Shenzhen/Nanshan

Nanshan (南山, Nánshān) is a district of Shenzhen. It's a happening place—international artist communities, multiple amusement parks, historic sites, and more.

Nanshan district also includes Shekou, on metro line 2, the expat neighborhood with everything Western that you might be accustomed to as well as the main ferry terminal.

Get in
Shenzhen's main ferry terminal,, is in this district, providing service from Hong Kong, Macau, and Zhuhai, including direct service from Hong Kong International Airport that allows you to skip Hong Kong customs and immigration. The ferry terminal is connected to a Line 12 metro station Taiziwan.

The district is also well-connected by metro, specifically Line 1, 2, 5, 9, 11 (Airport Express) and 12.

Get around
Metro and bus lines will get you around Nanshan with the same convenience as other parts of Shenzhen.

The Chiwan neighborhood (with some of the district's main historic sites) is served by a free minibus which goes from Chiwan metro station past Tianhou Temple and the Tomb of the Young Song Emperor. It claims to operate every 20 minutes from 07:00–20:00, though in practice it isn't quite that frequent.

Amusement parks
Most of Shenzhen's amusement parks are in Nanshan.

Shopping centers

 * OCT Harbour (欢乐海岸) is somewhat more famous than it deserves to be, because it's run by Overseas Chinese Town, which operates many of the big-name attractions in this district. OCT Harbour is sort of like a mall and an amusement park had a baby, and though it's mildly interesting to walk around, it's neither the best mall nor the best amusement park in Shenzhen (not even close) and can be skipped.
 * OCT Harbour (欢乐海岸) is somewhat more famous than it deserves to be, because it's run by Overseas Chinese Town, which operates many of the big-name attractions in this district. OCT Harbour is sort of like a mall and an amusement park had a baby, and though it's mildly interesting to walk around, it's neither the best mall nor the best amusement park in Shenzhen (not even close) and can be skipped.

Eat
Overseas Chinese Town (OCT) is famous for its numerous dining options, including some of the best Korean restaurants in Shenzhen. All are within easy walking distance from Huaqiaocheng (OCT) Metro Station, behind the InterContinental Shenzhen Hotel.

If you're feeling homesick, there are a lot of international bars and restaurants in Shekou, the main residential zone for Shenzhen's sizable Western expatriate community. They're centered around Sea World metro station.

Eat Streets
The Shekou Sea World area is an "Eat Street" with a variety of foreign restaurants. It's pretty neat for locals, but not so exotic for foreign visitors.

Shekou
The expat district.



Go next

 * Western Shenzhen – mostly industrial, but has more parks and hiking than Nanshan
 * Central Shenzhen
 * Hong Kong, Macau, or Zhuhai by ferry from Shekou