By evening the coastal boulevard fills with people walking off dinner, and the smell of grilled seafood drifts from the stalls along the waterfront. Further inland, the pace shifts: a strip of bars draws a mixed crowd of locals and expatriates, and the city's one proper club keeps going well past midnight.
Yantai's nightlife is modest and easy to read. It suits travellers who want a relaxed evening of seafood, a walk by the sea and a few drinks rather than a packed entertainment district, and it is most comfortable for those who are content to settle into one street or one venue for the night.
Where to go out in Yantai
1. Chaoyang Street
Known among expatriates as Bar Street, Chaoyang Street is the main concentration of nightlife and the place where trendy locals and foreign residents mix. It carries a slightly seedy reputation within the city, but it remains the first stop for visitors and residents who want a familiar, English-speaking crowd.
It suits an evening of moving between several bars rather than a single destination. The venues cluster along the street, so you can start at one end and work your way down without arranging transport.
2. The waterfront and coastal boulevard
In summer the seafront is the liveliest part of the city, with night markets and fresh seafood along the bustling coastal boulevard. This is the season when the city is at its most energetic.
It suits an early, low-key evening: eat seafood outdoors, walk the promenade and take in the sea air before deciding whether to continue to the bars.
3. The beaches
The First Beach and Second Beach are the two main stretches in the city, with Golden Beach in the Economic Development Zone about 25 minutes from the centre. In summer they are used for swimming and water sports, and the surrounding area stays busy into the evening.
This suits a daytime-to-evening outing rather than a late night, and it is worth planning your return transport if you go out to Golden Beach.
4. Western-style pubs
The bars on Chaoyang Street include western-owned and western-staffed places where you can count on hearing English spoken. Bohemia Bar sits on the corner at the northern, seaside end of the street and is described as a welcoming place to start an evening. Druid's Irish Pub & Restaurant, at number 56 midway down the street, has typical Irish decor, a wood interior, a pool room, a library with wireless internet and a Western restaurant downstairs. Havana bar, also midway down the street, plays western music and is said to have a good atmosphere after midnight if you want to dance.
This suits anyone who wants a familiar drink and company in English. Note that these descriptions come from older travel listings, so it is worth checking locally before you set out.
5. Clubbing
Baby Face Club, downtown, is described as the only real clubbing experience Yantai offers, with loud house music and laser lights. The same listing notes poor bar service, a cover charge and cross-dressing bartenders.
It suits a late, high-volume night rather than a quiet drink. As with the bars above, treat the description as historical and confirm details on arrival.
How a night out unfolds
The sources give little on precise timing. What they do indicate is that summer evenings centre on the coast, with night markets and seafood along the boulevard, and that the bar street and the club carry the night later, with Havana bar's atmosphere building after midnight. Winter evenings move indoors, towards hot pot featuring local seafood. Plan around the season rather than a fixed schedule.
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, February
Frequently asked questions
Which part of Yantai should I head for at night?
Chaoyang Street, known as Bar Street, is the main strip for bars and the place where expatriates and locals mix. In summer, the coastal boulevard and its night markets are the busiest option.
Is there anywhere to go dancing?
Havana bar on Chaoyang Street is described as having a good atmosphere after midnight for dancing, and Baby Face Club downtown is described as the city's only real clubbing experience.
What is there to do in the evening outside summer?
Winter shifts the evening indoors, with Shandong hot pot featuring local seafood. There is also a skiing place in Tashan Park during winter.
How do I get to the beaches in the evening?
The First and Second Beaches are in the city. Golden Beach is in the Economic Development Zone, about 25 minutes from the centre, so allow for the trip back.
Decide whether your evening is a seafood dinner by the sea or a walk down Chaoyang Street, check the current state of any venue before you go, and set out accordingly.