As you know a Trip to China (or at any part of the world) is not completed without at least a little bit of shopping and if you Travel to Beijing the best place you can go if you want to avoid the bargaining of the Silk Market and you wish for a place where […]
As you know a Trip to China (or at any part of the world) is not completed without at least a little bit of shopping and if you Travel to Beijing the best place you can go if you want to avoid the bargaining of the Silk Market and you wish for a place where Chinese people goes shopping too is Wangfujing.
Wangfujing literally means “Prince’s mansion well” and it’s located near the Tiananmen square although there is a metro station called “Wangfujing” which leaves you just in the middle of the shopping street.
It’s been commercially active since the Ming dynasty and in the Qing dynasty was the place where the aristocrats chose to live after a well of sweet water was discovered there.
Although it was known for a period of time as the Morrison Street (after the Australian journalist George Ernest Morrison) and that sometimes the traffic was allowed in now Wangfujing street is one of the most popular streets in Beijing.
Now it holds more than 280 famous Chinese brands and also a good range of international brands that have their space in the street.
And if you want to have a snack or eat something in the area there are a lot of options you can do; you can always go to the fast food (There is a McDonalds, KFC…) or to the restaurants that offer Beijing duck and a lot of Chinese specialties.
But if you are brave enough and you want to try different things you can go to the Snack Street and buy some of the dishes that are available, there you can try the most bizarre things such as; sheep brains, cockroaches, scorpions, spiders, ants, snake, crocodile , entire ducklings and a range of animals that you can’t imagine.
If you don’t dare to eat this things in the Snack Street you can also find Chuanr (a kind of kebab with lamb meat) and desserts like caramelized fruits or candy fruits in a stick, all very transportable because the Snack Street is situated in a hútòng area so there’s not much space to eat there.
Wangfujing Street and its surrounding area are a part of Beijing that you cannot miss in your Beijing trip. So, my recommendation is that, even if you are here for a short time make sure that at least you spend some time there, just shopping (either for yourself or souvenirs) or just to try all the exotic food!
If you travel to Beijing you will see that most of the tourist attractions are closed by six in the afternoon, which leaves you plenty of time in the evening to enjoy Beijing’s night life. And what’s better than an acrobatic show to end a fantastic day of Beijing tour? There are plenty of places […]
If you travel to Beijing you will see that most of the tourist attractions are closed by six in the afternoon, which leaves you plenty of time in the evening to enjoy Beijing’s night life. And what’s better than an acrobatic show to end a fantastic day of Beijing tour?
There are plenty of places to go and see an acrobatic show and every theater has a different play to show the public the magnificent acrobats that exist in China.
Depending on the theater you are going you can see different shows; for example, if you go to the Red Theater you will see acrobatics mixed with Kung-fu, if you are going to Liyuan Theater Beijing Opera with acrobatics.
But the “normal” plays are the ones that you can see in Chayoang Theater, Tian Qiao Theater and Tiandi Theater, they are just the “acrobatic show” and they follow the same structure, it’s just the scenery that changes depending on the size of the theater.
The show is about a man (a clown) and a female sidekick/helper, which go on an adventure to find a treasure hidden in the depths of a dark cave.
To reach that treasure he’ll have to face lots of perils such as the Death warriors and
the Keepers of the Treasure but he’ll have time to enjoy some things as the dance of the faeries in the forest.
All in all the “Quest” of the main character is just an excuse to see the incredible acrobats doing fantastic things such as; jumping in and out circles, dance and bend with plates full of cups, juggle with ten balls or four umbrellas, jump between poles, and play with Diablos.
At some point the main character seem to die and that’s the signal for the final act, the most spectacular, a show with fans and bicycles that end with ten dancers (or more) on a bicycle running in the stage, making the end of the show a very astonishing and beautiful scene.
These shows are not very long, less than two hours, so you don’t have time to get bored and you can go and have some dinner later as it’s not that late when you exit the show and normally there are lots of offers near the theaters.
If you want to have a good time in Beijing one night and you want to see a show, but you don’t want to spend hours and hours in the Opera, give an opportunity to the Acrobatics Show! You will be surprised and amazed by the ability of these Chinese artists to dance, bend their bodies, jump unbelievingly high and their ways to juggle with objects like umbrellas or Diablos.
This is one thing that you must do when you travel to Beijing and it’ll be worth the experience because you will have some amazing memories to bring home and a fantastic story to tell your friends!
