Houhai / Yandai Xiejie / Di'anmen-后海烟袋斜街地安门

Mega-dance club on the Houhai strip.

Song Qingling's Former Residence is more interesting as a garden than a museum, but the displays on her life inside this grand estate are a fascinating look at the life of a Communist Party 'aristocrat' in the early days of the People's Republic. Educated in the US, Song married Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the founder of the Republic of China, and she herself became vice-president of the People's Republic of China. Her sister May-ling married Jiang Jieshi, who is better known in the West as Chiang Kai-shek. The displays include the pistol Sun Yat-sen gave her as a wedding present.

Oasis Bar has a distinctive French feel, something which is reflected in the choice of drinks behind the bar with Ricard, cider and French wine all available at very reasonable prices.

Each of the store’s kites is handmade, using bamboo, silk or paper, and painted by the owners themselves.

Located in the Tibetan Provincial Government Hotel, though not as authentic as other provincial government restaurants in Beijing. The yak meat "jerky" is worth a try, and visit on Friday evenings for tourist-friendly dance shows, starting around 7.30pm. Reservation recommdended.

Like Baikui Laohao and Nan Lai Shun, Huguosi is a semi-state-run enterprise where many snacks are collectively offered under a single roof. Huguosi is packed with customers all day. Like them, you can go satisfy your snacking cravings with miancha, youbing, aiwowo, lü da gun, tang juanguo, tang huoshao, and more. The freshly made breakfast snacks are fantastic – go early in the morning for the best selection.

This cocktail lounge features DJs spinning house and hip hop and a floor show with scantily clad pole dancers grinding to the beat on Tue, Thu and Sat.

Named after the nine major gateways of the old walled city, Jiumen Xiaochi was originally located in Qianmen, before being selected as a national flagship tourist spot and subsequently relocated to Houhai’s narrow hutongs. Designed like a hawkers street, diners purchase traditional Beijing eats with a pre-paid meal card (minimum RMB 50, any leftover credit is refundable). Walk up and down the stalls to see chefs live at work, pulling noodles, chopping vegetables and filling dumplings. Most of the chefs are descendants of imperial chefs.

Sells hand-carved wooden wall hangings painted in the distinctive and extraordinarily vivid Naxi style. Along with an intricate Bai belt mounted in a frame, the store also sells Naxi puppets from between RMB 80 and 120 depending on size.