Luohu Commercial Center
If you are coming here by train from Hong Kong, which most visitors here do, the first and last stop you make will unavoidably be Luohu Commercial Center. This bustling five-storey mall adjacent to the train station has everything you need plus things you never thought you’d want. Many tourists come here so English is widely spoken. Counterfeits are common, but you can also buy non-branded items of reasonable quality at bargain prices. A good quality Bluetooth handphone should cost no more than US$20 without a warranty.
Shangri-La, Shenzhen
There are many places to eat in Luohu Commercial Center, but after half a day of haggling you may want to be pampered. This hotel, not to be confused with its much newer sister property Futian Shangri-La, was the first five-star property to open in the city back in the 1990s, and it remains popular for its excellent food and beverage outlets such as 360º Bar, Restaurant and Lounge, which offers prime steaks, fine wine and great cocktails with a panoramic view of the city from 32 floors up. A 260-gram Australian Wagyu sirloin costs RMB478 (US$78). Cantonese restaurant Shang Palace offers a daily all-you-can-eat dim sum lunch at RMB103-RMB123 (US$17-US$20 plus 15 per cent service and tax), depending on the day of the week and the menu.
Dongmen
When you are ready to brave the chaos again, this shopping district is the nearest adventure. Get here by taking the underground train for two stops (from Luohu station right underneath Luohu Commercial Center) to Laojie station or take the No 1 bus (RMB1/US$0.16) at the terminus right outside the building. There is a bustling pedestrianised street flanked by shops and restaurants and filled with street hawkers and performers. A bowl of Chongqing-style noodles in hot and sour soup costs RMB4 (US$0.65). Many affordable local labels, including athletic clothing designer Li Ning, have shops here that are worth checking out. After an hour though, you might get so confused by the chaos that you want to dart into the nearby Starbucks.
Huaqiang Road North
If you are into gadgets, a visit to this area is imperative. Change to the Shekou Line at Grand Theater station one stop west of Laojie, and continue westbound for two stops to Huaqiang North. The Huaqiang Group has several “Electronic Worlds” here, including the flagship (1001-1015 Huaqiang North Road, +86 755 8320 0688) for electronic parts and second-hand notebooks, “Shop No 2” (+86 755 8301 6666), which features computer-related products over five floors, and “Shop No 3” (3006 Shennan Zhong Lu, +86 755 8367 5388) stocked with LCD products over six floors. These complexes are like mazes, so be prepared to get a bit lost.
www.hq-mart.com (Chinese only)
Shenzhen Museum
Shenzhen is a booming metropolis today, but only 30 years ago it was just a fishing village. This is difficult to imagine, but the exhibits and artifacts here will help you visualise the transformation. The permanent exhibition starts from the Neolithic Age, when there were already early inhabitants settling in the area. Some of the battles of the Opium War also took place in nearby waters. To get here, take the train westbound for two stops on Shekou line to Civic Center. There is also an older facility of the Shenzhen Museum on 6 Tongxin Lu near the Grand Theater that focuses on indigenous flora and fauna. Open 9am-6pm daily except Mon. Admission is free. East Gate of Block A, Citizens’ Center, Fuzhong 3rd Road, Futian; +86 755 8210 5550; www.shenzhenmuseum.com
Shopping Park
From the Civic Center station, take a southbound train to the Convention & Exhibition Center and change to Luobao line for one stop to the west to reach this mall. The retail options here are more high-end, but the main attraction is a “bar street” on the northern side of the complex, where watering holes of all shapes, sizes and styles are located. Pull up a chair at expat-friendly places such as McCawley’s Irish Pub (www.mccawleys.com/ft; open 10pm-2am) and Club Viva (http://clubvivachina.com/club; open 5pm-5am). Many outlets here have outdoor seating and live music at night. A vodka cocktail at Club Viva starts from RMB35 (US$6).
