Beijing Nightlife

Beijing Nightlife

As the capital of China, Beijing brings together people from all over the world. The prosperity of the city has brought about a varied and colorful nightlife.

The diverse nightlife in Beijing makes it suitable for people with different interests, but especially for the young. There are cinemas, theatres, nightclubs, bars, song and dance halls, Karaoke clubs, restaurants, Beijing opera, or teahouses, not to mention Kung Fu and acrobatics shows.,

Also read top night spots in Beijing.

Beijing Clubs and Bars

There are hundreds of bars in Beijing, the famous bar streets, such as Sanlitun or Houhai, cater for the local youth as well as many foreigners. The music, décor, and various kinds of activities make them enjoyable places to relax and make friends.

Laoshe Teahouse

Various performances from 7:40 to 9:20 pm.

  • Address: 3 Qianmen Street (West), Xuanwu District

Red Moon Bar

An elegant bar-restaurant, with a contemporary décor, offering an impressive selection of lunch options, cocktails, wines and premium whiskies, featuring a live band performing modern music on traditional Chinese instruments.

  • Address: 1 Chang’an Road (East), Grand Hyatt Beijing, Chaoyang District

Hidden Tree

Offers Belgian beer (the owner is Belgian), and tasty pasta dishes. Hidden tree is an excellent place for relaxation, popular among foreigners.

    Address: 12 Sanlitun Street (South)
Also read Best food and restaurants in Beijing Hutongs.

Beijing Shows

Peking Opera, or Beijing Opera, as the quintessence of China, displays the unique Chinese culture to the whole world. It is a combination of acrobatics, singing, and dancing.

The distinguished singing style of Beijing opera is impressive, and the costumes and masks are also quite charming.

Chinese Acrobatics, with its long history, has been praised as "The Pearl of the Oriental Art". A successful acrobatics show demands superb skills and hard training from the artists, and their amazing performances are sure to impress.

Chinese kung fu is a unique Chinese style of martial arts, which is probably one of the earliest and most enduring sports which utilizes both brawn and brain. The theory of kung fu is based upon classical Chinese philosophy.

The following are some popular places for people to enjoy these shows.

Peking Opera at Liyuan Theater

Everybody's heard about Peking Opera, no matter whether he or she's ever been to China. The 200 some years have enriched the opera's spirit. Roles, facial make-ups, costumes, skills and music are the major highlights of Peking opera. Four main types of performers: Sheng (生 male role), Dan (旦 female role), Jing (净 painted-face role) and Chou (丑 comic role which means clown) make up the show and every performing troupe has several of each. Stories are vividly narrated based on classic novels, folk tales and some modern literature works. Regardless understanding the storyline, every audience is to get lost in the spectacular lights and vibrant casting. Liyuan Theatre is our recommended theatre to get a real taste, at which you might get a chance to watch performers put on make-ups before the show.  

Location: Liyuan Theatre, 1st Floor, Qianmen Jianguo Hotel NO.175, Yong'an Road, Xuanwu Distrct, Beijing 北京市宣武区永安路175号前门建国饭店1楼

Tel: 010-51651914

Transportation

  1. From Beijing Capital International Airport 北京首都国际机场:To Beijing South Train Station by Airport Line NO, To Taoran Bridge North Stop 陶然桥北站 by Electrical Bus NO.102 or 106, To Hufang Road Stop 虎坊路站 by Bus NO.343, 70, 603 or Electrical Bus NO.102 and walk to the theatre for 255m.
  2. From Beijing West Train Station 北京西站:To Hufang Bridge Road East Stop 虎坊桥路口东站 by Bus NO.57, 201 or 715 and walk to the theatre for 307m.

Time: 7:30pm – 9:00pm daily year round

Ticket Pricing: 200CNY, 280CNY, 380CNY, 480CNY, 580CNY / Person depending on the seat

Acrobatics Show at Chaoyang Theater

Traditional acrobatics at modern stage setting and excellent performance, this is the key to Beijing Chaoyang Theatre's fame. Greatly involved with music and dancing, it holds some unique artistic characteristics by high requirements for performers' control and precision as well as ingenuity of their moves. At the theatre, people will watch bicycle acrobatics, ballet, circle jumping, ball skill, contortion and Chinese magic tricks. The show itself is a cultural doorway for people to get under the skin of China's traditional art form. As every feat is devoted to present the audience the best of acrobatics, jubilation is sprawling all over the place.

