Nanshan District

The tech worker district with modern infrastructure and good safety. Clean and efficient but sterile, with limited traditional character or nightlife.

Tencent and Huawei have headquarters here, along with other tech companies, so you'll see young professionals everywhere - at food courts during lunch, working late in office towers, riding shared bikes between meetings. They call it the 'garden district' because parks are scattered throughout, which breaks up the concrete more than Futian's business core. Shekou is technically part of Nanshan, so there's a sizable expat population and international schools. Everything looks new and modern, sometimes to the point of feeling sterile. Eating alone is standard since it's full of tech workers - cafes are packed with laptop users, and restaurants don't blink at solo diners. English shows up on signs more than other districts, though locals outside Shekou still mostly can't speak it. The area pulses with commuter traffic at 8-9am and 6-7pm, then gets quiet after 10pm when everyone goes home. Street lighting is good and you'll see people around during rush hours, but it's not a nightlife destination. The vibe is young professional, not touristy or traditionally Chinese.