Have you ever been to WuDaoKou during your travel to Beijing ? WuDaoKou is located in the 4th ring of Beijing, Haidian district. This place is known as the “student’s area” because of the numerous universities around. I think that this place is way more fun than SanLiTun if you don’t have a lot of […]
Have you ever been to WuDaoKou during your travel to Beijing ? WuDaoKou is located in the 4th ring of Beijing, Haidian district. This place is known as the “student’s area” because of the numerous universities around. I think that this place is way more fun than SanLiTun if you don’t have a lot of money to have a drink and chill out with your friends. Of course clubs and bars in SanLiTun is more sophisticated and more expensive than WuDaoKou’s ones, but the two places don’t target the same clientele. Moreover, there you can find all the foreign students who came in Beijing to study at the universities around. If you want to make new friends from all around the world and have some fun, here you are !
The neighborhood is not very vast, almost all the restaurants,bars and clubs are concentrated on this single street, at CaiJingDongLu. Let me introduce you some of these places, I mean the ones it would be interesting for you to go and see on your China travel.
Helen’s bar & Café is a staple in WuDaoKou. It is know as the international student hangout, especially made for backpacker types. Here you can find diner type meals and all kind of drinks (cocktails, beers, buckets…) at a very good price. The music is good, you can feel free to dance or even sing on Thursdays for the Karaoke night. The waiters are kind, they will be glad to have a conversation with you if they are not too busy and some of them can perform magic tricks ! The most striking thing when one comes in are the walls covered with graffiti. Everyone can write something to say “I was here” or to leave any message you want. It’s a place full of life and probably one of my favorite, not to say my favorite. However, I must say that when the bar is overcrowded, standing in while everyone is bumping on you is not that funny but I like this place anyway.
La Bamba
This is place where you can eat Mexican food, but don’t get me wrong, I didn’t say that it was a Mexican restaurant. La Bamba is a 2-floor-restaurant/bar, there Mexican food is served as well as burgers, pizzas, or pastas. The first floor looks more like a bar, and the second floor like a restaurant, but you can eat on both of the floors, the music is just louder downstairs. While all the latest hits are playing, you can play darts and a good game of pool with your friends. Meals and drinks are cheap, happy hours are from Sunday to Thursday, and on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at lunch time (from 11am to 6pm) dishes of the day are cheaper than usual. Sometimes music is too loud on the first floor and the service is a bit slow but it is still worth it for the price you pay.
Propaganda, Sensation & Wu Club
First, I should tell you that dressing up is not necessary to enter, they accept you just as you are, this isn’t a fancy club. The entrance won’t cost you anything, except on Wednesday for the open bar (30RMB for girls and 60RMB for boys). Second, as you can guess, parties are college type ones, wild with an underground atmosphere. They play commercial music, and don’t be surprised if they change it every 30 seconds. These 3 clubs are nearly the same, the Wu Club is much bigger. Propaganda is located just below La Bamba and next to it you have the Sensation and the Wu Club lies at the foot of the U-center building near the subway station.
Global
The Global Club used to be a Korean club, but few months ago, they decided to renew it to meet the clientele’s expectations. The atmosphere, the music, the design of the Global is likely to be the same than SanLiTun’s clubs in general. The Djs are not bad, they come from France, they are still young, but they run the party ! They often organize special parties, with dancers, gifts, contest, and other rewards. Drinks are not expensive and girls don’t pay to get in, for boys, it’s 50RMB.
So, now that you know what’s good to do there, what about chilling out some day after your Beijing tour ?
If you don’t want to travel to Beijing because you don’t think China has a bumping night life you should book your tickets because Beijing is a city that harder than New York. It is a city filled with numerous Beijing tours, tourist destinations during the day and some of the best clubs in the […]
If you don’t want to travel to Beijing because you don’t think China has a bumping night life you should book your tickets because Beijing is a city that harder than New York. It is a city filled with numerous Beijing tours, tourist destinations during the day and some of the best clubs in the world at night. Personally my favorite club Kokomo resides in SanLiTun which is just one of Beijing’s popular night districts for foreigners and Chinese citizens alike. Kokomo is located on the 4th and 5th floors of TongLi Studios, the 5th floor is the best because it is a roof terrace with a view of Beijing and if your into football (soccer) at tables on the dance floor or even on top of the tables if you want to dance to the music while you root for your team. It is a Caribbean themed night club but that doesn’t stop them from playing popular music from around the world. It makes sense that they play a variety of music to because Kokomo attracts people from all over the world. Walking onto the rooftop terrace is like walking into a world fair convention but everyone is there to have a good time.
