Trip Overview
When: June (perfect summer weather)
Duration: 2 days
Travelers: Group of friends
Budget: ~1,500 RMB (~$210 USD)
Transportation: Self-drive or taxi from downtown Shenzhen (about 1 hour)
Essential Foreigner Info
Getting There: Located in Dameisha (大梅沙), about 1 hour's drive from downtown Shenzhen. Take a taxi or Didi (China's Uber) directly to the resort entrance. If driving, there's ample parking at both Daxia Valley and Tea Valley.
Money Matters: Most attractions and restaurants accept mobile payment (WeChat Pay, Alipay), but bring some cash for small vendors and tips.
Language: English is limited at the resort. Key phrases: 东部华侨城 (Dōngbù Huáqiáochéng - Eastern华侨城), 大侠谷 (Dàxiá Gǔ - Daxia Valley), 茶溪谷 (Chá Xī Gǔ - Tea Valley).
Best Time to Visit: Weekdays are less crowded. Golden Week (National Day) gets very busy—arrive early!
Day 1: Daxia Valley Adventure
National Day holiday is coming up! If you're tired of the same old tourist traps like Window of the World (世界之窗) or Splendid China (锦绣中华), let me introduce you to Eastern华侨城 (东部华侨城)—Shenzhen's best-kept secret for showing friends around.
Eastern华侨城 is located in Dameisha (大梅沙), Shenzhen—just one hour from the city center. This place has been blowing up on Chinese social media lately for its forest train, river rapids ride, wooden roller coaster, and the flower field where the famous TV drama "Meteor Rain" was filmed. Unlike other Shenzhen attractions, you won't be squeezing through crowds. Perfect for your National Day trip!
Want to conquer Daxia Valley (大侠谷)? Don't miss the wooden roller coaster, giant swing, river rapids ride, and Firebird Valley! These heart-pounding thrill rides will have your adrenaline surging—perfect for screaming your lungs out with friends and releasing all that youthful energy.
After all that thrill-seeking, you need a comfortable bed to recover. Enter the Waterfall Hotel (瀑布酒店)—the most design-forward hotel in Daxia Valley. This unique hotel is built into a massive 300-meter-wide, 70-meter-high rock, with waterfalls cascading down the building's exterior. It's like the Water Curtain Cave from Journey to the West, but with a sleek modern tech twist.
The hotel uses "water" as its main design element, combining modern technology with visual, olfactory, and tactile experiences. Guests breathe air infused with negative oxygen ions, see water imagery following their every move, and can enjoy the spectacular outdoor waterfall views from anywhere in the lobby.
The hotel features 94 stunningly designed rooms, all made from molded artificial marble. Walls and beds flow in water-like curves, creating an incredibly comfortable space perfect for de-stressing and recovery. Every detail—from the art pieces to the bedding—shows meticulous design. Plus, it's a total Instagram hotspot!
Day 2: Tea Valley & Interlaken Town
If you prefer a more nature-focused, laid-back experience, Tea Valley (茶溪谷) will delight you. This valley features the charming Interlaken Town (茵特拉根小镇), a European-style town modeled after Switzerland's Interlaken. The architecture perfectly recreates Swiss pastoral style—romantic and elegant.
The town boasts the charming Interlaken Corridor Bridge (茵特拉根廊桥), the serene Interlaken Lake (茵特拉根湖畔), and the forest-integrated Interlaken Hot Springs (茵特拉根温泉). Walking through the streets feels like you've teleported to Switzerland. Because it's so beautifully dreamlike and radiates romance everywhere, many couples choose to shoot their wedding photos here.
Interlaken Town has a Cuckoo Clock Square (咕咕钟广场) with multiple daily performances—clown shows, puppet shows, and mini music concerts. When night falls and lights illuminate, the buildings along Interlaken Lake reflect on the water's surface, making you feel like you've stepped into a fairy tale world.
For accommodations, the themed hotels in Interlaken Town make your journey even more perfect. Interlaken Hotel (茵特拉根酒店) is built in Swiss architectural style, decorated in luxurious European classical style. The lobby is adorned with abundant fresh flowers—you'll be totally immersed.
The hotel café is located by beautiful Interlaken Lake, giving you the sensation of standing at a European street-side coffee stand. The open-concept kitchen offers a wide variety of classic dishes, and the fragrant bakery's pastry chefs will recommend the finest pastries based on your taste.
They've also launched a seasonal "Black Swan Theme Afternoon Tea"—you can enjoy delicious treats while interacting with the black swans. It's literally a scene from a fairy tale!
Near Interlaken Hotel, you'll find the Black Forest Hotel (黑森林酒店), themed around German Black Forest cuckoo clocks. The hotel creates a relaxed, dreamy atmosphere—a modern version of "Alice in Wonderland"—letting you enjoy the romantic poetry of reality and fairy tales.
Adorable moose and cuckoo bird designs are everywhere, filling the hotel with fairy tale charm. Plus, the giant cuckoo clock on the hotel's top floor chimes every hour, as if telling guests that the ball is about to begin—building anticipation!
Final Thoughts
So, if your friends ask you to show them around Shenzhen, just head to Eastern华侨城! It's that simple.