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street are the most outstanding night scenes in Shanghai.

The Bund is a symbol of Shanghai's night scene. As one of the most popular attractions in Shanghai, the Bund has a variety of buildings with different architectural styles, such as Gothic, Romanesque, and Baroque. Lujiazui in the Pudong Area stands for modern Shanghai and has hundreds of skyscrapers such as the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, and the Jin Mao Tower. To take a cruise along the Huangpu River is a great choice to see the night in Shanghai.

3. Beijing

Why is Beijing's night scene on the list of top night scenes in China? You can not only experience modern nightlife but also a classical night view.

Tian'anmen Square is a hot destination to enjoy a night scene in Beijing, and you can have a glance at the ancient imperial buildings in the square. You can see a modern night scene in Bird's Nest, the Water Cube, and the bustling CBD near Beijing, China World Trade Center. Shicha Lake and Sanlitun Bar Street are good places to enjoy a different Beijing. Located in the Northwest bank of Chaoyang Park, Solana Blue Harbor is loved by young people to enjoy a romantic European night scene in Beijing.

4. Chongqing

Situated at the intersection of the Yangtze River and Jialing River, Chongqing is famous as a mountain city. Due to its geography, you can have a grand view of buildings that are standing upright along the rivers.

Yikeshui (One Tree) Sightseeing Stand in South Mountain is a great destination to see the whole of Chongqing at night. You can also visit E'ling Park to see the night of Chongqing. South Riverside Road is a great place to view Jiefangbei and Chaotianmen, which are the most prosperous parts of Chongqing. The Two Rivers Cruise can bring you a short-distance and deep-experience journey of the night in Chongqing.

5. Guangzhou

Someone said the night scene in Guangzhou is similar to Hong Kong; however, I don't agree with it. Guangzhou has a unique nightlife scene with various nightlife options. Guangzhou has another card -White Cloud Mountain, where you can see a magnificent night scene consisting of numerous house lights and cars.

The Pearl River night cruise starts at Xidi Dock with a two-hour journey, which is an essential trip of Guangzhou's night scene. With a length of 610 meters, Guangzhou TV & Sightseeing Tower is a new landmark in Guangzhou. Besides, Shangxiajiu Beijing Road and Tianhe Shopping Center are popular night destinations in Guangzhou.

6. Nanjing

Nanjing, named Jinling in ancient times, was the capital of 6 emperors in ancient times. Nowadays, it still keeps the old capital scenery. Confucius Temple (Fuzi Temple) and Qinhuai River are the most popular destinations to view the night scene in Nanjing. Xuanwu Lake Park is another good place to view the different night scenes.

Confucius Temple was originally built in the Song Dynasty to commemorate Confucius, who was a Chinese great thinker and educator. There are a lot of ancient constructions in the area. Taking a boat along the Confucius Temple and Qinhuai River can view the essence of the night in Nanjing.

7. Dalian

If you come to Dalian, you can enjoy the beauty of the seashore at night. Haizhiyun Square, Navy Square, and Victory Road Lookout are the hottest attractions at night. There are fountains in Navy Square, People's Square, and Star Sea Square.

Green Mountain View is the best place to see the night in Dalian. You can walk along Victory Road to the Star Sea Square, where there is an open-air dance before 21:00 and a fountain show after 21:00. It takes about one and a half hours to walk from Victory Road to Navy Square.

8. Chengdu

Chengdu, one of the most leisurely cities in China, is also the center of Southwestern China. It is not only famous for its giant pandas and natural scenery, but also a popular destination for night scenery. Travelers can go to Chunxi Road (the busiest road in Chengdu) to experience a modern night journey and to Tianfu Square to see its music fountain.

Jinli Street, Kuan Alley, Zhai Alley, and Wenshu Monastery are popular places to experience old street night scenery, different from Chunxi Road's modern scenery. At the same time, the streets are good places to do some shopping for Chengdu's souvenirs in the evening. In addition, travelers can also visit the Fu'nan River and Qintai Road to see a different Chengdu.

9. Wuhan

Wuhan, the provincial capital of Hubei Province, is the location of the Chu Kingdom in ancient times. It is a modern city in the middle of China on the Yangtze River. It gets its name because of the combination of Wuchang, Hankou, and Hanyang. Yellow Crane Tower and Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge at night show travelers the charm of the riverside city.

Other excellent places to see the night scenery include Guqintai, Ganggu Walking Street, Wuhan University, Northwest Lake, Wuhantiandi, Hankou River Beach, Donghu Cherry Park, and Jianghanguan. Travelers can also take a cruise at Yuehan Dock to see Wuhan's night highlights with a 1-hour and 45-minute journey.

10. Xian

Xi'an, also known as Chang'an in ancient China, is one of the four famous capitals of ancient times. You can experience a completely different night scene from a modern city. Here you can view the nightlife of the traditional Chinese capital. Tang Paradise, which is a large-scale imperial garden of Emperor Xuanzhong during the Tang Dynasty, is the best place to enjoy the night in Xi'an.

In the north square of Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the Xi'an Music Fountain at night is attractive. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda and ancient constructions are highlights during the daytime and at night. And the Muslim Quarter is not only a food paradise but also a wonderful destination to enjoy the nightlife.

11. Macau

Macau at night is more dazzling than during the day. A lot of travelers are attracted to Macau during the daytime; however, they don't know that the night is even better. Famous attractions such as Largo do Senado, Clube Militar de Macau, Ruins of St. Paul, museums, and Bar Street are more outstanding at night. The most recommended place to see the night scene is Largo do Senado.

You can see the night scene of Dangzi Island at Largo do Senado. In addition, Lisboa Casino, which is one of the popular landmark, is extremely bright at night. Of course, life in Lisboa Casino just starts at night.

12. Lhasa

Lhasa is a must-visit destination for every traveler who heads to Tibet. Its mysterious Buddhist culture and beautiful snow mountains have attracted a large number of travelers from around the world. At night, local people get together to dance and relax in front of the Potala Palace, the great night scenery of Lhasa. The Potala Palace at night is a different scenic picture of Tibet.

Tibet is a special area for both Chinese and foreign travelers, and the night in Lhasa is completely different from other modern cities in China. However, foreign travelers need a Tibet Entry Permit and have to be accompanied by a legal Chinese tour guide while traveling around Tibet.