2010 top 10 hangout spots in Beijing

Whether it's sharing a pint with a long lost pal or simply sitting and watching the people of Beijing bustle by, the capital is overflowing with relaxing, or invigorating, places to spend the day "hanging out".

Nanluoguxiang:Rocking the retro

For the young arty types looking to fill their wardrobe and their shelves with a blast from Beijing's past, Nanluoguxiang is a hot pot of hip stores with retro styles and inebriated smiles.

Though there is a mix of more than 100 stylish shops offering iconic imagery, like the shirts found at the street's first shop, Plastered 8, and abstract artistry like the streetwear found at NLGX, the 700-year-old street also has a hint of the historic.

If shopping works up a thirst, there's a long list of coffee shops and bars available, from one of the street's original expat bars, Pass By bar, to the cozy, grab-a-couch-and-watch-a-movie style cafe, 16 MM.

Wudaokou: Embrace your youthful side

Students and professionals experiencing a tinge of nostalgia from their university days can head to Wudaokou for a taste of Beijing's higher learning.

Housing most of Beijing's major universities, this area contains as much merrymaking as it does studying. With a range of international bars and restaurants like Lush, D-22 and Pyro Pizza, Wudaokou is perfect for cracking open the books or cracking a beer.

Ideal for sunny days, strolling across the historic campuses of Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) or Tsinghua University makes for a perfect place to hang out and watch students as they bustle by.

Jianwai SOHO: Metropolitan monster mash

White-collar workers looking to dig into the hustle of Beijing's busiest business district can travel to the heart of the capital and check out Jianwai SOHO.

With hundreds of shops geared toward one-hour lunch shopping sprees, commercial offices, scenic landscaped plazas and trendy restaurants, Jianwai SOHO is almost a city within itself.

Some of the area's highlights include Twilight Whiskey Bar, which serves up a decent dish of pizza as well, and Vegan Hut, one of Beijing's hippest vegetarian restaurants. For a lush business lunch, there is also Cafe Europa.

Houhai: Lakeside lounging

The ultimate waterside hangouts, the shores of Houhai Lake are stuffed with bars, boutiques and activities to keep visitors occupied year-round.

For winter, sipping on a hot drink next to the fireplace in No Name Bar, to watch people ice skate, is a perfect way of hanging inside and fighting the cold.

During the summer, renting a boat and cruising the lake before getting a good meal at one of the many restaurants in the area is a fantastic way to pass the day.

Fangjia Hutong: Art meets culture

Surreptitiously slotted between Yonghegong Street and Andingmen, Fangjia Hutong is one of Beijing's yet-to-be-discovered cultural pockets.

At its mouth, the street gives the appearance of just another residential alley, but venturing down reveals a small pocket of homely restaurants like Hot Cat Club and Caihuoche Salon, plus bars catering to the local expat crowd such as El Nido and El Nido 2.

Add into the mix the Ruby Theater, a chic dance theater built from an old China National Machine Tools Corp production plant, and it's easy to understand why this has been dubbed the "creative neighborhood".