Accommodation
Where to Stay in Shenzhen for APEC 2026: Areas, Metro Lines and Costs
Two stations sound identical. Only one is near the venue.
9 min read
All Guides
Grouped by where you are in the trip. Start wherever you actually are.
★APEC 2026
Shenzhen hosts the Leaders’ Meeting on 18–19 November. Updated as official details land.
Sort this out before you fly
None of these can be fixed once you have landed — the sites you would need are blocked from inside China.
Visa & Transit
China's 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: How to Visit Shenzhen Without a Visa
Ten days in China without a visa, if you qualify.
6 min read· Updated
Payment
Alipay & WeChat Pay in Shenzhen: Pay With a Foreign Card (2026)
Link a foreign Visa or Mastercard. No Chinese bank account needed.
8 min read
Connectivity
Best eSIM for Shenzhen (and China) in 2026
Keep Google, WhatsApp and Instagram working. No VPN required.
11 min read
Getting here, and where to stay
Which border crossing, and which part of the city to base yourself in.
Border Crossing
The New Huanggang Port: When It Opens and What Changes (2026)
Finished, waiting for a date. What changes when it opens.
5 min read
Border Crossing
Hong Kong Airport to Shenzhen (2026): Bus, Coach or Ferry
Decide before immigration. Then pick the crossing by where in Shenzhen you're going.
8 min read
Getting Around
Shenzhen Airport to the City: Metro, Business Class & Taxi (2026)
Line 11 goes straight to Futian. The business carriage is the part nobody mentions.
7 min read· Updated
Accommodation
Where to Stay in Shenzhen: Best Areas for First-Time Visitors
Futian, Nanshan or Luohu. Pick by what you came here for.
6 min read
Border Crossing
Hong Kong to Shenzhen: Which Border Crossing, MTR & Cost (2026)
Every crossing compared: which is fastest, what it costs, how long it takes.
9 min read· Updated
Once you are here
Moving around the city, and what is worth your time.
Shopping
Shopping in Shenzhen (2026): Where to Go and How to Bargain
The first shops you see are the worst value in the city. Here's where to go instead.
6 min read
Planning
Shenzhen in One Day or Three: Where I Actually Take Friends
One day from Hong Kong, or three. Where I actually take friends.
7 min read· Updated
Getting Around
How to Use DiDi in Shenzhen: A Foreigner's Complete Guide (2026)
China's Uber. Set it up with a foreign card before you land.
8 min read
Getting Around
Shenzhen Metro Guide for Foreigners (2026): Payment, Lines, and Key Stations
Pay with your phone, not a ticket machine. The lines that matter.
9 min read
Electronics
Huaqiangbei Electronics Market: Complete Guide for Foreigners (2026)
Which buildings to walk, what to buy, how to bargain, what to avoid.
13 min read· Updated