One of China's newest metropolises—and its fastest growing—Shenzhen offers travelers great insight into contemporary China, though it lacks much in the way of historical and cultural artifacts. Indeed, it's a very now place, brimming with migrants from provincial China hoping to pull themselves up a few rungs on the financial ladder and flush with business-driven expats and foreign investment.
The steady influx of cash has combined with Chinese industrial might to make a major economic powerhouse out of a city that barely existed twenty-five years ago. It can be an uncanny place, where history—largely absent in any tangible or authentic way—is garishly represented by replicas of such world-famous sights as the Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal and Great Wall in a series of huge theme parks—an assortment that reflects China's new global orientation.
The city's dynamic energy is undeniable, but only time will tell if this giant city of factories and finance will mature into a cultured, world-class metropolis. In the meantime, it's worth a visit, and Hong Kong, Macau and Guangzhou are all nearby once you've had your fill of Shenzhen. Be aware that you will need to show your passport upon entry into the SEZ and, if continuing on to Hong Kong or Macau, you'll have to do so again in order to obtain the proper visas for the Special Administrative Regions (SAR). Regulations change often, so be sure you're up to date on the latest requirements. To enter the PRC from either SAR, you need to obtain a visa for China in advance.
History
As a symbol, Shenzhen represents China's late twentieth-century economic boom like nothing else. Unencumbered by a long and messy history like Shanghai or Beijing, Shenzhen, only a humble fishing village until 1979 when Deng Xiaoping decreed it China's first Special Economic Zone, has, in just a quarter-century, grown into a thicket of shiny skyscrapers surrounded by humming industrial parks servicing the second-busiest port in China. (Shanghai is number one in China—and the world.)
The glitzy city center is surrounded by crowded, hastily built neighbohoods that have sprung up too quickly for careful city planning and with little to no thought of permanence, aesthetic value or environmental sustainability—revealing an element of rather grimy chaos behind the scenes of an otherwise carefully managed economic success story. Immigrants from China's poorer provinces continue to pour into the SEZ and its environs. Ironically, many can't get the necessary documents to live in Shenzhen proper and end up floating outside the policed boundaries of the SEZ, finding work in loosely regulated factories, shipping facilities and the service sector. Highlighting Shenzhen's uniqueness and importance to China at large, it is the only city in Guangdong Province where Mandarin predominates rather than the local Cantonese, thanks to its migrant population.
Despite its newness, its history is deeper and more complicated than the popular near-myth that has Deng Xiaoping magisterially proclaiming Shenzhen the place where China, having united politically under Mao Zedong, would begin its fantastic ascent from the economic hole in which it found itself following the upheaval of the Cultural Revolution. The Pearl River Delta site was chosen because of Hong Kong's long success as a bastion of capitalism within spitting distance of the world's largest avowed Communist state. And Shenzhen, which abuts Hong Kong's New Territories, has indeed been able to exploit its proximity to Hong Kong and the former colonial-era treaty port of Guangzhou (Canton) to draw major investment and do major business. This experiment has been a huge economic success, at least in the near term, but as with much of China's recent growth, new concerns have arisen about the social and environmental costs of that success. For those who wish to know today's "real China," Shenzhen is an important place to see. Plus, brand-name and fakes shopping alike are excellent.
Climate
Spring is cool and pleasant with average temperatures running between about 17ºC and 23 º C (63 º F-73 º F). Summer is hot and very humid, with average high temperatures from June through September running to 30 º C (91 º F ) and humidity that hovers around 90%. Typhoon season lasts from May to September and frequent downpours are common. Fall brings mild weather with averages between the low to mid 20s º C (70s º F) and clear skies. Winter is dry and can get chilly, averaging 17 º C (62 º F) with temperatures occasionally dipping into the mid-teens Centigrade (mid-50s º F). The best time to visit Shenzhen is in the spring and fall, when the weather is pleasant and the rain less frequent.
Purported five star accommodations abound in Shenzhen, though the city can't hold a candle to neighboring Hong Kong's and Macau's sparkly luxury options. The good news is that deep discounts can be found, especially if you visit during the week (up to 50% off weekend prices), making Shenzhen's high-end hotels quite affordable. With all those foreign business-types coming to town, there's no shortage of business-type hotels, but these can always double as comfortable and convenient places for pleasure travelers to crash and take advantage of the gyms, spas, bars and copy machines with which they are often decked. Whether you're a high-roller coming to finalize that big deal or a curious visitor come to gawk at the theme-park capital of China, there's a hotel for you at whatever you consider to be a reasonable price (this is still Mainland China, so the "always bargain" rule applies).
