Venue: Hou Hai, Beijing
Special: A delightful area of old hutongs and lakes in central Beijing with a lively nightife
Website: http://www.beijingguide2008.com/qianhai_houhai_shichahai/qianhai_houhai_shichahai_beijing.html

Located North of the Imperial palace, Hou Hai is a must-see for any traveler. Made up of three lakes, Qian Hai, Hou Hai and Xi Hai, the recently developed area has kept the old style buildings and filled them with modern restaurants, bars and shops. Peacefully serene by day and positively glowing by night, Hou Hai makes an ideal entertainment spot anytime. Good for walking or biking around followed by a boating on the lake and karaoke or live music in the evening. There are over a hundred bars, with most of them situated on Lotus Lane starting at the front of Qian Hai, where you will also see many locals exercising.

The area has a good selection of restaurants offering different cuisines, usually with both indoor and outdoor seating areas. The No Name bar on the East side of Qian Hai claims to be the first “modern” bar/restaurant opened before the renovation and still housed inside an original hutong building, definitely worth a look. Nearby are the Drum and Bell Towers, offering smaller and quieter café bars in a living hutong and Nanluo Guxiang, a restored hutong lined with boutiques and some foreigner established bars such as 12SQM, the smallest bar in Beijing.