Romantic Places To Date In Shenzhen


David Ho   |   April 12, 2010

Recently some of my friends have asked me what places are romantic to date in Shenzhen. This question is never going to be easy to answer because everyone has his or her own definition of “romantic”. However, according to my own understanding to this city and ideas from some experienced friends, I would like to share some information about dating in Shenzhen. 

#Shekou#

Shekou is a unique place in Shenzhen. Not like other places, Shekou, surrounded by sea, is an old area and has low density of population and buildings.

  • Near the Peninsula Phase 1, there is a nice coastal walk. At night, the view is lovely. A small lighthouse stands on the seaside and further the illuminant Shenzhen Bay Bridge lays above the dark sea. Embracing the breeze, walking along the lane with your partner after dinner is nice and relaxing. 
  • Where to eat near the place? 

McCawley’s Peninsula Branch/ Emily’s Café/ Poseidon Restaurant & Bar

This is a Cantonese restaurant built on the hill. It is easy to find it after you get out of the Shekou Port metro station. The Nan Mountain is to the north of the restaurant and the sea to the south. Outdoor seatings and private rooms can be chosen with great view. The interior decoration is new. What worthy to be mentioned is that many old pictures of Shekou are dotted the walls which are telling the history of Shekou. The food provided there is mainly authentic Cantonese food and seafood. 

Note: Limited parking space and the average consumption is about RMB 200

#Nanshan District# 

Talking about romantic places in Shenzhen, OCT-Loft is definitely on the list. OCT-Loft is a cutting-edge art zone where is full of exhibitions, galleries, bars and restaurants. 

  • Rose Bank by Glen

This is a bar with largest selection of sigal malt whiskey in Shenzhen. The ambience is elegant and pleasant. Gentle light and exquisite music add its charms. If you want to have a good conversation with your guest, this venue should be included in your database. Besides whiskey, cocktails are really good here, which are prepared by well-trained bartender. 

Note: No dinner provided, but Very Siam, a Thai restaurant not far away, is a good choice if you like Asian food.

  • Donkey Bar

Donkey Bar, near the Youth Hostel, has very nice back yard, which is enveloped by green plants. In the daytime, sitting on the wicker chair, tasting a cup of coffee and breathing the air with the smell of grass, you can spend the whole afternoon there. If you come here in a right season, you will see the whole brick floor is overspread with petals of bauhinia. In the evening, the trees are decorated with small lights and the staff will put small candles on the tables. After you walk around the night OCT-loft, the back yard is a good place to sit down and have a drink. If the owner can broadcast some music, that will be perfect. If you want to hear some live music, you can go further a bit to visit the Penny Black Jazz Bar.

Note: The Donkey bar provides food but not very good one. However, in the OCT-Loft, restaurant is never going to be a problem.

In Nanshan district, mangrove is another place should be mentioned. Recent years, the Shenzhen government has invested lots of resources to build nice parks along the mangrove.  In weekends, having a picnic on the grassland, flying a kite or cycling along the boardwalk are good ideas to do with your date. In the evening, OCT Bay is nice to go. OCT Bay is very new and well-planned area in Shenzhen. Cinema, fountains, bars and restaurants spread there. 

  • Trattoria da angelo (OCT Bay)

This is an Italian restaurant with good reputation of food. If you want to have a romantic western dinner, this restaurant will be a good choice. The ambiance and food will surely delight you, although the price will cut half joy. Anyway, nice person is worth being treated a good dinner!

  • CJW Outdoor Bar

It is famous for its outdoor view and good quality cocktails. Surrounded by water, it is a modern glass building. At night, you can admire the fireworks performances and colorful neon lights. Mojito and Tomorrow win applause from guests. 

Note: In summer evening, there might be mosquitoes at outdoor area. 

Pipette – Specialty Restaurant & Bar

If you are big fans of French cuisine, then you can go to the Pipette – Specialty Restaurant & Bar. This is an authentic French restaurant with love as its theme. Its quite and elegant ambience provides you relaxing mood. What’s more important, the food there is awesome! Every dish is designed by their experienced chef and matched with proper wine!

