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Beijing, China |
 Beijing Nightlife | Beijing Bars Clubs Nightlife
With more than 550,000 extra bodies expected to descend upon Beijing for the Summer 08 Olympics, China's capital is set to become one of the hottest destinations of this year, with even hotter nightlife. Beijing is a truly ancient city, a centre of Chinese culture and politics for more than six centuries, but today the unmissable sights of The Great Wall, Forbidden City and Tanzhe Temple sit alongside international hotels, designer boutiques, chic residences and stylish restaurants and bars that would compete against those of any international city.And with some $40bn being invested to bring it up to Olympic standards, the modern perhaps one should say 'Western' side" of Beijing is growing fast. Even the policemen are being taught how to smile pleasantly at foreigners! |
Beijing has seen an explosion of restaurants, bars and clubs in recent years, appealing to both locals and expats. It's as varied as you'll find anywhere and the best tip probably is just to get out there and explore. Getting around Beijing is pretty easy, but if you're taking a cab it's best to have a map and your desired destination written in Chinese as few speak English - and watch out for pickpockets on the buses and underground....like any big City, really.
There are four main areas worth exploring: Sanlitun, particularly around the Workers Stadium, Chaoyang Park West Gate , the lantern lit Houhai, and Wudaokou in the northwest of the City the latter particularly popular with students.
Sanlitun is where it all started and what was once a single street with a few bars is now a major entertainment area with hundreds of bars, clubs and restaurants. Itself divided into three areas: North, Workers Stadium, and Central, Sanlitun is located in Eastern Beijing in the Chaoyang District and is one of the main areas of redevelopment leading up to the Olympics - so don't be surprised if some of the recommendations below may have changed name or style by the time you get there. The area has had a reputation for drugs and prostitution and this is one aspect that the Beijing police are actively trying to crack down on. |
 For superb live Cuban music try Havana Club, or for a great sake cocktail try Alfa a very trendy dance spot with a quieter mezzanine lounge from where you can observe the 'action'. And if you need to catch up on sports (whilst working on your laptop), Rickshaw is the place. The Den on Gongtidong Road, combines a quiet(ish) downstairs bar and restaurant (good pizza), while the upstairs club is packed with youngsters dancing the night away...and as it's open til 6am, that's no joke! Also worth checking out are Banana, one of Beijing's most popular club venues, at the SciTech hotel, and the plush Angel Club where only the beautiful are seen.This area is also home to Paddy O'Sheas Irish pub (Dongzhimenwai) which claims to serve the best poured Guinness in the capital and offers a great range of whiskies although it probably can't beat Ichikura, just next to the Chaoyan theatre, for its range of single malts and bourbons |
Houhai is a more recently developed old town area crammed with small bars and characterful pubs that are just waiting to be explored.A real mix of old east and modern west, the manmade Lake Hohai adds to the atmosphere with its glow of lights. Quieter than Sanlitun or Wudaokou, music here is more likely to be traditional Chinese or easy listening, though the East Shore Live Jazz Cafe on Qianhai Nanyan Lu can get pretty lively and Club Obi Wan on Xian No 4 (named after the bar in Indiana Jones and the Templer of Doom) offers 'respectable' clubbing.
If you've spent the day working up an appetite at The Great Wall, Beijing offers every type of food imaginable. Mandarin cuisine is the local style of cooking and Peking Roast Duck undoubtely the best known dish of all (try it at Made in China, Grand Hyatt on East Chang An Avenue or Quan Ju De's outlets on Dongdaqiao Lu or Jingzin Dasha - both in Chaoyang). If you really want to splash out, look out for a Manhan Quanxi or Manchu-Han Chinese full banquet, the traditional feast originally intended for the Manchu emporers of the Qing Dynasty. If you can run to it (they are expensive) you probably won't need to eat again for a week.
The must know Chinese word for “cheers” is “Ganbei, which literally means 'to dry the glass'. If you do find some new Chinese friends during your visit, then beware of how you treat your first ganbei of the evening! Down it in one and you're likely to be up for a very drunken evening, as you'll have set the trend for every drink to follow!
As for a hangover cure...well teahouses are common in Beijing and certain, albeit pricey, types of Chinese tea are said to cure a suffering body exceedingly effectively! |
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List of venues |
Durty Nellies
North Road East 3rd Ring Road
Chao Yang District
Beijing
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Havana Club
Gong Ti Bei Men North Road
Beijing
100027
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Hooters
201 China View Building No. 1
Chao Yang District
Beijing
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