Shenzhen (深圳; Shēnzhèn in Mandarin, sam1 zan3 in Cantonese; abbreviation: SZ) is a fast-paced city of ambition and enterprise: engineers on the cutting edge of modern technology, hardscrabble farmers coming to the big city in search of a better life, middle managers who dream of someday opening their own factories, designers looking to sell to a global market, and all manner of entrepreneurs from across China. One of the most populous and richest cities in China, Shenzhen is in Guangdong Province on the Hong Kong border about 100 km south of Gu…
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Shenzhen is divided into ten districts, which can be loosely grouped into these general areas: All four areas have a variety of restaurants, numerous hotels, a smattering of museums and art galleries, and huge free parks for hiking or relaxing. Shenzhen's Special Economic Zone originally included only the central districts of Nanshan, Futian, Luohu, and Yantian, but in 2010 it was expanded to include the entire city. These four central districts, located along the border with Hong Kong, remain the urban core of Shenzhen and are home to most of the city's main attractions.
In 1980, Shenzhen was a market town on the Hong Kong border with 30,000 people. (Contrary to the quite widespread myth, Shenzhen was not a fishing community.) Then Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping designated the city the first of China's Special Economic Zones (SEZs). This was part of the "Reform and Opening Up" policy to revitalize China's economy after its stagnation in the previous decades. The plan was to create a sealed off enclave to experiment with market reforms and performance incentives without posing a threat or risk to the established political and economic system elsewhere in China.
Shenzhen is big and spread out, so places can be further apart than they look on a map. When estimating travel time within the city, don't just eyeball it—check a map app to see how long it'll take to get somewhere. Shenzhen Metro (深圳地铁) is the most convenient and easy-to-understand method of transport in Shenzhen. Fares are ¥2-15, depending on how far you're traveling. Trains come every 3 minutes or so and the metro runs until 23:00. Stations are announced in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese. There is a relatively high standard of public courtesy on the Shenzhen Metro. Some customs are unusual to foreigners; for example, people will often give their seats up to young children.
Individual listings can be found in Shenzhen's district articles People, even long time Shenzhen residents, will confidently tell you that "Shenzhen has no history". However, there is a surprising number of historic sites, some of great national significance, dating back to the twelfth century. Shenzhen, it seems, was critically involved in a number of historical events, especially the collapse and final stand of the Southern Song Dynasty (13th century), the last stand of the Ming Dynasty (17th century) and the Opium Wars (19th century). Historic sites are concentrated in Nanshan and the eastern parts of the city. Eastern Shenzhen also has several well-preserved traditional Hakka villages.
Individual listings can be found in Shenzhen's district articles Shenzhen has many theme parks, which are popular with Chinese tourists, many of whom go to Shenzhen mainly for these. Reactions of Western visitors vary widely, from enjoying them immensely to finding them amazingly tacky. Most of these are operated by Overseas Chinese Town (OCT, 华侨城, Huáqiáochéng), and you can get discounts to the parks using the Smart OCT (花橙旅游) website or app (only in Chinese). Most of them are in Nanshan, with one in Yantian. Huge and spread-out city that it is, Shenzhen contains large areas of parks. Some are carefully arranged and tended; others are nature reserves with big, forested mountains.
Individual listings can be found in Shenzhen's district articles Because Shenzhen is a migrant city, all of China's regional cuisines are represented here, with Guangdong, Hunan, and Sichuan food particularly common. Restaurants range from hole-in-the-wall establishments for homesick working class arrivals to opulent food palaces for businessmen and politicians entertaining clients. Spending ¥100 on a fantastic meal is no problem (though, you can spend ¥40 or less on a fantastic meal in Shenzhen). Treat yourself, and enjoy the wonderful food and variety of Shenzhen! Some outer neighborhoods in Shenzhen are known for a local specialty.
Individual listings can be found in Shenzhen's district articles If you want to drink beer, Tsing Tao is a popular Chinese beer, or try Shenzhen's own Kingway Beer (金威啤酒), brewed in two locations in Shenzhen and available in any convenience store, bar, or restaurant. In stores such as a.best, Carrefour or Wal-Mart it will cost ¥3.50 per can, or ¥3.80 for a large bottle (you will need a bottle opener). 7-Eleven sells Kingway for ¥9, and local restaurants about ¥12-35. Bars typically charge slightly more than restaurants. Most of the nightlife is in Futian, Luohu, and Nanshan. 1 The Scripted Garden, Upper floors of a mixed-use building in Nanshan. 19:00-02:00.
Despite its sensationalized reputation among Hong Kong residents for being crime-ridden during the 2000s, Shenzhen's crime rate compares favorably with those of American and European cities of similar size. Violent crime is rare, and it is generally safe for women to walk down the street alone at night. Nevertheless, as always, a little common sense goes a long way. The main crimes tourists are likely to encounter are scams and petty thefts.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Shenzhen typically sees ~32°C daytime highs and 27 rainy days.
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