Also located below Kokomo is China Doll which is more of a Chinese techno club that is always packed and it is catered to the techno and dub-step crowd. Also across the way is a very ritzy bar called The Roof Top. However the drinks are a bit more expensive at China Doll and The Roof Top. I find that Kokomo has the best drinks and the most reasonable price. However any of the clubs in SanLiTun are an awesome start to your first weekend in Beijing. Kokomo is also open in the early evening if you are not a late night party animal. My favorite part is that it hosts a myriad of events such as Fire Poi performers who are spectacular to watch. So if you are looking for a place to just have a beer with friends, dance the night away or have a random encounter with strangers from all over the world SanLiTun’s Kokomo is the place to be. So what are you waiting for? Grab your friends and book your Beijing Flights today! As the Beach Boys sing in there song Kokomo “Everybody knows, a little place like Kokomo. Now if you wanna go. And get away from it all. Go down to Kokomo”
A Beijing tour is not complete without sampling some Beijing’s bustling nightlife. From a quiet expensive cocktail to unlimited drinks for 30RMB. Just a short walk from your Beijing hotel when the sun goes down, you will come across a new world full of excitement. Most bars and clubs stay open until 4am or later so you […]
A Beijing tour is not complete without sampling some Beijing’s bustling nightlife. From a quiet expensive cocktail to unlimited drinks for 30RMB. Just a short walk from your Beijing hotel when the sun goes down, you will come across a new world full of excitement. Most bars and clubs stay open until 4am or later so you will be no doubt be spoilt for choice!
Night Market
If you want to experience the smells and tastes of China at its best, then a trip to the night market in Wangfujing Street is something to behold. From starfish to live scorpions on sticks, the night market has it all! However for those who are less adventurous, there are candied fruits and traditional Chinese food such as spring rolls and Kung Pao Chicken.
Sanlitun Bar Street
This thriving place is the expats favourite desintation to party. With an endless streets of clubs and bars to suit every taste. My personal favourite is called Kokomo which is a Caribbean themed club on the 4th and 5th floors of TongLi Studios and is a lounge and has a roof terrace (which is covered in the winter) and has received a variety of awards over the last 5years. Other notable clubs include Vics which is incredibly popular among expats and is considered one of the largest and most impressive clubs in the capital and Boys&Girls which is ones of the most popular bars on the street teamed with it’s neon lights and live Chinese pop and rock bands.
Juicy
Juicy bar is one of Beijing’s best kept secrets, situated near Chaoyang park, for a one off payment of 50RMB you get yourself a members clubcard which entitles you to free entry everyday except Wednesday (where you pay 30RMB entry fee) and entitles you to half price drinks on Sunday – Tuesday and free unlimited drinks on Wednesday. The bar also has a wide variety of different flavours of Shisha which can be enjoyed on the roof terrace for only 40RMB.
For those who want a more exclusive feel, Bar atmosphere is definitely the place! Situated on the 80th floor of the China World Trade Centre, making it the highest bar in Beijing. As well as enjoying the views, you can enjoy a variety of single malts, one of the 300 available cocktails (starting at 65RMB) as well as some light snacks and cigars. This exclusive bar has a strict dress code after 6pm so make sure you get your glamrags on! In the evening there is entertainment from an excellent Jazz Band playing a variety of music from Duke Ellington to Norah Jones. This is the perfect venue for a special occasion or a romantic drink.
So when booking you Chinese flight, remember to look forward to the exciting nightlife that Beijing has to offer. There is something for everyone and you will not be bored of things to do.
Chinese theares have a long historical and cultural background and is deeply embedded into the Chinese way of life. Book Beijing Flights and Travel to Beijing to see what the city can offer you in the form of entertainment. There are many different forms of Chinese theatre, unfortunately it is commonly referrred to as Chinese […]
Chinese theares have a long historical and cultural background and is deeply embedded into the Chinese way of life. Book Beijing Flights and Travel to Beijing to see what the city can offer you in the form of entertainment.
There are many different forms of Chinese theatre, unfortunately it is commonly referrred to as Chinese opera, which is only one type of performing art. Chinese opera was developed in the Yuan Dynasty and became more sophisticated with four or five acts per show. The famous forms of opera include Beijing opera and Cantonese opera, which are both very unique. Beijing or Pekingese opera is the most popular and widely known category. This is a traditional Chinese form of theatre as it includes acrobatics, music, mime and dance. It arose in the 18th century and became highly popular in the Qing Dynasty. Chinese opera is now recognised as a treasure of this country and therefore a trip to China is incomplete without a visit to see a performance.
