Pictures from our June 2006 visit: Houhai

Houhai is Beijing's newly-developed old town of western nightlife--full of small bars and pubs located around Houhai Lake. Most cafes and restaurants are individually owned and have their own unique style and service.

However, if you scratch at the surface of Houhai, just behind the western facade are your traditional Beijing neighborhoods, or Hutongs. Just hop on a pedicab for a glimpse into the past. Nightfall often brings many of the locals, young and old, to the small public square in Houhai, where they enjoy dancing throughout the evening.

Houhai and adjoining lakes Xihai and Qianhai— collectively known as the Back Lakes were dug out in the Yuan Dynasty (14th century) to berth barges from the Grand Canal, bringing goods from around China and beyond to the Emperor in his nearby Forbidden City.