The best cities for singles in Asia

We asked friends, colleagues, and event organizers where best to make a connection in Asia.
Here's what we found.

We know we might have missed a few, so feel free to share what you know in the comments section below.

Seoul

Ladies, if you’ve ever dreamt of clicking with South Korea’s jaw-droppingly gorgeous male celebs (and we know you have) then Seoul’s clubs are where you’ll want to head. We hate to generalize, but feedback from party girls at nightspots like Club Eden, Club Heaven and Club Answer was that “there were Korean male celeb look-alikes everywhere.” They’re also known to be “fun to dance with,” and “unafraid of approaching strangers.”

“Thanks to two years of mandatory military training, mostly Korean men I encountered were manly and buff,” another CNNGo lady staffer supplied. 

We like.

Unmarried foreign men might have a shot at finding a partner in Seoul too, what with more Korean women seeking inter-racial pairings in recent years.

Indeed it’s safe to say that many South Koreans aren’t coy about their intentions to find a partner, with “booking,” or group blind dating, being a prevalent practice in clubs.

Bangkok

Bangkok is a no-brainer when it comes to top destinations for unmarried types. Let’s look beyond its notorious anything-goes sex industry and focus on its great nightlife. It's not hyperbole to say that by nightfall, Bangkok literally has it all for people of all orientations, from hedonistic, booze-fueled raves to quiet wine-sipping hideaways. Partying with pretty ladyboys? You’ve got it. Gay bars? Bangkok has so much of them, it’s like a gay pride parade every day. 

And with Bangkok’s friendly folk, as this CNNGo article suggests, you usually end any night out with more friends than you started with. 

Bangkok also has “exotic culture and amazing architecture” to entrance the serious solo traveler, according to Connecting: Solo Travel Network founder Diane Redfern.

Shenzhen

Gone are the days when Shenzhen was known to be a sleazy, dour border town. These days, those looking for love in China might want to start in Shenzhen, a famously young city with the average age of 28. "It’s known to be an immigration hub with migrant workers pouring in from other parts of China, so chances are you’ll find them eager to meet other people," said Brent Deverman, owner of ShenzhenParty.com.

(Boys take note: Shenzhen has the highest female to male ratio in the country according to a Shenzhen Daily report in 2009. Happy hunting.)

Try your luck at one of the many clubs in the city, some of which are packed with people every day of the week. Among them, Club Viva is known among locals to be a hot singles bar. Alternatively, log on to one of the city's many online matchmaking websites. 

For solo travelers who just want some restful time alone, Shenzhen also has plenty of arts venues and al fresco dining options to offer -- check out our guide to the underrated delights of Shenzhen.

Hong Kong

Single, career-minded 30-somethings could do a lot worse than Hong Kong when it comes to places to hook up. While so many local ladies are unable to get hitched that television stations are making documentaries about it, the same cannot be said for the expat and traveler circuit, where conversation and number exchanging flows free and easy.

To meet new singles, tag along on a friends’ junk trip during the summer. Clubs like Drop are reportedly great for late-night hook ups while Discovery Bay has been known to have a bit of a reputation as providing married 'game' to singles.

Hong Kong's also great for solo travel, said Redfern, citing its "ease of getting around on your own, shopping, dining, and easy options for day trips via public transport."

Shanghai

With sophisticated clubs and hot young (Chinese) things galore, Shanghai is a great place to have fun if you’re a young foreigner with a taste for the Orient.

Shanghai is swarming with expats and it’s not hard to see why -- clinching a job is easy (if you’re a 'lao wai,' or foreigner), and you can easily find local women who are open to having a good time on any given night out (as long as you’re a lao wai).

With sleek new restaurants and bars consistently popping up in this boom city, you’ll find no shortage of locations for second and third dates.

Read more about Dating TV in China to get a grasp of the dating psyche in mainland China.