Nathan:

I like living in Shenzhen because of four main reasons. First, the active guy in me loves the access to hiking and nature throughout the area. Shenzhen is home to many trails that traverse through the lush green mountains that surround the Futian and Nanshan Districts – and hopefully soon I will make it out to Dapeng Peninsula where one can hike along the sea. The next reason is the metro. Shenzhen is a very spread out city, and so getting from one place to another would be difficult without a metro. Luckily enough, Shenzhen has an ever-expanding metro of nine lines that make it convenient to get to anywhere in the city in an hour or less. Third, there isn’t a winter! Shenzhen is located in the south of the country and the lowest temperature you will find in the winter is around 12 Celsius. No need to bring your snow boots! And lastly, Shenzhen is very much an international city. You never feel too far away from home with the access to international amenities in the city but also just across the border in Hong Kong.

The city is one of the fastest growing cities in the world. It is quite fascinating to see the development of a booming metropolis that thirty years ago was nothing more than a small fishing village. This rapid change means one will see what the future looks like – from electronic-powered taxis and robot tour guides to eye scanners as a form of payment. Moreover, Shenzhen is centrally located in the Pearl River Delta. This means iconic destinations like Hong Kong, Macau, and Guangzhou are all accessible by train or ferry within 1-2 hours! This makes Shenzhen a great base for all your travels in the region!

If you’ve never been to Shenzhen before, you should first know that while there are no cold winters, the city is HOT! The humidity can get pretty gnarly so be sure to bring your summer clothes. And as I said before, the city is very spread out – so make sure to book your stay in the centrally located Futian or Nanshan Districts. Finally, the Shenzhen skyline is impressive – but don’t forget to look underground. Beneath the streets you will find a whole civilization of stores and restaurants interconnected with one another that can go on for miles.

Asia:

I like living in Shenzhen because it is a fairly large city, and the air is really clear.  There are different parks and other attractions to visit when you want a break from the city. As a foreigner there is also a touch of home in Sea World where you can find many foreign restaurants and grocery stores. When you’re a little home sick it’s a great place to visit.

Visiting Shenzhen you get a nice mix of classic and modern China. It’s more on the modern side since Shenzhen is still a fairly new city, but it still has the heart of China. It’s pretty central, being a ferry ride away from Hong Kong and a train ride away from Guangzhou, and the metro system is easy to navigate so exploring the city is easy to do. There’s tons to explore and see when you have the time to do so.

There is a large foreigner community that you can find through various groups on WeChat. Shenzhen is larger than it seems on your map, it can take a little over an hour to travel from one end to another and every community in Shenzhen has its own vibe. With a bit of exploration and openness you’ll find your favorite area and be able to settle in easily.