The nightlife scene in Beijing, the capital city of China is thriving and constantly evolving. Even though it is not yet comparable to the nightlife scene in London or New York, the nightlife in Beijing has its own unique attractions and is sufficiently vibrant. The city has a large number of bars and clubs which are mainly concentrated around its main bar strip called Sanlitun Bei Lu which is located near the embassy area in the Chaoyang District of Eastern Beijing.

Live music, visits by international DJs and bands and imported beers are the major attractions of Beijing’s bars and clubs which are predominantly frequented predominantly by ex-pat professionals, the young local Chinese population and tourists. Like other nightlife epicenters of the world, the Sanlitun area has also been plagued by the ills of prostitution and an illegal drug trade. The area has also been subjected to frequent police raids and threatened with closure but in spite of all this turmoil, Sanlitun continues to thrive and remains the hub of nightlife in Beijing. Here new clubs open and close periodically and the club that was ‘hip’ ‘happening’ last year may not even be around this year, such is the churn factor on Sanlitun Bei Lu.

The Top 5 party places in Beijing according to the local scenesters are:-

The World of Suzie Wong

A veritable institution on Beijing’s nightclub scene, this multi level club called The World of Suzie Wong continues to draw in the crowds since it first opened its doors for business in 2002. The décor at Suzie Wong is opulent and reminiscent of an opium den. The Club opened an art deco themed lounge called Touch in 2006 which is hugely popular and which sports a style that represents a unique amalgamation of eastern and western design sensibilities as it seeks to evoke the sense of decadence that characterized the city of Shanghai in the early 1940’s when it was referred to as the ‘Paris of the East’ Suzie Wong has several attractions for its patrons all through out the week with Latino nights on Tuesdays, Ladies Night on Wednesdays and Hip Hop Bling Bling model’s night on Thursdays. In addition the club also has special events on the weekends. Suzie Wong is open from 7pm until 6am every day. The club imposes a cover charge which varies nightly and ranges from Y200 to Y299 per couple.

D-22

D-22 is essentially a musician’s club which is run by music lovers for music lovers and is located in the city’s university district at Wudaokou. The club is not big on aesthetics but it does serve cheap alcohol and provides a platform for Beijing’s local jazz musicians many of whom are self taught or have been trained in classical and traditional music to perform. Some of Beijing’s best live outfits like Carsick Cars and Hedgehog often play at D-22.

The club is open from 8pm to 2am and entrance costs less than Y99 per couple.

White Rabbit

White Rabbit is a relative newcomer on Beijing’s club scene. The club has been financed and managed by Beijing’s DJs and electronic musicians. White Rabbit is known for its booming House music and drum ‘n’ bass beats and is a favored location for Beijing’s hipsters to dance the night away.

Block 8

Recently voted as the best club in Beijing , Block 8 is in fact a multi level entertainment complex that has within its folds three high end restaurants Med, Haiku and the Boardroom, a swanky night club called I-lounge and a hopping outdoor patio bar called The Beach which affords stunning views of the city.

The Boat

The Boat is located aboard a refurbished boat which is actually stationed on the Liangma River near Sanlitun Bei Lu. There are two floors on the Boat and each floor has a bar and a dance floor where patrons can enjoy the tunes spun by local and international DJs while they knock back mixed drinks and Qingdaos which are priced around Y30. Western and Chinese cuisine along with free Wi-Fi are added attractions that are also available on The Boat.

So if you’re headed to Beijing for the Olympics this year you have now got a head start on planning your nights out. For more information about China hotels, attractions and restaurants near the events you’re attending don’t forget to check out the free 2008 Beijing Olympics Guide Book.

Posted in China

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 15th, 2008 at 7:32 pm and is filed under China. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.