Why Should We Explore Shenzhen, China?

With the advancement of China, many travellers are keen to explore “BeiShangGuangShen”. In case you didn’t know, they are Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. China has transformed itself from “the world’s factory” to becoming a hive of technology innovation. This truly amazes me – I mean, you can start to see so many similarities between WeChat and Facebook.

Shenzhen, a boomtown in southern China’s Guangdong province, is known for its transformation from a tiny fishing village into a vast metropolis. In 2017, Shenzhen surpassed Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai to become the most appealing city for the Chinese public. The average age of population in Shenzhen is 32.1 years old, which makes it one of the youngest cities in the country!

Is Shenzhen a day-trip destination for visitors to Hong Kong anymore?

This first tier city lies just across the border from Hong Kong. It holds the population of 15 million people. Shenzhen has always been a popular day trip or quick escape option from Hong Kong for many. Though RMB is stronger than HKD now, the average cost of living in Shenzhen is still lower than Hong Kong. This means that dining and entertainments are way more affordable. Besides, Shenzhen has become a UNESCO City of Design with modern architecture and art that surprises many people – Perhaps you can consider planning Hong Kong as a day trip instead!

How advanced is Shenzhen?

Shenzhen has better air quality compared with other major Chinese cities. Besides, its urban area is much smaller than Beijing, which makes it easier for residents to commute. As it is the closest Mainland city to Hong Kong, residents share numerous benefits from bilateral communications. All public buses in the city went electric by the end of 2017. Taxis soon followed suit. I was told that 99% of the city’s (more than 21,000) cabs are now powered by batteries. Isn’t that insane?

Shenzhen is a modern financial and commercial metropolis in China, therefore many technology firms have their offices set up there. Did you know that tech giants like Huawei, Tencent, ZTE and DJI are “born” in Shenzhen? Shenzhen is now recognized as South China’s technology and innovation epi-center, inevitably drawing comparisons with Silicon Valley.

What can we do in Shenzhen?

I enjoy Shenzhen best during winter. Winter in Shenzhen gets really cold and eating hotpot with friends is probably my favourite part of the trip! There are many different hotpot restaurants you can choose from. Be sure to try their Hai Di Lao Hotpot Restaurant (海底捞火锅) – it will be a totally different experience! Other than that, I would recommend Qian Wei Shua or also known as Delicious Hotpot (千味涮), Seasons Coconut Chicken Hotpot (润园四季椰子鸡) and Hualong Chongqing Hotpot City (华龙重庆火锅城).

Window of the World, a theme-park near to Shenzhen Bay, is one of the travel highlights of the city. The park displays miniature versions of more than 130 world famous sites, from each of the five continents. You are able to visit many of the world’s great landmarks in just one day! In fact, it is a good place to begin your travel bucket list – visualise and achieve these travel locations one by one!

In the quieter suburb of Shekou, you’ll find Sea World – a popular plaza – not an aquarium as the name suggests. There are a lot of western and European style restaurants, cafes and clubs. It is also popular for its imported German and Irish beers.

All in all, Shen Zhen is a great place to chill and let loose. Spa lovers will love it here because there are many spas to choose from and you can spend the day relaxing your tired self. If you enjoy retail therapies, there are also great shopping malls! However, if I can get everything from Taobao, why not?

Have fun exploring Shenzhen and the enjoy your holiday without using cash or carrying a bag! All you need is a handphone in this cashless society of theirs!

Xoxo

@melissalondonmickey