Hiking Yantian's waterfront boardwalk

Situated on the coast of Yantian in the eastern part of Shenzhen, the Yantian waterfront boardwalk is a 19.5-kilometer-long coastal greenway and is famous for the spectacular ocean views it provides.

Starting from the Zhongying Street Guta Park, the boardwalk follows the “golden coastline,” connecting Shatoujiao, Yantian Port, and Dameisha, and extends to Beizaijiao in the east.

It is a famous hiking route in Shenzhen and has attracted numerous visitors with its unique natural scenery and cultural landscapes.

The boardwalk was rebuilt after Super Typhoon Mangkhut hit the city in 2018. It was the strongest typhoon to strike Shenzhen since 1983 and brought devastating destruction to the existing boardwalk, posing a serious threat to the safety of local residents and tourists.

The reconstruction is estimated to have cost 350 million yuan (US$48.51 million).

The boardwalk links up the fragmented urban fabric with natural tourist spots, redefining the relationship between the urban and natural landscape. Tourist spots with spectacular sceneries, including Dameisha, Xiaomeisha, and Beizaijiao, are connected by the new boardwalk.

The upgraded seaside boardwalk is equipped with night lighting throughout its length. The sections in Dameisha have more than 2,100 LED light-controlled lamps installed that ensure illumination even in rainy conditions and maintain night lighting for up to six hours during consecutive days of overcast and rainy weather. These solar panels are mainly installed on the boardwalk’s guardrails and automatically light up from 7:30 p.m.to 6 a.m. daily.

The accompanying photographs, captured by Shenzhen Daily photographer Liu Xudong, showcase the charm and allure of the boardwalk.