Trip Overview
When: September (warm but humid)
Duration: 5 days
Travelers: Friends road trip
Transportation: Self-drive from Guangzhou
Budget: ~3,000-4,000 RMB (~$420-560 USD)
We've been to Shenzhen countless times, but always for family visits or work—never truly as tourists. This time, invited by our Shenzhen relatives, we finally explored this modern metropolis' romantic seaside side.
Day 1: Arrival & Damesha Beach (大梅沙)
Driving from Guangzhou to our hotel at Shenzhen Lanbo Bay All-Sea View International Hotel Apartment took just over 2 hours. This apartment-style stay was a pleasant surprise—spacious rooms with two queen beds, a sofa, and best of all, a sea-view balcony (our relatives insisted on this one!). Perfect for a group of friends wanting space to gather and relax.
The view from our sea-view balcony was stunning.
Reality check: This isn't the most comfortable travel season. The heat is intense, especially by the sea—humid and sticky. We became "night owls," staying in during the day drinking tea and playing cards, only venturing out at dusk.
Damesha Beach海滨栈道
As the sun lowered, we headed to Damesha Coastal Park (大梅沙海滨公园), home to the coastal boardwalk we'd been excited to explore.
The park is free, but entry requires temperature check and travel code verification. When they saw we were from Guangzhou, they asked which district!
The evening sea—quiet, serene, mysterious.
While Sanya has "The Ends of the Earth" (天涯海角), Shenzhen has "Eternal Love" (天长地久).
Finally—the beautiful coastal boardwalk! Let's walk!
The Damesha Coastal Boardwalk (大梅沙海滨栈道) stretches about 1 kilometer from Yantian East Port to Damesha Beach Park. Along the way, you'll find hiking paths, viewing platforms, large bridges, and stone arch bridges. The boardwalk winds along steep cliffs above crashing waves—quite dramatic.
The wide boardwalk, white railings against blue sky and azure sea—absolutely refreshing.
Walking along the boardwalk, we took photos non-stop.
We headed back to the entrance and had dinner at "Grinding Time" (研磨时光)—such a romantic name for a café!
On our way back, we passed by Damesha Outlets (大梅沙奥特莱斯). The two women in our group couldn't resist—we browsed for hours until closing time. Great finds, but we wanted more! Poor guys.
Day 2: More Shopping & German Dinner
Morning view from our window—stunning!
Yesterday wasn't enough shopping—today we returned to the outlets for more retail therapy.
Before even reaching the shopping area, we were captivated by the scenery here—everyone took tons of photos!
For dinner, we chose this German Restaurant (德国餐厅) by the river. Fortunately, all four of us love Western food—we were all satisfied!
Day 3: Dapeng Fortress (大鹏所城)
Our second stop: Dapeng Fortress (大鹏所城). Officially "Dapeng Guard Battalion City," this was a Ming and Qing Dynasty military fortress—considered the most important coastal defense in China. It's also where the First Opium War began, and Shenzhen's nickname "Pengcheng" (鹏城) comes from here.
Despite being over 600 years old, Dapeng Fortress still bustles with life. Ancient buildings bear the marks of history, while modern fashion elements peek through everywhere. The harmonious blend of old and new gives this ancient fortress a sense of depth and mystery.
The Lai Family (赖氏家族) is the largest clan in Dapeng Fortress—three generations produced five military generals.