The Chinese nation has laid claim to many inventions over time; great inventions such as gun powder and paper as well as more contentious claims such as football and ice-cream. One thing you are unlikely to ever hear a Chinese person lay claim to is coffee. ... Read More>>

While Beijing’s beer culture is not quite on par with the United States and Europe just yet, a beer aficionado will however find a number of great beer bars and microbreweries in Beijing. Here are some of our favorites. Read More>>

In Beijing, expat life outside of work can be one long succession of indulgent evenings out wining and dining, interspersed with evenings of DVD box sets. For many, their only adrenaline rush is the mad dash to the elevator before a less civically minded ... Read More>>

Are you a do it yourself kind of guy or gal? For those of you who enjoy creating your own projects but don’t know where to start in this massive city, we’ve created a “Do it yourself” (DIY) list of shops in Beijing to assist you in your favourite DIY ... Read More>>

Looking for a bar to watch a live-screening of your favorite sport while indulging in a great selection of drinks and grub? This article introduces a few of Beijing’s most popular sports bars. Read More>>

Where do you go Beijing to find nice pipe tobacco or a good cigar to enjoy while out at night or relaxing after a hard day? We've got you covered with four great spots in Beijing to meet your needs. Read More>>

Sanlitun and Gongti – the latter referring to the area around the Worker’s Stadium – have long been names synonymous with dining and entertainment. In the last few years, the arrivals of high profile developments such as The Village and the more recent ... Read More>>

Wudaokou’s Chengfu Lu is one of Beijing’s commercial and recreational areas most overlooked by the non-student/university crowd. However, in recent years, the area has come on in leaps and bounds receiving attention from residents of other districts. With ... Read More>>

Choosing a preschool or kindergarten in Beijing can be overwhelming, with literally hundreds of schools to choose from both local and international, from English only, to Chinese only, to bilingual from Montessori to traditional, with prices ranging ... Read More>>

Shopping in Beijing can be a nightmare, especially if bargaining isn’t your thing or if you’re simply not willing to pay an extortionate price for something that should be cheap. Well dream no further! Here’s an introduction to Beijing’s best bargain ... Read More>>

Along with elegant tea, ink brush painting, paper cutting, martial arts and Chinese medicine, massages are also an important aspect of traditional Chinese culture. Chinese massage stems from the Chinese medical massage and is one of the cornerstones of ... Read More>>

Like other representatives of foreign governments in Beijing, Chi Enxiang works long hours and sometimes misses home. But her work isn’t so much about meeting with ambassadors at embassy dinner parties, as it is about carrying dishes of steaming meat, ... Read More>>

I have lived in a hutong for six months, and it is definitely a love-hate relationship. For those thinking about moving into the hutongs, there are definitely some pros and cons to evaluate before making the move. Using my experiences, here is the expats ... Read More>>

Now that the smothering summer heat has subsided and given way to mild temperatures, blue skies and gentle winds, the perfect time for horse riding has arrived! There are plenty of indoor and outdoor equestrian centers all around Beijing, so below we’ve ... Read More>>

From time to time people get bored of their normal routine in the city, this sometimes leads to a kind of stagnant feeling; going to the same places, seeing the same faces and doing the same things. Something that many Beijing expat residents are not aware ... Read More>>

For some, home may be just “where you hang your hat;” for others, finding an apartment in Beijing, a city with more than 18 million people and 16 districts, is enough to give some people a panic attack as they agonize over the best location and how to go ... Read More>>

No matter where you are, laundry is a necessity. Here at eChinacities, we want to help take care of this necessary evil with as little trouble as possible. So, let us break down the options available to us here in Beijing. From first to worst, here they are. Read More>>

In recent years, bungee jumping has become one of the most exciting and stimulating outdoor leisure activities on offer. Just as with other extreme sports and their focus on “higher, faster and stronger”, bungee jumping is all about unleashing a person’s ... Read More>>

9 million bicycles in Beijing sung in the lulling tones of Katie Melua, and the Chinese independent film Beijing Bicycle, a touching -at times heart-breaking- movie charting the hardships of a Beijing courier, are just some of the associations between ... Read More>>

It's too cold to leave your apartment, you're too busy to cook, or maybe you're just too hung-over to go anywhere. Whatever the reason, the convenience of a food delivery service is the best invention since sliced pizza. Beijing is seeing great advances in ... Read More>>

With the cold winter on the horizon, now is as good a time as any to get outside and run in Beijing. Here are five places in Beijing where running is a pleasant (well…less unpleasant) experience. Read More>>

Low prices and speedy service make getting a manicure or pedicure one of the small pleasures of living in Beijing. However, choosing from the huge number of salons scattered across the city, especially in areas like Sanlitun, can be bewildering. Here, we ... Read More>>

“We used to build civilizations, now we build shopping malls,” best selling American author, Billy Bryson, once wrote. Beijing’s Xidan is more than just a mall; it’s an entire area full of malls, dedicated to shoppers’ ... Read More>>

We’ve gone in search for some of the best happy hours and drink deals in town, so that you can save that hard earned cash for something more sustainable and long lasting. In an attempt to find something for everyone we have included bars, restaurants and ... Read More>>