Dadonghai punches above its size for nightlife — a legacy of being the budget-traveller alternative to Yalong Bay's resort bubble. A handful of bars in the streets behind the beach put on live music most evenings, with reggae, blues, and Filipino covers bands the usual fare. Crowd is a mix of long-staying Russian winterers, Chinese tourists, and a thinning Western backpacker contingent.
For the better cocktails and a quieter scene, the rooftop and lobby bars of the larger beachfront hotels are open to non-guests and pour a competent gin and tonic. Coconut shakes and fresh-squeezed mango juice from the street stalls are a fine non-alcoholic alternative; expect to pay about 15 yuan a cup.