By Nina Wen (That's Beijing)
Updated: 2006-08-21 09:19

[Photos by Zhang Xiaotian and Yu Fengliang]

Qingdao also has its own Babyface, recently opened by the Guangdong-based super club chain. It draws an enthusiastic mix of locals and expats who seem not to mind that the sound system could use recalibration. These clubbers were savvy enough to avoid the "fake Babyface," a rival club that has shamelessly appropriated the chain's logo and layout while cleverly avoiding a lawsuit by registering under its Chinese name Beibeifeisi. But avoiding the horrid musical creation of Mandopop mashed with techno beats is rather more difficult in this town.

Both Babyface and Beibeifeisi are playing catch up to Feeling, an enormous cavern of a dance club, but none of these nightspots can compare with those of Beijing or Shanghai. Visitors will likely be put off by the music, decor and high prices in Qingdao. Clubs here do not charge a cover but gouge you with a spending minimum if you choose to sit down.

A more satisfying option would be a bar with a more authentic Qingdao feel. For seaside drinking, head over to the Wind-Catcher Sailing Club, situated right on the beach: a great place to relax with a beer in hand and watch the sun go down.

Cafe Roland, one of Qingdao's oldest bars, is in the historic Badaguan area where German architecture meets the Yellow Sea. Its authentic colonial design and prime beachside location puts the city's modern clubs to shame. Or head to Monnemer Eck, the best place to drink real German beer in the former colonial port city.

For a university town experience, try the longtime standby Corner Jazz Club or its new rival FJ Bros. Another Qingdao institution, Lennon Bar, is trying to renew itself after briefly gaining notoriety as a den for working girls. The ladies of the night are gone but the customers have yet to return. However, Lennon Bar is still the best place for live music. For cheap drinks, La Luna, opened by a veteran of the Yunnan bar scene, serves Tsingtaos at RMB 15 and cocktails at RMB 20.

Then again, RMB 15 for Tsingtao isn't exactly cheap is it? A night out in Qingdao is actually more expensive than in Beijing despite its proximity to the wellspring. The reason lies in the small scale of the nightlife scene: while the arrival of Q Bar has brought top end cocktails, the town suffers from a dearth of low-end dive bars.
Perhaps Philip should also import a Phil's Pub or Huxley should export his "Shut Up, Just Drink" slogan to the streets of Qingdao. Or perhaps a Beijing visitor will fall in love with the Qingdao lifestyle and set up a shack by the beach selling China's freshest brew for RMB 10 a mug. Well, we can dream, right?

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