A first look at In Shenzhen, by Lonely Planet

In Shenzhen guidebook by Lonely Planet, cover. Tom O’Malley

I researched and wrote this 200-page Lonely Planet guidebook to Shenzhen, the first LP guide to southern China’s most mega megacity, in late 2019 and 2020 just before Covid hit.

Called In Shenzhen, it’s an official Lonely Planet China publication, independetly researched but sponsored by the good folks at the Shenzhen Tourism Bureau. Who were actually relatively hands-off and encouraging.

I spent about a month on the research part, trekking through neighbourhoods, suburbs, beachfronts and national parks, eating a lot and trying to stay one step ahead of the wrecking ball.

Shenzhen skyscrapers in the haze, Bladerunner-style. Tom O’Malley

Take more skyscrapers built in the city year on than year than any other country, throw in some smog, and you’ve got perfect Bladerunner photography conditions.

There were plenty of highlights, including Dafen oil painting village, home of the sweatshop Van Gogh, and the wonderfully kitsch Window on the World theme park, with its minature monuments. And a shout out to this great little cocktail bar named after the David Bowie song with its cocoa nib negronis. My daughter liked it too.

‘Women dou shi Shenzhen ren’ printed on this billboard has become a sort of slogan of this gold rush immigrant megacity, a place where few are actually from but anyone can belong.