Beijing nightlife
Wednesday, September 14th, 2011
Beijing Bars
The nightlife scene in Beijing has only begun developing within the past 20 years, and although this is a relatively short span of time, the city has come a long way. Compared to near by hotspots such as Shanghai and Hong Kong, Beijing could be considered a mild experience, but what it lacks in debauchery, it makes up for with diversity.
Two decades ago, the only opportunity for entertainment after the sun went down was either heading to the opera or watching acrobatics. Today however, life after dark is much different. Still considered tame by some, the options for nighttime entertainment now include live jazz, cultural music shows, teahouse theater, puppet shows, and subtitled films. For the rowdier crowd, there are also clubs and bars.
Most nightlife is found in the city center, particularly in the Chaoyang district, which houses foreign embassies. Karaoke bars are numerous and are worth investigating if only for a laugh. There are also many discos in the area, which have come long way from what they were in the past. Today, modern dance clubs can be found, and although they are not as nice as in other cites, the drink prices make up for it.
If searching for people speaking a familiar language, the best bet is heading to one of the numerous foreign themed bars that have opened in the area.
Many hotels also offer some form of nighttime entertainment.
Sanlitun bar street is famous for its nightlife .