Shenzhen is China's astonishing tech megacity — a place that grew from a fishing village into a gleaming metropolis of skyscrapers, start-ups and 17 million people in barely 40 years. Right on Hong Kong's doorstep, this is the country's Silicon Valley: young, fast, green and relentlessly innovative, with futuristic architecture, sprawling theme parks, surprising beaches and the energy of a city where almost everyone has come from somewhere else to build something new.
Shenzhen has a humid subtropical climate, with long, hot, wet summers, short, mild winters and lush greenery year-round. As China's youngest and most entrepreneurial big city, it has a large, dynamic international community, with English used in business and its many international schools. Mandarin is the language of daily life, while a modern (if rising) cost of living, the world's gold-standard metro and a position right beside Hong Kong make it a hugely popular base for teachers.
Location Info
- Young, dynamic tech city with a large expat scene, right beside Hong Kong
- Very safe and modern, with low street crime even late at night
- An ultra-modern metro plus cheap taxis, ride-hailing and shared bikes
Top Experiences
Window of the World & OCT
Tour the planet's landmarks in miniature — Eiffel Tower, pyramids and all — at this huge theme park, part of the buzzing Overseas Chinese Town (OCT) arts, parks and nightlife district.
Huaqiangbei Electronics Market
Dive into the largest electronics market on Earth, a dizzying multi-storey maze of components, gadgets and gizmos — the beating heart of the world's hardware capital.
Dameisha & the Beaches
Surprise: Shenzhen has beaches. Spend a day on the golden sand at Dameisha and Xiaomeisha or hike the scenic coastal trails of the eastern peninsula.
Lianhuashan Park & the Skyline
Climb through this lush hilltop park to the Deng Xiaoping statue for the classic panorama over the Futian skyline, crowned by the soaring 600m Ping An Finance Centre.
Dafen Oil Painting Village
Wander the lanes of the world's most famous art-reproduction village, where thousands of painters turn out everything from Old Masters to custom canvases.
Hong Kong on the Doorstep
One of Shenzhen's biggest perks: simply cross the border for a weekend in Hong Kong, with its harbour, hiking and dim sum just a metro ride away.
Getting Around
Shenzhen has one of the newest, cleanest and best metro systems in the world — cheap, vast and fully signed in English — backed by buses and shared bikes everywhere. Didi (China's ride-hailing app) and metered taxis (many of them electric) are inexpensive, and high-speed trains and border crossings link you straight into Hong Kong and the wider delta. Almost everything is paid for by phone with WeChat Pay or Alipay, so it's worth setting these up soon after you arrive.
When to Go
Autumn (October to December) is the most comfortable season — warm, dry and pleasant. Spring is mild but humid, summers (May to September) are long, hot, sticky and rainy with the odd typhoon, and winters are short and mild rather than cold.
Good to Know
- The Chinese yuan (CNY/RMB) is the currency, and Shenzhen is modern but still good value.
- Mandarin is the official language and everyday English is limited, so a translation app is invaluable.
- Almost all payments are by phone — set up WeChat Pay or Alipay early.
- A VPN is needed for many Western sites and apps, so arrange one before you arrive.
- Shenzhen is extremely safe, with very low rates of street crime.
- The whole country runs on China Standard Time (GMT+8).
