Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
This section covers the major districts that expats settle into, highlighting the neighbor-
hoods within them that are most popular, and alerting you to the places you may like to
know about. The districts spoken about in detail include Chaoyang, Dongcheng, Xicheng,
Haidian, and Shunyi, but information also touches on those that lie beyond the inner city
and which have interesting options to help to make your Beijing life more complete.
Dongcheng is a wonderful part of the city that offers an intriguing mishmash of old and
new. Like Xicheng to its west, Dongcheng still clings to the past with its
hútòng
and
sìhéy-
uàn
, but inside these structures the new is creeping in with eclectic boutiques, cafés, bars,
microbreweries, and restaurants gradually repurposing the former spaces of Beijing's his-
torical elite.
Dongcheng is more residential than commercial, so it's less likely you'll work here, but
out-of-hours life is about meeting up with friends at a moment's notice at a local restaurant
or bar and immersing yourself in the surrounding culture. Though threatened by modern-
ization, Dongcheng is still a long way behind Chaoyang, so you won't find a huge supply
of Western groceries or facilities immediately at hand. Fortunately transport is extremely
convenient, and places like Sanlitun only a bike ride away.
On the other hand, it's not exactly an ideal choice for those with a family in tow. Inter-
national schools are basically nonexistent, and there are few parks or rambling gardens in
which kids can run freely. Spacious apartment complexes styled for Western comfort are
also in the minority. The plus side to Dongcheng's more cramped conditions, however, is
that life exists on the streets—people gather around on tiny stools to play poker or
májiàng
(mahjong), children play, and lovers argue out of the earshot of parents. A walk along the
street can be like a walk through someone's living room.
