Shenzhen Buddies

Field notes

Field notes on Shenzhen

Border crossings, payments, neighbourhoods and the people who live here. The things worth knowing before you arrive.

The Dongmen pedestrian street at night, its pagoda-roofed buildings outlined in lights above a crowd of shoppers, with the McDonald’s pagoda building glowing on the right.

Neighbourhoods14 September 20264 min read

Dongmen: the Shenzhen that came first

Before the skyline there was Dongmen — pagoda roofs, snack streets, market floors. A walk through the old downtown, at the hour it wakes up.

By interest3 September 20265 min read
Shenzhen after dark
Daylight is when Shenzhen works. At night the towers run light shows, the late tables fill up, and the markets keep going. An evening, done properly.
By interest18 August 20266 min read
What Shenzhen actually eats
Nobody's grandmother is from Shenzhen. That is the best thing about eating here — the whole country cooks in one city. Where to start, dish by dish.
Getting around9 August 20266 min read
Hong Kong to Shenzhen: which crossing to use
Six ways to cross from Hong Kong into Shenzhen, where each one drops you, and the one thing to sort out before you leave.

From a friendSplitWhomBBQs, parties & trips — buy together, then track who paid what and settle up automatically.