Travel options – The ultimate perk of teaching English in Shenzhen
The best Shenzhen highlights
Checking out the different hoods of Shenzhen is a lot of fun for newcomers, especially as the city is in a constant state of evolution. Today’s trendy hub will be tomorrow’s hippie haunt. Suburbs have a way of changing their ‘vibes’ quite quickly here as the city expands at an astronomical rate. The Shenzhen Museum is a must to get up-to-date with the city’s history, as is a visit to Nantou Ancient City (lovely tales of old), Splendid China Folk Village (way more interesting than the name infers) just one of many ‘theme parks’ for which the city won a UNESCO City Design designation.
Out and about from Shenzhen
The ability to reach bustling Hong Kong with the subway in 1,5hrs is as good as life gets in Shenzhen yet it’s not your only day-trip option. Macau, the famous former Portuguese colony, is also often underrated, especially given the fantastic architecture and variety of fusion dining on offer. The outer islands of Zhuhai are also wonderful to visit and you really ought to see the ancient fortified towers of Dialou and Kaiping, currently the only historical UNESCO sites in the province. Don’t forget to set aside a day to explore the 600-year-old Dapeng Fortress, one of Shenzhen’s most important historical sites.
Popular weekends away from Shenzhen
Hong Kong once again reigns supreme on the list here but so do the UNESCO villages mentioned above, especially as a one-way transfer can take 2 hours. There are lovely guesthouses nearby so you can make it a weekend trip instead of a long and tiring day excursion. Nature lovers ought to pin the stunning lakes around Huizhou, where long cycle and walking paths make for a contemplative and relaxing weekend away, and the arresting karst peaks of the Daxia Mountains near Shaoguan, Guangdong’s only natural UNESCO site, thus far. Shenzhen’s high-speed rail (which has yet to reach Hong Kong) makes weekend travel an absolute breeze.
Opportunities about for those looking to teach English in Shenzhen.
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