深圳市

Why this place

Shenzhen was a small fishing town until 1980, when it became China's first Special Economic Zone — and the speed of its growth is itself the attraction. It is now a technology and design city, with the best contemporary architecture and museums in the country and a long, walkable coastline.

What to see

• The Ping An Finance Centre and the Shenzhen Bay skyline, best seen from the water or the promenade
• OCT Loft and the Dafen oil-painting village — art districts in converted industrial space
• The Shenzhen Museum, which tells the story of the reform era better than anywhere
• Dapeng Fortress and the old Hakka and fishing villages of the east coast
• Shenzhen's parks and the coast road, which is genuinely excellent for cycling

What to eat

• Shenzhen eats everything — it is a city of migrants, so you can find any regional cuisine
• The Cantonese seafood and dim sum here are strong; so are the Hakka and Chaoshan restaurants

How to plan

Two days: the museum and the new city, then Dapeng and the coast.

Best time

October–December and March–April

Practical tips

• Shenzhen connects directly to Hong Kong, China by high-speed rail and by several border crossings