Shenzhen

Shenzhen is arguably the most remarkable city in the world. Forty years ago it was a small fishing village of 30,000 people. Today it is a city of 17 million, China's technology capital, and home to companies like Huawei, Tencent, BYD, and DJI. The transformation — driven by Deng Xiaoping's designation of Shenzhen as China's first Special Economic Zone in 1980 — is the fastest urban growth story in human history.

For travellers, Shenzhen is primarily a transit point between Hong Kong and the rest of China, but it deserves more attention. The OCT Loft arts district has transformed old factory buildings into galleries, design studios, and independent restaurants. The Dafen Oil Painting Village produces the majority of the world's reproduction oil paintings — a fascinating cottage industry where thousands of artists paint copies of Western masterpieces side by side. The food scene is excellent and diverse, reflecting the city's population drawn from every province in China.

Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (SZX) serves extensive domestic and some international routes. The Airport Express metro connects to Futian in 30 minutes. From Hong Kong, the Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau border crossings connect by MTR to Shenzhen's metro network — crossing takes 30–45 minutes total. High-speed trains from Shenzhen North station connect to Guangzhou (30 minutes), Hong Kong West Kowloon (14 minutes), and destinations nationwide.

Futian district (city centre, near the high-speed railway station) is the most practical base for most visitors. OCT Loft area suits those focused on arts and creative culture. Nanshan district has clusters of tech company headquarters and good boutique hotels.

Shenzhen is extremely well-connected to Hong Kong — 14 minutes by high-speed train or 30–45 minutes via the MTR border crossing at Lo Wu. Many visitors combine a Shenzhen day trip with a Hong Kong stay or use Shenzhen as an affordable base for exploring the Pearl River Delta region.