By late evening in Cixi, the pedestrian streets around the centre are winding down and the sauna and massage complexes are filling up. Later still, the clubs scattered through the main part of town take over, and the KTV rooms keep going until the early hours.
Nightlife here is not built around a single strip. There is no designated Bar Street as in some other Chinese cities, and the clubs are spread out rather than clustered. The scene suits visitors who are happy to move between venues by taxi, who enjoy sauna and massage culture as an evening in itself, and who prefer beer to spirits. If you are looking for a walkable row of bars, this is not that kind of town.
Where to go out in Cixi
1. The sauna and massage complexes
These are the most distinctly local way to spend an evening. The larger ones are multi-floor buildings combining showers and heated pools, lounges, massage floors, and mahjong rooms, and several stay open around the clock. A typical visit runs late into the night and can double as somewhere to sleep.
One practical point from the sources: at Shui Mu Nian Hua, admission is waived if you take an oil massage, and if you take an oil massage after 01:00 you can sleep overnight in the massage room at no extra charge. At Water Cube, there is a show with singers and dancers from 21:00 to 23:00 daily, and the venue closes at 02:00.
2. The club scene
Clubs are scattered through the main part of town rather than gathered in one district. They are beer venues: the sources note that you will not see people drinking whiskey, as the whiskey is counterfeit, and that the going rate is ¥350 for 24 bottles of beer or ¥200 for 12. This is not a bottle-service town.
Several clubs close at 02:00. Some have a counter bar where you can sit alone; at others there is no counter bar, so meeting people means approaching them at their tables. Some have bouncing dance floors, and at least one features stage dancers a few times a night.
3. KTV venues with female hosts
These are karaoke clubs staffed with female hosts for hire. The sources describe a common pattern: arrive in the lobby around 19:30 and you will find groups of women sitting around waiting for customers. Some are attached to hotels.
They suit groups looking for a hosted karaoke night rather than a quiet drink. Practical point: several close at 02:00.
4. Regular KTV
Alongside the hosted venues are ordinary karaoke clubs, described in the sources as regular KTV, where you bring your own group. These are the straightforward option if you want to sing without hiring hosts.
They are spread across the centre, including locations on Sun Tang North Road, Nanmen Street, and near the Bossman Hotel. Some are large and recently opened; others occupy several floors of hotel buildings.
5. Bars and karaoke lounges
The bar side of the scene is thin. The sources name a karaoke lounge with a dance floor where the night varies between customers singing, hired professional singers, and a DJ. It sits next to one of the clubs and closes at 02:00.
This suits anyone who wants music and a dance floor without committing to a full club night. Beer pricing follows the same market rate as the clubs.
6. Pool, cinema and late fitness
For a lower-key evening, the sources list a pool and music hall on Sun Tang North Road and a cinema on the pedestrian road. There are also fitness clubs, one of which closes at 22:00, so these are early-evening options rather than late ones.
These suit visitors who want an activity before dinner rather than a night that runs past midnight.
How a night out unfolds
The sources give a clear anchor point for hosted KTV: arrive in the lobby around 19:30, when the hosts are waiting for customers. Sauna complexes run through the night, with the show at Water Cube running from 21:00 to 23:00. Clubs and KTV venues typically close at 02:00, and the sauna at Water Cube also closes at 02:00, while Shui Mu Nian Hua stays open around the clock. Beyond these points, the sources do not describe dinner times or how late the streets stay busy.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- National Day and the National Day Golden Week holiday — early October
- Double Ninth Festival — October
- Christmas Day — December
- New Year's Day — January
- Spring Festival Eve and Chinese New Year — early February
Frequently asked questions
Is there a bar street in Cixi?
No. The sources state there is no designated Bar Street as in other Chinese cities, and that the clubs are scattered throughout the main part of town.
What do people drink in the clubs?
Beer. The sources note that you will not see anybody drinking whiskey because the whiskey is counterfeit, and give the market rate as ¥350 for 24 bottles or ¥200 for 12.
How late do venues stay open?
Several clubs, KTV venues and the Water Cube sauna close at 02:00. Shui Mu Nian Hua is open 24 hours, and Jindao Zuyu closes at 01:00.
Can I stay overnight at a sauna?
At Shui Mu Nian Hua, if you take an oil massage after 01:00 you can sleep overnight in the massage room for free. The sources do not describe overnight stays at the other saunas.
Check the closing times and current prices before you set out, then build your evening around a sauna, a club, or a KTV room and let the night run to 02:00.