I just returned from a business trip to China – with a brief stop in Guangzhou. For those that don’t know, this is a very large city on the outskirts of Hong Kong Home to about 13 million people. It’s massive. It also happens to be an excellent place for single white men to meet Chinese women. Based on my personal experience in and around the city, I figured that it would be beneficial to write a complete guide to meeting Guangzhou girls.

First, a disclaimer

Before going any further, it’s necessary to let you know that I wasn’t there to pick up girls. I am a married family man and those days are long behind me. However, it’s still fun to people watch, and I observed a lot during the week that I spent in and around Guangzhou.

While I don’t have any direct experiences with what it’s like to meet Guangzhou girls, I can share my observances and my opinions on the things that I saw. Trust me – one can learn a lot by simply watching and observing.

Guangzhou girls: what are they like?

Much to my surprise, Guangzhou girls are very reserved and approachable. Unlike the major Chinese cities of Shanghai and Beijing, the girls there seem to be more down to earth. In other words, they don’t appear to carry the stone-cold big city attitude (and swagger) that you tend to see in people from large cities. It’s an excellent place to meet “real” girls.

The best way to describe it is like comparing girls from the city to girls from the country. The girls from the country are usually a lot more friendly and approachable, and that’s exactly the vibe I was getting while walking around the streets of Guangzhou.

Everyone seemed friendly and approachable, and exchanging smiles with complete strangers was effortless – something that’s not as easy to do in large cities such as Shanghai and Beijing.

How easy is it for a foreigner to meet girls in Guangzhou?

Based on my personal observances, I’d say that it would be extremely easy. I can count on two hands the number of western people I saw during my one week in this large city, which was quite surprising considering how massive of a metropolis it is. White guys who visit Guangzhou will have zero competition vying for the girls to are open to dating Western men.

Although I personally didn’t approach any women, the ones that I did talk to in the airport and the hotel were extremely friendly and easy to have conversations with. Of course I realize that their job as service employees requires them to be extremely friendly and helpful, but I’m just making a general observation here.

If I were still single and on the prowl, I wouldn’t have any issues striking up conversations with random girls in Guangzhou. Based on the things that I saw, I’m confident that I wouldn’t be rejected too harshly (the way some girls tend to do). As a matter of fact, being rejected in the city would probably be a relatively pleasant experience! People just seemed to be more polite in Guangzhou than other places in China.

My top tips for single men wanting to meet girls in Guangzhou

I have traveled all over China over the past 10 years, and I’m of the opinion that Guangzhou (so far) is the best city of them all for meeting girls.

1. The center of the city is where all the action is

My best recommendation for meeting girls in Guangzhou would be to focus on the central city area near the flower gardens. This is a very busy and touristy spot, and you’ll have no problem finding opportunities to approach women if you have the courage to do so. Because it’s a very open and public place, girls will feel less threatened and nervous if you approach them (due to the safety of having so many other people around).

Simply offer to take a picture of her and her friends. Very few people would reject such an offer, and because of that, it’s a great conversation starter.

2. Sign up for FriendsAsia before you go

I also highly recommend signing up with FriendsAsia before you travel to China. Making friends with several girls in Guangzhou even before you leave home will streamline the process and make things go much faster. This is especially helpful if you’re not going to have a lot of time on the ground once you arrive.

Get to know several women as soon as you can, and be sure to set up some times to meet with them after your arrival. Once you meet all of them face-to-face, you’ll quickly get a sense of who you’re attracted to and who you’re not. Assuming she likes you back, it’s probably the fastest way to get a girlfriend from Guangzhou.

3. Be nice and polite

Even though Guangzhou is a densely populated (and massive) city, it’s still felt very “small town” to me. The people there didn’t seem anywhere near as stuck up as the people in Beijing or Shanghai. Therefore, be on your best behavior or end treat the girls you approach just as you would want to be treated yourself.

Nobody likes a pushy idiot (especially girls who are being approached by strange guys), so observant and be nice. If you get the sense that she’s not interested in talking to you, just let it go and move on.

FAQs about meeting girls in China (in and beyond Guangzhou)

If you can’t already tell by now, I am of the opinion that meaning girls in Guangzhou is probably one of the easiest places in all of China to do it. Here are some general FAQs (frequently asked questions) about meeting single girls in this massive city:

Do Chinese girls really like white guys?

The basic answer to this question is “yes”. You can read more about this topic in my article about Asian girls liking white guys, but for the sake of answering the question as quickly as possible, I’ll just say that it’s not something you have to worry about.

Chinese women are generally not opposed to dating western men. However, you should know that not all Chinese woman feel this way. Some do, some don’t. The only way to find out is to put yourself out there and see what happens.

What is really attractive to a Chinese girl?

It’s not like Chinese girls are a different species from a different planet, so it’s important to treat them just as you would treat girls from anyplace else. Just be polite, be yourself, and show an interest in her by asking questions and making light complements. As always, don’t overdo it. Just act natural and calm, and know when to back off if you’re getting the sense that she’s not into you.

What’s not attractive to a Chinese girl?

Girls in China are very much like girls from the rest of Asia: they are turned off by loud and aggressive guys. This is very important for western men to understand since western and eastern cultures are so completely different. Asian culture is all about honor and respect, and if you appear to have none of that, she’s just not going to be into you.

What is nightlife like in Guangzhou?

I wouldn’t know since I’m old and I was in bed by 10 PM every night (lol), but from what I’ve heard it’s a very active scene. It’s a very large city with something for everyone, and you’ll have no problem finding the exact kind of night life you’re looking for (from mild to wild). If you’re young and full of energy, this is probably the best way to meet girls in Guangzhou.

Do Guangzhou girls speak English?

Based on my own personal experience, young people in the major cities of China (such as Guangzhou) tend to speak English fairly well. You’ll find that it’s not as common with older people, but there’s always someone around who speaks a little English.

(By the way, make sure to read my post about dating older Asian women if that’s your thing…)

That being said, it behooves you to learn as much of Chinese language as you can if you’re serious about meeting girls in China. Even if you can barely form a sentence and you mess everything up, she’ll think you’re adorable for even trying. Western men who can speak Chinese (even just a little bit) are rare. You’ll stand out (in a good way) if you can speak the language.

Are there any negatives to dating girls from Guangzhou?

In all honesty, there are no short term negatives that I can think of. However, do know that long distance international dating extremely difficult and the chances of long-term success is low. Not only that, even if your relationship succeeds, you’ll face more hurdles when it comes to marriage.

For example, for American citizens, obtaining a green card to allow your fiancé / wife to stay in the US is extremely complicated (and expensive). Think long and hard if you want to pursue a serious relationship with a girl from Guangzhou – or anywhere else in China.