Shenzhen Travel Guide

Shenzhen (深圳; Shēnzhèn in Mandarin, Sāmjan in Cantonese) 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 Guangzhou. Shenzhen has been growing like crazy since the 1980s, thanks to its position on the border with Hong Kong and a government program to encourage investment. It's a dynamic, booming and futuristic city whose population comes from all over China. The city has become a center for international trade and manufacturing, especially electronics, leading many to call it the "Silicon Valley of China", and it's on the list of UNESCO Creative Cities as a design hub. No

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Shenzhen isbigand 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.

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.

Most tourists visit Shenzhen on a day trip fromHong Kong, but there are also plenty of options should you wish to spend the night here.