Guangdong Province on the border with Hong Kong, 163km (102 miles) SE of Guangzhou
Shenzhen grew overnight from nothing to metropolis in the 1980s at the instigation of then-supreme leader Deng Xiaoping, and remains the symbol of the reform and opening policy he initiated. It's equally a symbol of everything that's wrong with what China has become -- a jostle of shanty-towers with a rootless, money-grubbing, temporary atmosphere. No one's a native, and many Chinese are here illegally. Far from finding the get-rich-quick scheme of their dreams, many often end up in sweat shops or prostitution.
If you're in Hong Kong and are considering Shenzhen as a side trip, then be aware that shopping is the main activity. The main point of visiting here is to use its airport to get somewhere else.Warning:Although Hong Kong has "returned to the motherland," this is a full-scaleinternational border crossingfrom 6:30am to midnight and is prohibited even to Chinese without the right documentation. Lines can be long, especially at holiday periods. In either direction, allowat leastan hour, and be sure to collect immigration cards and fill them in while waiting in the queue in either direction. There are lines for Hong Kong residents, mainland Chinese, and foreigners -- you'll be sent to the back again if you join the wrong one. Full Chinese touristvisascannot be obtained here. A 5-day permit allowing accessonlyto Shenzhen can be purchased at the border by citizens of most developed nations for ¥100 ($13), but the list of favored nations changes as high-level diplomatic spats eventually filter down to the ordinary traveler. Last year it was the British who were out of favor, this year it is the Americans who are in the doghouse.