Beijing Nightlife

Beijing's nightlife and entertainment scene is undergoing a revolution, as modern Beijingers enjoy the benefits of an income that their parents could only have dreamed of.

The most popular nightlife area (heavily frequented by expats) is Sanlitun, where bars offer Western beer at Western prices, and are generally much livelier than elsewhere.

Much more laid back and with a more underground vibe to it, thanks to its live-music scene, is the area around the Drum and Bell Towers (known as Gulou), including the bars on and around historic Nanluoguxiang alley. Nearby, Houhai (Back Lakes) is lined with bars and cafés, which are great places for a drink by day but which transform into noisy, neon-lit karaoke bars at night.

Beijing is the cultural capital of China and many pre-Cultural Revolution art forms are being revived to sit alongside Beijing's strong contemporary music, arts and literary scenes. Western influences have also been embraced to transform traditional Chinese art forms into contemporary theatre, with Chinese translations of Western plays also available.

The best city listings magazines are City Weekend, Time Out Beijing, and The Beijinger.