The New Haidian Map is Out!

For CBD-dwelling Beijingers, Haidian may seem like a distant and unreachable corner, reminiscent of misspent youths, cheap grub and even cheaper beer. Or perhaps it doesn’t even feel like Beijing anymore, with international students from all over the world – and especially South Korea – congregating at Wudaokou.

Still, Haidian is growing up (though there’ll always be zhapi aplenty to go around) and can now justly claim fame for being more than a hip student hangout. Zhongguancun’s glass towers host Google, Microsoft, Deutsche Bank and other multi-national companies. Next to the technological mega-malls are the luxury malls, making this former slice of dusty countryside the place to go for the latest fashions as well as high-tech gadgets.

Immersion Guides’ new Haidian area map brings all this to you, from up-and-coming live music performances and RMB 2 chuan’r to the newest five-star hotel. With over 160 venues, the map is an indispensable guide for Haidian’s residents and short-term visitors alike.

The many wallet-friendly restaurants and cozy cafes will please students looking to save money while maximizing caffeine intake. Haidian’s own thriving nightlife scene encompasses dance clubs, underground metal shows and a real biergarten. Those looking for something a little sleeker also have plenty to choose from, starting with two design-minded restaurants along Chengfu Lu. Alternative venues like a lesbian bar and artsy cafes are alongside old favorites like Lush and Sculpting in Time.

As befitting its many universities, Haidian has one of Beijing’s highest concentrations of excellent bookstores, led by the scholarly favorites around Peking University. (This is the place to find that elusive Hegel text in Chinese.) In addition to behemoths dedicated to all things electronic, Haidian is also home to quite a few malls selling the real deal, as well as clothing markets sporting punk and skater looks. A slew of fitness facilities and gyms keeps residents looking fit in their duds.

So pick up a map (slipped inside the pages of the September 2007 issue of that’s Beijing) if you’ve ever had doubts about diving into a throng of Korean restaurants, or wondered where to find your nearest gym, or how to get to the Old Summer Palace. Better yet, all the “Chaoyangers” could sign up for a university program and make a long vacation of it: soon, Haidian won’t feel so far away anymore.