From a visitor’s perspective, the area known as Sanlitun, in the northeast of the city, is the most popular area to head to find a bar. Venues in this area all offer draught beer and have a reputation for being generally more lively and exciting than the stuffy bars found in hotels. Xinjiang Kou is also worth checking out and offers places to grab a drink as well as a variety of good restaurants to dine at beforehand. Lotus Lane located on the north side of the Ba River and the lakeside area of Houhai, are also considered burgeoning bar and night venue areas.

Visitors wanting the low-down on the city’s most current night-based events can check out the Beĳjing This Month website at www.btmbeĳjing.com or the city’s listing magazines, ‘That’s Beĳjing’ and ‘City Weekend’.