Lijiang Nightlife

What to Do at Night in Lijiang

Although Lijiang's night action is somewhat limited compared to other Chinese cities, (there are no discos, pubs, bars or restaurants open after 24:00) the town makes the most of what it has got and most nightlife is aimed at foreign visitors.

When the sun sets, the ubiquitous red lanterns are lit all over town and the locals start singing. Love it or hate it, the nightly singing competitions are an integral part of Lijiang's nightlife.

Waitresses in Naxi traditional dress lead customers in seeing which restaurant can out-sing the other across the Yuhe River and the town's waterways. It is a little bit hard to choose which bar to go in this old city, because there are many and all are appealing.

Xinhua Street, which runs along the water in the Old Town, is famous for its bars. Among the popular watering holes here are Mama Fu Bar, Sangji Langmu Tibetan Bar, Naxi Pavilion Bar and Jing Zhuo Bar. Some of these are run by westerners. If you are interested in traditional music and dance, try the Naxi Concert Hall. Melodious Naxi music is performed every night from 20:00 to 21:30 by a group of local senior musicians who are typically more than 60 years old. The Hall is located at No.11 Jishan Valley, Xinyi Street in the Old Town.