Ancient City Unit — Attraction in Shenzhen

Dapeng fortress's small streets were rather intetesting less for any historical value than the glimpse they give into how people here lived before moving en masse to the six-to-twenty story apartment blocks that now predominate in urban China. There are several streets with tea-houses or little stores where they have made an effort to make the building facades attractive in the old Chinese style, but these are a small minority. There are far more places on the main walkways (the fortress proper is pedestrian-only) that sell snacks, ice creams and trinkets. When I visited on a Wednesday afternoon ALL of the truly historical buildings (the two ancestral halls, the generals' mansions, etc.) were locked up and not open to the public. Plaques give short descriptions of the buildings but no panels indicate opening hours. Perhaps they are undergoing renovation, but there is no way to know when/if they are ever open. This was a great disappointment, as Dapeng Fortress would be far more interesting if these sites were available. Non-Chinese should note that while taking a taxi from Shenzhen to Dapeng was easy enough, getting a taxi back to Shen Zhen is very difficult unless you have the Didi or What's App apps (which I assume require a Chinese bank account). There are busses that will take you to downtown Dapeng where you can change for buses elsewhere, but as I did not do this I cannot say how easy...

used to be a run down little fishing village - now more touristy than ever. packed during weekends with chinese tourists. the beach is now gone - shame - but the view of the HUGE south mountain across the waters is even more breathtaking during a sunny day. My ancestors lived in this village - the old preserved buildings along the main pedestrian only streets still retain some of its historic character if you imagine beyond the shops that line the main old street. worth...

It was really breathtaking to see how they managed to build an ancient city like the way it used to be back in time. Many possibilities to take photos, many places to have lunch, diner or just a regular bite. Maybe a bit too much to eat and a little bit less shopping for souvenirs. Overall, it's a fun day (half fay) to walk around. If you have time left after visiting the Ancient City, you can walk to the beach, which is only a 5-10...