(This is a wall of the French restaurant. All these photos together on the wall are telling a woman’s life.)

#Futian District#

In Futian district, I will recommend you to go the Central Book Mall area. In the evening, the Shenzhen Concert Hall and Shenzhen Library will shine with golden and silver light. Walking on the square near the central book mall, you can enjoy the night view with music played by the street artists. There is a broad outdoor passenger bridge on the second floor of the book mall, where you can see the Shenzhen Civic Center sitting on one end and the Kite Square, which links to the Lotus Mountain, on the other end. If you are lucky, you can see some people fly night luminous kites. Walking on the grassland and seeing the Futian CBD night view cannot say bad, right?! 

  • Shang Shu Bar (尚书吧)

This is a book bar with wine, coffee and snacks provided. The decoration here is stylish and identified with wood furniture and silk curtains. Red soft sofa and warm light make guests relaxing. What’s more, bookshelves and wood screens are used to divide space and create a comparatively private space for guests. Having a drink in such a elegant place is pleasant.

Note: Business hours: 10AM to 2AM.

#Luohu District# 

Luohu is an old district in Shenzhen where modern and traditional life balances well. 

  • Xianhu Botanical Park

This park, located in the northeastern Shenzhen, is established in 1983 and has developed well recent years. You can spend whole day here to visit around.  Lakes, temples, valleys, grassland and desert area create a beautiful landscape. Having a picnic or drinking a bottle of champagne with your date should be romantic. You also can take a boat on the lakes. 

Note: Ticket: RMB 20/ Business Hours: 07:00 to 22:00

When people are talking about romantic dating in a modern city, restaurants or bars in high buildings with breathtaking night city view cannot be avoided in this topic.  

  • Decanter

Decanter of The St. Regis Shenzhen, rising 430 meters above the ground and framed by floor-to-ceiling windows, is an ideal place to admire the city view. There is a tasting room there for private gathering with 200-variety collection of prestigious vintages stored in a decorative cellar. 

Note: Smart casual/ Business Hours: 4:00 P.M. to 01:00 A.M.

360° Bar, Restaurant & Lounge

This is a great place for a date whether it be your first or an anniversary. The panoramic view of Shenzhen and some of Hong Kong is very relaxing and enjoyable at night. The ambience inside is quiet comfortable, with the lights being low and the restaurant being quite.The most common romantic picture in people’s mind – having well-cook beef steak and drinking good wine with your date, can become true here. 

#Yantian and Longgang Districts#

Walking on the soft sand, hearing the sound of sea wave, watching stars against the dark velvet sky and drinking cool beer, it is great, isn’t it? Especially in summer, spending some time around beach areas with your girlfriend/boyfriend is sweet.  

This is an natural island with magnificent beach and clear water. Swimming, hiking, camping and diving… are available there. What’s more, the travel facilities are ok for you to stay there and no need to worry about accommodation and food. Every girl would love to have the memory that seeing the sunrise or sunset with the one she likes on the beach. Why not to create one for her? 

Note: For more beach information, you can read “Beaches in Shenzhen

This is a national ecological park that covers about 9 square kilometers area.  

The most recommended place within is  the Tea Stream Resort Valley (Tea  Garden). In China, it is not common to experience such a place which make you feel like you were in Europe. Every thing here is fake but everything is so real. Flowers, quiet streets, hotel, golf, street shows, bamboo forest, temple and tea garden – all of these give you a nice date!

No one promises that a nice dating site will lead to a successful date, but it is crucial, indeed. There is an old saying in China – the essential elements to success are favorable climate, good geographical conditions and support of people. As for dating, a good dating site can be equal to the geographical one. I do hope this article helps a bit for those who are worried about the where to date in Shenzhen. At last, all shall be well and jack shall have jill!

More info:

  • What to do in Shenzhen on TripAdvisor
  • Dating ad posting on ShenzhenParty
  • More answers or discussions on ShenzhenParty Forum