With an immigrant population from all over China and foreign businesspeople from around the world, Shenzhen restaurants and markets serve up a wide range of quality Chinese and international food, though the level of sophistication in this boomtown is generally a long way from the elegance of Shanghai, comfortable luxury of Hong Kong or established traditions of Beijing. Good, cheap Sichuanese and Hunanese restaurants bring the heat, while Guangdong places provide milder (and sometimes wilder, as in non-domesticated animals) fare drawn from the traditional regional cuisine. Muslim restaurants and street-side kebab grills are common, as are Western and Chinese chain restaurants. Cheap Chinese eats—dim sum, noodles, stir fries, dumplings—are plentiful and generally excellent for the price around Jiefang Lu.
Getting Around
Metro
The city now has 2 metro lines with plans to expand. Line 1 stretches east/west from Luohu Kouan (Luohu Pass) to Window of the World, while Line 4 runs north/south from Huanggang Kouan (Huanggang Pass) to Shaoniangong (Children's Palace). Transfer between the two lines at Huizhan Zhongxin (Convention and Exhibition Center).
Taxi
Shenzhen taxis are either red or green. Red taxis only travel within the city's four inner districts of Futian, Luogang, Yantian and Nanshan. For the other two districts, Baoan and Longgang, only green taxis are available. Price varies according to the color of the taxis and the time of day.
To and from Shenzhen
Visitors reach Shenzhen by air, rail, sea or road. A relatively small city, Shenzhen enjoys convenient transportation both in the city and among the surrounding areas. (Transportation Bureau hotline: 0755 8322 8000)
Air
Shenzhen Baoan International Airport lies 32 kilometers from the city center (80 RMB taxi ride). The airport houses over 100 domestic and international airlines, connecting Shenzhen to over 80 other cities around China and the world. Buses run from the airport to the city center and Shenzhen Railway Station. City center-bound buses leave every 20 minutes (50-minute trip). Buses headed to the Railway Station leave every 15 minutes (40-minute trip).
Train
Shenzhen Railway Station acts as an important transportation hub connecting Hong Kong to Mainland China. More than 40 trains travel between Shenzhen and Guangzhou every day. Note: the frequent T-trains are faster than the K-trains. Shenzhen West Railway Station is in the city's Nanshan District. The small station services a handful of long-distance destinations, such as Hefei, the capital of Anhui Province.
Bus
Several long-distance bus stations in Shenzhen operate routes around Guangdong Province and beyond to cities like Guangzhou, Chaozhou, Guangxi, Fujian, Zhejiang, Hebei, Anhui, Sanya, and Chengdu. The three major stations are Yinhu Bus Station (0755 8243 6053), Futian Bus Station (0755 8358 7526) and Luohu Bus Station (0755 8232 1670).
Boat
Eight passenger ports line Shenzhen's harbor including Yantian, Shekou, and Chiwa. The Shekou Port located at the intersection of Gang'ao Dadao and Nanhai Dadao in Nanshan District marks the most convenient travel point, with regular lines to and from Zhuhai, Guangzhou, Macau, Hong Kong and Kowloon.
In Shenzhen they make and ship almost anything you might find in malls and discount stores around the globe, so you'd think you could find almost anything with the "Made in China" label. And with all the money that's pouring into the city, you'd think brand-name consumer goods from around the world would be filling the shelves of Shenzhen's stores. On both counts, you'd be right, though many domestic goods are cheaper elsewhere in Mainland China—though not in nearby Hong Kong—and, if you're not attentive, you might end up with a "Faked in China" designer Italian handbag or Swiss watch (then again, that might be exactly what you're looking for, though shoppers should take note of upgraded customs inspections in the U.S. and elsewhere—that authentic-enough-for-your-myopic-uncle-looking Rolex might not fool the officials at LAX or O'Hare).
