Beijing Nightlife

For a taste of traditional Chinese culture, the Beijing Opera is a must-see for visitors. The Beijing version is the newest of the variations on Chinese opera (dating back to 1790), but is today the most widely known and performed. Continuously performed since the 16th century, this ancient art is often mystifying to the non-Chinese tourist, but spectacular in its vivid make-up and vivacious music. Although you probably won't understand what is going on (unless you do plenty of research about the specific performance beforehand) this is a great place for people watching and generally soaking up the atmosphere. The best places for an enjoyable evening at the opera are the Lao She Teahouse and Liyuan Theatre at the Qian Men Hotel.

Chairman Mao officially approved only one traditional Chinese art form after the Communist Revolution - acrobatics. To see what the hype is all about, go to the Wansheng Juchang, which features the city's best acrobats (the famous Beijing Acrobat Troupe performs here nightly).

For those looking for a real night on the town, San Li Tun is Beijing's most popular drinking area. A younger crowd can be found in Haidian, the university district in the city's northwest, where there are clusters of cheaper bars catering to the student body. The Back Lakes, or Shicha Hai, has recently become very popular for late-night drinking. This area houses many classy hotel bars, like Red Moon in the Grand Hyatt and Cloud Nine in the Shangri-La.

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