Location: Chaoyang Theatre, NO.36, Dongsanhuan North Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing  北京市朝阳区东三环北路36号

Tel: 010-65071818

Time: 5:15pm – 6:15pm, 7:15pm – 8:30pm daily year round 

Transportation

  1. Bus NO.9, 112, 118, 101, 830, 846, 859, 420, 611, 113, 801, 729, 113, 725, 402, 405 to Hujialou 呼家楼;
  2. Subway Route 10 to Hujialou 呼家楼;
  3. From Beijing Capital International Airport 北京首都国际机场: Beijing Capital International Airport to Sanyuan Bridge Stop 三元桥站 by airport coach,Sanyuan Bridge Stop to Hujialou 呼家楼 by Subway Route 10.
  4. From Beijing West Train Station 北京西站: Bus NO.673 to Hujialou 呼家楼.

Ticket Pricing:

  1. 1st – 4th line: 280CNY / Person;
  2. 5th – 7th line: 680CNY /Person;
  3. 8th line: 880CNY / Person;
  4. 9th – 11th line: 480CNY/ Person;
  5. 12th – 14th line: 380CNY / Person.

Note:

  1. Clients shall book the tickets 2 days in advance;
  2. Clients who book 580CNY and 680CNY tickets get souvenirs.
Read More: Personal Reminders for Travelers to Beijing

Kungfu Show at Red Theater

The show, the Legend of Kung Fu, tells the story of a young boy, who dreamed of becoming a Kung Fu master, overcome difficulties and temptations on the road to enlightenment. The actors of the show are real and excellent Kung Fu practitioners found from all over China. The actors do no speak, and the story line is shown above the stage with English subtitles. This spectacular show is all a combination of Kung Fu, acrobatics and dancing, and is produced up to international standards by China’ leading performing arts production company. It is a show not to be missed for Kung Fu fans, or families with kids.

Schedule (daily): 19:30 – 20:50
Address: 44, Xingfu Dajie, Chongwen District, Beijing

Also read China's 7 best night shows.

Massage & Spa

After touring around the capital, spa treatment and foot massage sound great, don't they? There are the places of our recommendation if you are in for a total relaxation:

ISpa 泰美好Spa会所

The first Thai-style spa center, open in Beijing since 2005, wins a number of hearts with its healthy concept of “Rediscovering myself”. 7 branches in Beijing offer quality time in a high-class spa treatment and Thai massage.

Location & Transportation:

  1. Sanlitun Branch 三里屯店: 5th Floor, 2, Taiyue Heights Apartment Hotel, NO.16 Sanlitun Road South, Chaoyang District, Beijing. 北京朝阳区南三里屯路16号泰悦豪庭2座5层

    From Beijing West Train Station 北京西站: Bus NO.403 to Worker's Stadium Stop 工人体育馆站; From Beijing Capital International Airport 北京首都国际机场:Airport coach to Baijiazhuang Stop 白家庄站.

  2. Drum Tower Branch 鼓楼店: Ground Floor, Gehua New Century Hotel, NO.19, Drum Tower Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing. 北京市朝阳区鼓楼外大街19号歌华开元大酒店1层

    From Beijing Capital International Airport 北京首都国际机场: To Dongzhimenwai Stop 东直门外站 by Airport Line NO.2, To Dongzhimen Stop 东直门站 by Express NO.918, To Drum Tower Stop 鼓楼站 by Bus NO.635;

    From Beijing West Train Station 北京西站: Subway Route 2 to Drum Tower Stop 鼓楼站.

  3. Summer Palace Branch 颐和园店: Xianghongqi Road, Qinglong Bridge, Haidian District, Beijing 北京海淀区青龙桥厢红旗路

    From Beijing Capital International Airport 北京首都国际机场, To Sanyuan Bridge Subway Station 三元桥地铁站 by Bus NO.359, To Haidian Huangzhuang West Stop 海淀黄庄西站 by Subway NO.10, To Nanhetan Stop 南河滩 by Bus NO.630;

    From Beijing West Train Station 北京西站: To Wanquanzhuang Stop 万泉庄站by Bus NO.374, To Xianghongqi Stop 厢红旗站by Bus NO.563.

Liangzi Massage & Gym 良子保健

Dating back to 1999, Liangzi Massage & Gym is wildly known among the Beijingers for its traditional Chinese medical care and massage. 6 branches in Beijing offer good service.

