Nightclubs
Most cities have these in good supply. And they're huge, mega-complexes. They are often free to get in but good clubs often require that you spend a certain amount of money when ordering your first round of drinks in order to occupy a seating area. Different seating areas have different minimum spends.
This can be several hundred RMB depending on the club’s reputation and the city. A collection of individual beers or just a few spirits (such as Gin, Vodka or Whisky) as well as ice tea (which are all mixed in a jug) will be accompanied with a plate of popcorn or fruit to be shared out among your party. Split the bill. Or as the Chinese say, go "AA".
Clubs are generally very safe, with a limited dance area. DJs power down onto the masses stunning, super-loud tunes with astonishing visual backdrops. Dancers line the stages and balconies. In some clubs, it gets quite risqué with stripped down performers strutting their stuff.
Club closing times vary but generally 4am is a good indication in the bigger cities. Some cities have a strict 2am closing time, whereas other cities let them go on until dawn. Clubs tend to fill-up and get quite packed on Fridays and Saturdays at around midnight. Often, clubs have a sea of small, square tables with high stools spread throughout – but these can fill up early. If you just want a beer or two, without the need for a seating area, grab a beer from a bar area (although it gets quite busy).
There are also some underground clubs with a more intimate, raw DJ vibe. Here's you'll meet the hardcore dancers and party people. Every city has them, you just need to ask around.
Astonishingly, for a very traditional country, you may also find unisex toilets at some discos. It also goes without saying that you must never do drugs in these venues. The consequences could be unlimited if you are caught. In fact, you'd be pretty stupid to do drugs anywhere in China and that includes your own hotel room or apartment. If you are checked somewhere, you're screwed. Police visits to bars doing on-the-spot customer urine tests do happen and expats have been arrested from this. No joke.
