Beijing Hutong Night Tour: Yunnan Dinner & Houhai Lake Boat Ride
Dinner in a hutong, an hour drifting on moonlit water, then the bars and old lanes of Houhai after dark
A Beijing hutong night tour combines Yunnan dinner at a celebrated local restaurant, a private chartered boat ride across Houhai Lake with tea and snacks, and a guided stroll through Shichahai's bar-lit lakeside and Yandai Byway's historic alleyways. Your private guide and driver handle pickup and drop-off from your hotel, and the whole evening runs 3 to 4 hours. The boat glides past red lanterns and lotus leaves while your guide shares 700 years of the lake's history. Afterward, you wander the oldest slanting hutong in Beijing, where shops and street snacks line the ancient lanes.
Step-by-step itinerary
- Back Lakes 1h
- Shichahai passing by
- Yandai Byway 30m
Evening tour with dinner and boat ride
- Pickup from downtown Beijing hotel
- Dine at local Yunnan restaurant
- Private boat ride on Houhai Lake
- Walk along Shichahai Scenic Resort
- Explore Yandai Xie Street hutong
- Return to hotel
What’s included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off within Beijing City's 4th ring road.
- one-hour private chartered boat ride on Houhai Lake.
- dinner at Little Yunnan Restaurant.
- complimentary local snacks and fragrant tea during the boat ride.
- bottled water.
- private guide and driver throughout the evening.
Times
Next departure: 10 Apr 2027
7 departing soon ›Information
Prices and times updated 20 days ago
Operated by Unique Beijing Tours
The experience
Yandai Byway and the Back Lakes area come alive after sunset, and this tour builds the evening around what makes them worth the trip after dark. Your guide and driver collect you from your hotel and take you straight into the hutongs to a Yunnan restaurant ranked No. 6 on review sites: a hidden spot where the menu leans on wild fungi, lemongrass, and the sour-spicy signatures of Yunnan cooking. Dishes like steam pot chicken and crispy fried rice noodles arrive surrounded by lantern light and the close warmth of the alleyway itself, so the meal is as much about where you're eating as what's on the plate.
From there you head to Lotus Lane for a one-hour private boat ride on Houhai Lake. The hand-cranked boat drifts past swaying lotus leaves and shorelines lined with red lanterns, and your guide walks you through the lake's 700-year arc, from an imperial retreat to the modern leisure spot it is now. Complimentary local snacks and fragrant tea come aboard, so you're eating and drinking while the ancient architecture reflects on the water in the dark. The pace is slow enough that the night scenery settles in instead of rushing past.
After the boat, you move to the Shichahai Scenic Resort to walk the lakeside where bar lights glow against willow branches and folk music drifts from the venues. Your guide points out historic landmarks and tells stories of the area's royal heritage and how it transformed into the lively urban space it is now. The walk ends at Yandai Xie Street, Beijing's oldest slanting hutong, where you can browse handcrafted paper-cuts and jade accessories in the quaint shops, or stop for local snacks like milk curd and sugar-coated haws (at your own expense). Your driver then takes you back to your hotel.
Is this one for you?This is a private tour with a dedicated guide, so the pace and stops are set. You move through the evening as a group following the itinerary rather than choosing your own route. It suits travelers who want the hutong and lake experience explained by someone who knows the area's history, and who prefer not to navigate the alleyways or arrange dinner reservations on their own.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 10 years); Infant (under 4): free.
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What kind of food does the Yunnan restaurant serve?
Little Yunnan Restaurant specializes in Yunnan cuisine built around fresh wild fungi, fragrant herbs like lemongrass, and bold sour-spicy flavors with ecological ingredients and ethnic cooking techniques. Signature dishes include steam pot chicken, crispy fried rice noodles, and tangy sour soup fish. Vegetarian options are available if you request them when booking.
How long is the boat ride on Houhai Lake?
The private chartered boat ride lasts one hour. You drift across the moonlit water past lotus leaves and red lanterns while your guide shares stories of the lake's 700-year history, from its days as an imperial retreat to its role today as a leisure destination. Complimentary local snacks and tea are served aboard.
What is Yandai Byway and why does the tour end there?
Yandai Xie Street, also called Yandai Byway or Tobacco Alley, is Beijing's oldest slanting hutong. The tour finishes there so you can browse authentic Beijing souvenirs (handcrafted paper-cuts, traditional jade accessories), and sample local street snacks like milk curd, sugar-coated haws, and savory soups. Every corner blends ancient alley charm with lively market energy.
Does the tour include hotel pickup?
Yes, your private guide and driver pick you up directly from your Beijing City hotel (within the 4th ring road) and drop you back there at the end of the evening. No separate transportation booking is needed.
What happens if I have dietary restrictions?
Vegetarian options are available at Little Yunnan Restaurant if you request them when you book. Let the operator know about any other specific dietary requirements at the time of booking so they can arrange accordingly.
Beijing Hutong Night Tour: Yunnan Dinner & Houhai Lake Boat Ride
3h–4h · EN · at your hotel
from US$ 198 per person