Located in the extreme west of central China, Chengdu is a very prosperous regional hub with all of the modern, broad-ranging nighttime activities one would expect of a successful metropolis of the size of Chengdu. In fact, the city's nightlife is on par with many of China's larger coastal cities and continues to grow, offering plenty to see, do, eat, and drink at night.
1. Enjoy the Sichuan Opera
While you may expect opera to be the same throughout China, you'll be surprised to find there are many different regional operas, with Sichuan Opera being one of the oldest ones (and perhaps one of the best known throughout China and internationally).
Sichuan Opera is characterized by its circus-like elements, where actors are either consummate acrobats, magicians, illusionists, fire-spitters, or clowns. Another element that sets it apart is the element of face-changing: this involves multiple layers of masks that are changed at lightning speed.
You can go and see the Sichuan Opera at Chengdu Culture Park's Shu Feng Ya Yun Sichuan Opera House every day from 8pm to 9:30pm, for 140-320 yuan.
Recommended tours:
- 1-Day Dujiangyan Panda Keeper Program Tour
- 1-Day Chengdu Panda and Sichuan Cuisine Tour
- 4-Day Wolong In-Depth Panda Tour
2. Visit a Traditional Tea House
Tea houses are a great way to soak up Chengdu's culture, and they are open at night as well as during the day.
Chengdu's tea houses serve up the famous Chinese teas, including jasmine, maofeng and zhuyeqing. While some of Chengdu's best teahouses are listed in this piece about the best teahouses in Chengdu, at night we particularly recommend Jinli Street.
Jinli offers a little bit of everything in the way of nightlife, from tea houses to special crafts boutiques and ordinary bars and pubs, as well as a number of bed & breakfast establishments. The architecture and street lighting of Jinli Street is quaint, traditional – and most picturesque at dusk, it is said – adding to the charm of this unusual and popular street. China Highlights offers excellent Chengdu tours that explore Jinli, as well as visit other famous Chengdu Landmarks. Find out more here.
3. Eat Spicy Hotpot
Hotpot is Sichuan's signature dish, and many hotpot restaurants are open late and you'll find they're still bustling into the early hours as one of Chengdu's most popular social activities.
Hotpot can be found on every street corner in Chengdu, but the quality will vary. We can recommend going to Lao Ma Tou Hotpot on 29 Yulin Middle Road, Wuhou District, or Shu Jiu Xiang Hotpot in Unit 2, Block 11, Nijiaqiao Road, Wuhou District.
Of course it doesn't have to be spicy if you're not a fan of spicy food. Check out this hotpot guide to find out more about what to order for inside your hotpot, and how it works.
Recommended tours:
Contact us for a private tour of Leshan and Mount Emei.
4. Go for a Stroll and Enjoy a Puppet Show
Kuanzhai Alley, which translates to the Wide and Narrow Alley, is a wonderful place to stroll around at night, as there are plenty of things happening. You'll find shadow play, a puppet show, as well as a calligraphy performance.
You'll find teahouses, local restaurants, clubs, and spas here too, with plenty to look at no matter what time of the day you come to visit! We recommend visiting at dusk if you can, to get a little bit of the day-time and night-time vibes.
5. Have a Drink at a Western-Style Bar
Chengdu has plenty of Western-style bars if you're looking to relax with a beer in hand at night.
One of the most popular ones is Shamrock, which is undisputedly one of the most established Western-style bar/restaurants in Chengdu. It has pool tables, a Western menu and occasional live band. During the weekdays it normally attracts a regular, expat crowd, but on the weekends can attract a pleasant mix of newcomers and established regulars.
Although it has a reputation for being a bar for the more "settled-down" crowd, this is still a nice place to go to meet new people and have interesting conversations. This Irish pub has a sports bar feeling, and is located just around the corner from the American consulate.
- Chinese Name: 三叶草爱尔兰西餐酒吧
- Address: 15 Renmin Nan Lu, Section 4
- Chinese Address: 成都人民南路四段15号附1号
Other options include Beer Nest, which provides a large variety of beer and has grown popular with the young European as well as Chinese crowd.
It's two-level modestly designed interior gives the bar a very western feel, along with a menu of microbrews and international beer, you may feel like you're back at home. Due to the success of its first bar, it has now opened a second location.
- Beernest Address 1: 34-698 Jinxiu Lu (opposite the Poly Centre)
- Chinese Address: 武侯区,锦绣路34号附698号(保利中心平安银行对面,棕北国际楼下)
- Beernest Address 2: Renmin Nan lu, 4th Section – No. 48-32 , behind the BMW dealership
- Chinese Address: 人民南路四段48号附32号,首座万里商业街1楼 (宝马经销商后面)
Alternatively, for a more relaxed vibe, try Bookworm, a bookshop and bar/cafe which is often a destination for keen readers or those who want to dine out, but not necessarily go out. It has a different look from other bars on this list, as it is designed as more of a restaurant and meeting place rather than a bar. It often hosts lectures, events and group meet ups and has free books to read, as well as books to purchase.
- Address: Yujie dong jie 2-7#, 28 Renmin nan lu
- Chinese Address: 玉洁东街2-7号,人民南路28号
6. Raise the Roof - Go Clubbing
If you want to go out clubbing, Chengdu also has the spots for you! There is the Poly Centre, which has a few clubs in one place.
One of those, Here We Go, is a relatively new club that has quickly gained notoriety in Chengdu as being the place people go very late at light. It is a relaxed club with a quieter upstairs area and newly renovated bar and dance floor.
It is often filled with a majority of young, inebriated foreigner and Chinese people, but generally attracts all late night party-goers. The club plays hip-hop, chillwave, dance and occasionally hosts international DJs, where an entrance fee may be charged. Usually it is free of charge and getting busy at around 3 to 5 am.
- Address: Floor 21, Poly Center, Jinxiu lu, Section 3, Building A, Floor 21
- Chinese Address: 成都保利中心3栋A座21楼
Across the hallway from Here We Go is Tag. Tag attracts a similar crowd to Here We Go as people move back and forth between the two. Tag is generally more of a typical club with loud dance music and a big dance floor. This club usually plays house, techno or dance music and occasionally charges an entrance fee.
- Address: Floor 21, Poly Center, Jinxiu lu, Section 3, Building A, Floor 21
- Chinese Address:成都保利中心3栋A座21楼
Nasa is another newly renovated club on the 19th floor of the Poly Centre. Similar to Here We Go and Tag, Nasa attracts the late night party-goers. While it does tend to close earlier than Tag and Here We Go, it often provides another club for Poly Centre visitors to move to when they are hopping from place to place.
- Address:Floor 19, Poly Center, Jinxiu lu, Section 3, Building A, Floor
- Chinese Address: 成都保利中心3栋A座19楼
Our Chengdu Tours Let You Explore the Nightlife
Take a Chengdu tour with us and you will have the evening free to explore the city and its nightlife, using our suggestions above. You can also ask your knowledgeable tour guide for more information. Please see our popular Chengdu tours below for inspiration:
Not interested in the above tours? We are more than happy to create a tour for you based on your interests and requirements.
Further Reading about Chengdu
- Here are 8 free things to do in Chengdu if you are visiting on a budget.
- Looking for places to shop in Chengdu? There are plenty of shopping streets in Chengdu to find your souvenirs or presents to take home to family and friends.
- Not sure where to start on Chengdu? Here are the Top 10 Facts for Travelers to Chengdu!