Shenzhen does shopping big, with giant malls and bazaars making it easy for shoppers to browse endless shops full of clothing, watches, bags, DVDs, golf clubs, toys, cell phones and electronics—you name it. Dong Men Night Market is a great place to extend a buying bender, staying open until midnight. The enormous Lu Won Shopping Center offers five floors crammed with consumer goods, including leading luxury brands. The Jia Le Fu Bazaar is one of a number of markets where the savvy hagglers can get rock-bottom prices on clothing, shoes and electronics. Keep in mind that every spring most of the stores in town slash prices, usually around April.
As a boomtown with an overwhelmingly young population, Shenzhen is full of the kinds of things young Chinese with a little extra money in their pockets like to do. You'll have no trouble, therefore, finding KTV (karaoke) and bars and clubs with loud dance or pop music—most of them very affordable. The city's significant Western expat community, centered in the western suburb of Shekou, also has its favorite spots. Of course, when it comes to a night out on the town, Hong Kong and Macau are just a hop, skip and a jump away, and many find themselves partying in Lan Kwai Fong or one of Macau's casinos after exhausting Shenzhen's relatively limited possibilities.
Things are just now beginning to get interesting as the young city begins to grow up. In the realm of culture and arts, Shenzhen is showing signs of maturity with a small but growing number of serious museums and performing arts venues establishing themselves in a cultural landscape dominated to date by theme parks, KTV, third-string "global" DJs and tacky club dancers. As for the kinds of festivals that define the cultural calendar elsewhere in China, Shenzhen's youth shows there's not much tradition to draw on, though the region's tasty lichee and peaches are celebrated. For Spring Festival, most of Shenzhen's young immigrant population goes home, leaving the city empty.
Bars & Restaurants
Shenzhen can have a bit of a frontier town vibe, with its young population and get-rich-quick attitude. Youth with a few extra kuai in their pockets means that the city's nightlife can be lively; however, it also can be quite seedy and, compared to the safety of other major Chinese cities, a bit dicey—petty crime is more prevalent in and around the SEZ than in most comparably sized Chinese urban areas. That said, if you exercise a fraction of the caution you would in New York or London, you should be fine. For live jazz and rock music, try one of the True Color bars or the Base Bar. There are a slew of bars and restaurants that cater to Western tastes in Shekou near Sea World; for a more interesting time with the Shenzhen locals, try bar- and club-hopping in Huaqiao City. If you get bored, there are always the trains and ferries to Hong Kong and Macau (see Shenzhen Transportation).
Performing Arts
Shenzhen can hardly claim to be a bastion of high culture, despite its battery of culturally and historically themed amusement parks (see replicas of the Eiffel Tower and Taj Mahal at Window of the World! Pose for photos on a real ex-Soviet aircraft carrier turned floating military theme park at Minsk World! And why actually travel China when you can see its most famous sights in miniature at Splendid China and absorb the essence of ethnic minority culture at China Folk Culture Village?). Any of the aforementioned parks feature regular performances that, depending on your attitude toward kitsch, exist somewhere between the delightfully corny and the irredeemably crass. Nevertheless, Shenzhen does have the hint of a promise of the beginning of a serious performing arts community, with the impressive new Shenzhen Concert Hall staging middle- and high-brow performances for audiences that have developed a reputation for rather low-brow behavior (think babies, mobile phones, hawking and talking).
Shenzhen Museums & Galleries
For all of its rough edges, Shenzhen is beginning to take art seriously (given the hot Chinese art market, one would be forgiven for thinking it were money first, art second). The recently renovated Shenzhen Art Museum focuses on contemporary urban art, including local art, which finds support from the Shenzhen Fine Art Institute. The Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art adds to the mix. For local, regional and general Chinese culture and history, visit the Shenzhen Museum. The city's theme parks also function as pop museums of a kind, though with definite "edutainment" and "imagineering" vibes (it's a small world after all).
Festivals & Events
With a short history to draw upon, local festivals are in short supply compared to older Chinese. The city empties out during Spring Festival, as the immigrant population returns en masse to hometowns around China. Interestingly, Christmas is a big deal—the commercialized version, that is: the subtropical Chinese city does a fine job of decking the halls, piping in the holiday music, putting up the Xmas lights and donning gay apparel. The surrounding countryside does have its traditions, including annual celebration of its famous lichee at the late-June/early-July Shenzhen Lichee Festival (local peach are a treat that time of year, too).