Location & Transportation:

  1. Zhongguancun Branch 中关村店: NO.55, Kexueyuan Road South, Zhongguancun Village, Haidian District, Beijing 海淀区中关村科学院南路55号

    Bus NO. 384, 626

  2. Dongzhimen Branch 东直门店: NO.4, Dongzhimen South Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 东城区东直门南大街4号

    Bus NO.24, 117, 123, 131, 206, 413, 416, 635

Oriental Taipan 东方大班

Oriental Taipan enjoys a great reputation among the young generation and tourists alike for the high-class massage and gym.

Location & Transportation:

  1. Sanlitun Branch 三里屯店: NO.1 Xindong Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing

    Bus NO. 110, 117, 120, 403, 623

  2. Lido Branch 丽都店: 2nd Floor, Building 9, Lido Square, Fangyuan Road West, Chaoyang District, Beijing 北京市朝阳区芳园西路丽都广场9号楼2层

    Bus NO.408, 416, 420, 421, 571, 657, 677, 682

Ticket Pricing: Depending on the service

Booking:

  1. Book the spa / massage on your own;
  2. Book a Beijing tour including the spa/ massage with China Highlights.
Hi, I'm Candice Song
I updated this article on April 8, 2013
See My travel blog
Send feedback to me about this article
follow this pageChina Highlights
Planning a trip? Ask us here 800-2682918 (USA & CA)
86-773-2831999 (Int'l)
Do you want to book a tour/hotel/Wi-Fi. etc.
Your Name Your Email
Q: manish Asked on 2013-04-23 Reply
Hi am coming to beijing on April 26 and will leave on 28th Morning, i am looking for a good travel guide to be with me during all the stay time and visit me beijing during those days, i want to enjoy my time

Hi Manish, we can arrange the English speaking tour guide for you. It is CNY450/DAY(8hrs).

Whitney Liao Replied on 2013-04-23
Q: Adel Asked on 2013-01-23 Reply
Ji,i am coming to beijing on march 23rd night and leave on march 30th night, i am looking for a good travel guide to be with me during all the stay time and visit me beijing during those days, i want to enjoy my time
Dear Sir or Madam, We can only arrange a tour guide for you and also arrange a tour package. The guide's service fee is CNY390/US$63 per day (about 8 hours). Because Beijing is a big city, it is not convenient to go to an attraction to another attraction without a private van. I suggest you book a tour with us. We can leave some free day for you and you could do some shopping by yourself. Here are some packages for reference. Please click: http://www.chinahighlights.com/beijing/tours.htm Lussie Lu Replied on 2013-01-24
Q: Kuen Asked on 2012-12-19 Reply
HiI would be planning a 5-day trip to Beijing next Sept for my family. If we were to arrive at Mutianyu in the late afternoon, what could we do for the rest of the afternoon? Is it possible to do the Great Wall in the morning and then followed by a visit to the Olympics stadium before going to Beijing in time for dinner? Also besides visiting the usual recommended places, is there a ''shui xiang'' that we could go to?

Hi Kuen, usually the Mutianyu Great Wall takes half a day to cover, so if you arrive at Mutianyu in the late afternoon, it will be a little push to visit another attraction. However, there is no problem for you to visit the Olympics stadium, because it is right on the way back to Beijing.

But if you would like to see ''shui xiang'', then Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou are better choices. There is no ''shui xiang'' nearby Beijing.

Whitney Liao Replied on 2012-12-20
Q: batchu govindaraj Asked on 2012-10-17 Reply
planning to visit in first week of nov

Hi Batchu, we are very glad to arrange the China tour for you.

In order to give you an accurate quotation please answer a few questions so that we can construct an itinerary that gives you what you want at the best possible price.

1.      Number of people in your group including yourself

2.      Length of stay in China

3.      City or cities of entry/exit

4.      Start date of Tour

5.      Places or attraction that you want to visit

6.      Class of Hotel: tourist/Deluxe/superior

7.      Estimative total budget per person. 

After getting further information from you, we will send you a tentative itinerary.

Whitney Liao Replied on 2012-10-17
Q: thomastay Asked on 2012-10-09 Reply
three of us will be coming on 15 Oct for 7 days, we ve heard so much of the Beijing Duck, can you recommend me the best one in Beijing and what''s the price for a duck?
Hi Thomastay, the best Beijing Duck is Da Dong Roast Duck. Add：Building 3,Tuanjiehu Beikou,East Third Ring Road,(south east corner of Changhong Qiao),Chao Yang District. The price is CNY240/PP for a group of 2-3 people. Do you need any tour in Beijing? We are a travel agency since 1959, if you need any tour service, please feel free to contact me. Have a nice day. Whitney Liao Replied on 2012-10-09