Here are five shopping options for visitors, whether they are bargain hunters, splurgers or the shop-till-you-drop types.
1. Raffles City Shenzhen
Raffles City, a commercial, residential and hotel complex in Singapore, has opened an overseas branch in Shenzhen. It is structured similarly, with retail shops and restaurants on the lower floors and offices on the higher floors.
Hongkongers flock to Shenzhen where their dollar takes them further
Hongkongers flock to Shenzhen where their dollar takes them further
The 63,000 square metre (678,000 sq ft) mall is next to Nanshan Park and houses brands including Uniqlo, Evisu, J-Lindeberg, Sephora and luxury brands. It also has many Chinese and international restaurants, one of which serves Shantou-style beef hotpot and is very popular with the locals.
Access: Exit E, Nanyou station, metro line nine
2. MixC (Wanxiang Tiandi)
MixC is known for its retail brands, which makes it different from other malls. It is also particularly known for fragrances and the first physical stores in southern China of international fragrance brands such as Creed and Penhaligon were opened there.
There are many restaurants with comfortable outdoor seating, such as Spanish tapas restaurant Pintxos. GreyBox Coffee is a speciality coffee shop known in China for its high-quality coffee.
One pro tip: check out Seesaw Coffee, a plant-themed cafe right under the elephant installation. It has subtropical plants and floor-to-ceiling windows that allow in plenty of sunlight.
Access: Exit A, Hi-Tech Park station, metro line one
3. Nantou Ancient City
The ancient walled city of Nantou, which dates back to 1394, has been converted into a complex of cafes, restaurants and shops. Head over to Nantou Ancient City for smaller-scale, unique shopping options.
Nantou Ancient City does not have big brands, instead choosing to house artsy local shops, such as Zi Zai, a stamp shop where you can create your own name stamp. There is also a gift shop that sells souvenirs and local snacks.
Access: Nantou Ancient City station, metro line 12
‘There is good sushi in China’: Shenzhen restaurant on a mission
‘There is good sushi in China’: Shenzhen restaurant on a mission
4. Coastal City
Coastal City is one of several big shopping malls in the Houhai area – others include Fashion Square and Baoli Culture Square. You could easily spend a whole day window shopping here. The Coastal City shopping centre carries brands such as Zara, Uniqlo, Pandora and APM Monaco.
If you tire of shopping, Coastal City has a sports-themed game arcade called X-Joy Sports, where you can play darts, bowling and billiards, and go roller skating and trampolining.
If you are more interested in arcade games, head over to Fundoland, where you can play classic arcade games and also try out the newest virtual reality games.
Access: Exit D1, Houhai station, metro line two
5. MixC Shenzhen Bay
MixC Shenzhen Bay, another retail complex in the MixC brand, is an 80,000 square metre shopping centre that leans much more towards high-end brands than other malls. It is surrounded by futuristic skyscrapers which light up at night.
Access: Exit C, Grand Theatre station, metro lines one and two