Au pair in Shenzhen: your local guide
China’s youngest big city: modern, green and close to the sea, where almost everyone moved from somewhere else, so newcomers fit right in.
Life in Shenzhen
In just over 40 years Shenzhen grew from a small town into one of China’s most modern cities, and the home of many of its best-known tech companies. Because most people here moved from other parts of China, Mandarin is the everyday language and the city feels welcoming to new arrivals. It is clean and green, with parks on almost every corner and the sea never far away.
Many host families live in Nanshan and Futian, close to the bay, big parks and international schools.
Not sure which city suits you? Compare all our host cities, or read the Shanghai guide for our home city.
Getting around Shenzhen
Public transport is cheap, clean and signposted in English. These are the basics.
Metro
Line 1 runs from Luohu through Futian and Window of the World out to the airport area, and Line 2 heads to Shekou by the sea. Fares start at 2 yuan, and you can scan in with Alipay or WeChat.
Trains
Futian and Shenzhen North stations connect you to high-speed trains across China. Guangzhou is around half an hour away.
Buses, bikes and taxis
Shenzhen’s buses and taxis are electric and quiet, and shared bikes are perfect for the long seaside paths.
Free and affordable culture
Some of the best places in Shenzhen cost little or nothing. Bring your passport for museum bookings.
Shenzhen Museum
Futian Civic CentreThe story of how a fishing village became a megacity in a few decades. Free with a booking.
Lianhuashan Park
Futian · Lines 3 and 4A hill in the city centre with views over Futian, and a lawn that fills with kites at weekends. Free.
Shenzhen Bay Park
NanshanA seaside promenade that stretches for kilometres, with mangroves, birds and views towards Hong Kong. Free.
OCT Loft
Nanshan · Line 1A creative district of galleries, design shops, cafés and weekend markets in old factory buildings. Free to explore.
Dafen Oil Painting Village
Longgang · Line 3Lanes of open studios where artists paint in the street. Free to walk around, and fun for older children.
Shenzhen Library and Concert Hall
Futian Civic CentreStriking modern buildings with a huge free library, including English books and children’s sections.
Opening times and booking rules change around public holidays, so check before you go.
Outings with your host kids
Days out are one of the best parts of the exchange, and a natural way to share English with the children. Ask them to name what they see, count the stops on the metro or tell you the story of a place. Find more ideas in our games and play guides.
- Cycling or scooting along Shenzhen Bay Park, with playgrounds and kite flying on the way.
- Xianhu Botanical Garden for greenhouses, lakes and a hilltop temple, for a small fee.
- Shenzhen Library’s children’s floors, free and air-conditioned.
- A beach afternoon at Dameisha, a free public beach on the east side of the city.
Weekend and day trips
- Wutong Mountain, the city’s highest peak, for a full-day hike with sea views.
- Xichong, on the Dapeng peninsula, for a quieter beach and coastal walks.
- Guangzhou, around half an hour away by high-speed train, for dim sum and old neighbourhoods.
Good to know
Shenzhen is warm almost all year, with a rainy summer typhoon season, so watch the weather alerts. Hong Kong is just across the border, but it counts as leaving mainland China, so please talk to us before any trip there.
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Ready for your Shenzhen adventure?
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