Traveling to Beijing for the first time? Don’t get caught in, out, or up by cultural shocks. Know how things should - and shouldn’t - be done to ensure your trip is a memorable one for all the right reasons.
Apart from the international student center of Beijing Language and Culture University, there’s hardly a more cosmopolitan place in this city than the bar street (jiubajie) of Sanlitun. There you’ll find revelers from every country imaginable, along with plenty of local punters, engaging in all manner of booze-fuelled activities. Be they run by locals or expatriates, there is no shortage of dens of iniquity, and if you’re a laddish lad or a boogie-bashing chick, most are well worth a visit. But there are some pitfalls of which you should be aware.
Sanlitun Bar Street itself is unusual by Beijing standards - it features bar after bar, after bar. Many are run by natives - and are pretty tacky by Western standards. Featuring flashing neon lights, thumping Mando-pop, and scrawny representatives standing on the street trying to grab your arm, it’s plain that the owners pull every trick in the book to lure the greenback in. Every trick, that is, except those that work. Even “fashion shows” featuring scantily-clad local “models” strutting up and down often fail to attract anyone but the undesirable. So unless that ilk appeals to you, give those places a wide berth.
Just around the corner are plenty of other locally-run establishments that are far more crowded - and way better fun. Drinks tend to be cheaper too - in most of these places a bottle of beer (pijiu) will set you back about RMB 10, and cocktails (jiweijiu) are not much more. You’re advised to steer clear of the red wine (hongjiu) in such bars though - Chinese wines remain far from the Western standard, and you will pay through the nose for a bottle of plonk. They have pumping music too, but it’s perhaps more suited to the Western ear, and there will be plenty of others dancing along beside you. Poachers and Kai Bar are examples of such hostelries.
Sanlitun is also full of expat bars, so whether you want to watch the English Premier League, the Tri-Nations Rugby Tournament, or even College Football, there’s bound to be a place showing your favorite team - sometimes on a big screen. The Goose and Duck is the best for all of these sports, and Club Football offers perhaps the most extensive soccer coverage in the city. From the young, doe-eyed just-off-the-boater to the seasoned, blood shot-eyed lover of gin, these pubs teem with expats who are always willing to tell you of their adventures, or their “China experience” - if you have the patience to listen to them. When you inevitably bore of their past glories, you could suggest a game of pool (da taiqiu) or darts (wan’r feibiao) - many expat pubs provide these facilities free of charge.
If you are looking for a bit of holiday romance, there are options, or so I am told. This writer is, however, happily married, so extensive research for this part of the story was out of the question. But for pick-up joints, try your luck in either Mix or Vics, both are located at the Workers’ Stadium (Gongti).
If you happen to leave empty-handed, accept defeat and head for home. Don’t do as many tourists have in the past - and fall into the “lady bar” trap. Certain streets in Sanlitun throng with locals that will grab your arm and enthusiastically convince you to visit their “lay-dee bah.” Say no. Otherwise, you will be brought to a dingy, dodgy Karaoke bar and quoted a certain price for some female company as you sing. But when the show is over, an outrageous “tip” of RMB 1000 or more will be rather forcefully demanded.
If you can’t visit Beijing without seeing the Great Wall, then you can’t visit Sanlitun without tasting a mutton kebab (yangrouchuan’r). For an after-groove snack, stop off to taste these sizzling, succulent chunks of mutton on a wooden skewer, usually barbecued over an open flame. If spicy food is not your thing, you can tell your chef to hold the chili (bu zha lajiao) - they are immensely tasty with or without the powdered peppers and cumin that are liberally sprinkled over them. The perfect accompaniment is roasted steamed bread (kao mantou), and a chilled bottle of the local brew, Yanjing beer. Where will you find such an eatery? You will know it when you smell it.
Whatever time the clock says when you stagger back to your lodgings, it would be a miracle if at some point in the evening you do not encounter one of Sanlitun’s street urchins. They will approach you with their hands (or tin bowls) protruded, screaming “money, money, money.” If you don’t give in they may cling to your leg. Step up your pace, and walk away, shouting, “Meiyou qian (I don’t have any money). Heartless, you might wonder? Not actually. The vast majority of these guys work for con artists and organized criminals. In fact, a local TV show once documented a similar group in some part of the city, and followed them back to their rather plush homes for the homeless. At any rate, there is little chance these guys would let a genuine case onto “their turf.”
And like any other tourist-oriented bar district on this planet, there are other, more scrupulous people hanging around trying to separate you from your dollar. But they’ll offer a caricature crude or clever, or perhaps a romantic red rose for your change. One thing you won’t have to worry about in this part of town is getting mugged. You might think that as a tourist, you’d be a prime target. But that just doesn’t seem to happen here.
Older, saner, and wiser tourists need not worry - there are plenty of nighttime activities to enjoy in the Chinese capital that will not require a stomach-pumping in the local emergency ward. There’s Peking Opera, evening strolls down Tiananmen Square, or even bridge clubs. But for those who want to experience the raw Hyde of Beijing nightlife, a trip to Sanlitun is just the ticket.
Note: For the sake of brevity, the author has referred to the entire bar district as Sanlitun. Some of the places mentioned here are actually off that street - please consult a local listings magazine for accurate details of their address.
