Buying a Hookah in Beijing

[GreenArrow45]

Hey,

I will be traveling to Beijing in a couple of weeks and I am trying to find out where is the best place to purchase a hookah nowadays in Beijing. When I lived there before, the cheapest I found was down a side street in HouHai Park...is this or Sanlitunr still going to be the best place?

Thanks

[Tian Li]

I'm also interested. I might be going to Beijing next year and this is relevant to my interests. I wonder though, what are the Chinese's ideas about Hookah? Is it seen as "bad" or what? They seem to like smoking, so I guess they won't mind Hookah right?

[SiMaKe]

@Tian Li

Chinese's ideas about Hookah?

It may or may not vary by area. But in many places in Yunnan, which I've heard described as China's "tobacco capital", hookahs are sold in shops and on the street, in both rural and urban areas (don't remember if Walmart carried them or not B)). Wasn't interested in buying one, they just caught my attention (as someone who grew up in the '60's :rolleyes:).

[Peiruo]

I don't know about the BEST place, but I have seen them sold half way down 南锣鼓巷 in gulou (dongcheng district). Its a touristy smoking implement place that sells Hookahs and other paraphernalia.

[Boyce]

You can still find hookahs for sale across from Tongli Studio near Sanlitun bar street. Bongs, too.

Cheers, Boyce