Other Chinese performing arts include Classical Chinese theatre, which can be traced back to the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1046 BC.) This type of theatrical pastime regularly incorporates happiness, mimes and acrobatic displays.
Later, in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) online casino performing arts developed into many different forms. Chinese people thoroughly enjoyed various forms of entertainment at this time, and continue to, to this day. This dynasty is sometimes called ‘the age of 1,000 entertainments.’ During this era Ming Huang created an acting school and called it The Pear Garden. His aim was to make a style of drama with a primary focus on music. Because of his success in opening a drama school, to this day Chineae actors and actoresses are commonly known as ‘Children of the Pear Garden.’
Another type of Chinese drama which both locals and tourists enjoy is shadow play. This emerged during the Dynasty of Empress Ling and it uses show puppets to entertain the audience. Again, there are distinct categories for shadow puppetry, these are Pekingese which originates from the Beijijng area and Cantonese from the south of China. These two styles were differentiated by the appearance of the puppets and their positioning on their rods. However, no matter what form of shadow play you are fortune enough to watch, you can be sure that the plays will be full of adventure and fantasy.
Firstly, Cantonese puppets were larger and were made from thick leather which allowed more substantial shadows to be cast by them. The colour of the Cantonese puppets have hidden symbolic meaning, for instance a black face illustrated honesty, while a red face represented a brave character.
Alternatively, the Pekingese puppets are more delicate as they were made from thinner leather, which was usually from the belly of a donkey. They were painted with bright colours to cast colourful shadows. Due to an ancient supersition that the puppets could come alive at night, their heads were always removed at the end of the day. Some puppeteers went as far as keeping the head and body in separate books. Shadow play is thought to to have reached its peak in development in the 11th century, before becoming a tool used by the government.
If you think that some or all of these performing arts sounds appealing then why not book your trip with China Travel now.
Finally, your Air China flight has landed in one of the biggest cities in China your mind automatically falls on the Great wall and the Forbidden City. It is night time and your Beijing Tours starts tomorrow. You are filled with excitement, and thoughts on what is there to do in Bejing at night. You […]
Finally, your Air China flight has landed in one of the biggest cities in China your mind automatically falls on the Great wall and the Forbidden City. It is night time and your Beijing Tours starts tomorrow. You are filled with excitement, and thoughts on what is there to do in Bejing at night. You ask around and hear that the place to be at night is in Sanlitun, after a little rest you decide to go see what Sanlitun has to offer.
Sanlitun in Beijing, is located in Chaoyang district in the northeast part of the city, it was designed as a nightlife zone for locals and tourists. The nightlife area, also home too many embassies and shopping complexes, is divided into two parts, North Sanlitun and South Sanlitun. Sanlitun which is sometimes called Sanlitun Village stands out for its fashion and entertainment centre reminiscent of Tokyo. South Sanlitun is located across the large road Gongti Beilu, which has a slightly different vibe from the north side of the street. The original bars and clubs on the west side of the street were torn down before the 2008 Olympics. The village boasts its cool cafes, bars and discos, as well as a swarm of shops which carries brand names such as, Uniqlo, Apple, Nike, Lacoste, and Benetton you can find them all here when you get bitten by the shopping bug.
Also heading down the southern end of Sanlitun’s main road is Q Bar. Q Bar is apart of the Eastern Inn and sports a rooftop patio. Q Bar is widely known for its cocktails, and just may have the best Pina Colada in town. Closer to the main intersection, visitors can find the often rowdy Rickshaw, with its sports bar atmosphere, chicken wing specials and inexpensive drinks that draw in the crowds.
Sanlitun has some areas that are romantic and classical. Some are quite modern and exotic. You may go there at night with a smaller group or just a significant other. In Sanlitun the bars and most clubs stay open until morning the next day. Besides there isn’t a need to worry Sanlitun is well rounded with places to stay like Kunlun Hotel, Dongzhimen and other districts of Beijing have an amazingly array of bars, some of which are quite famous. The bars in Sanlitun has prospered, some of which are quite famous. The prosperity of bar culture in Beijing is related to the special position of Beijing in China.
So, have you booked your flight on China Travels yet? By just reading this, it gives off only a little temptation. Actually being here experiencing the nightlife and shopping in one of the most famous night spots in Beijing will change your views on going out on the town in Beijing. Visit China’s magnificent sites in the day by doing tours and such, but have control over your nights in Beijing. Mingle with people from all corners of the world while having a chilled Píjiǔ (beer). So see you next time at Q Bar perhaps?