Exploring Shekou on foot

Half artistic, half down-to-earth — that’s Shekou in a nutshell. Walk its hills and shoreline at a leisurely pace and you’ll find a neighborhood that feels like a compact version of Shenzhen: cosmopolitan, green and unexpectedly relaxed. Here’s a recommended city-walk that threads together the area’s best textures — tree-lined lanes, creative clusters, local markets and seaside views.

A walk along Shekou’s shoreline offers breath-taking views. Photos by Joshua Fernandez

Start on Liyuan Road (荔园路), a 2.3-kilometer green corridor where dense trees form a dappled tunnel of light. The road links bustling Shekou Old Street at one end with Taizi Road, a zone popular with expats, at the other. Walkers hear a mix of foreign accents and Lingnan dialects as cafés, parks, schools and creative studios line the way — a stretch locals jokingly call “little Shanghai,” reminiscent of Wukang Road’s mellow charm.

A short detour brings you to the G&G Creative Community (G&G创意社区), once the Nanxing Glass Factory. Shipping containers now house cozy cafés, galleries and boutiques under colorful graffiti. With a steady stream of expats and a relaxed, romantic vibe, it feels like stepping into a different country — ideal for those who favor slow, creative living.

The seaside community features plenty of picturesque architecture.

Nearby Nanhai E-Cool (南海意库), set in a repurposed Sanyo factory, is a must for culture seekers. Its winding lanes are dotted with bookstores, exhibition spaces, Western restaurants and indie cafés. The park’s artistic atmosphere and leafy setting make it a favored spot for discovering small, off-the-radar finds.

For a more grounded taste of Shekou, head to Shekou Old Street (蛇口老街). The lively market, a cluster of small family shops and decades-old eateries offer the neighborhood’s most authentic flavors. It’s where residents shop, chat and eat — a reminder of Shekou’s everyday, down-to-earth side.

On the waterfront, the Sea World Culture and Arts Center (海上世界文化艺术中心) anchors the area with its distinctive white cubic architecture. The four-story venue stages rotating exhibitions on its lower levels, so you can pair indoor art viewing with a short stroll to the sea.

Continue along the shore to Taizi Bay Coastal Park (太子湾海岸线公园), a 228,500-square-meter seaside cultural and art hub that blends recreation with ecology, commerce and culture. When fully open by the end of 2024, it’s set to be more than a traditional park — a place to walk or cycle while taking in green spaces and coastal panoramas.

Finish at K11 ECOAST, the mixed-use art-and-retail complex that opened to the public this April. With landscaped promenades, the Art Mall, a multi-purpose art space and office towers, K11 ECOAST fuses architecture, greenery and shorefront views. From here you can watch the modern skyline meet art installations and sea breeze — an apt final note for a walk that’s at once artistic and utterly lived-in.