Yantian

Yantian district, in Shenzhen's far east, has an unusual combination of heavy industrial infrastructure and coastal natural scenery that reflects the random logic of how a rapidly industrialising city allocates different land uses. The Yantian International Container Terminal, one of the world's highest-throughput container ports, operates from a deep natural harbour on the district's eastern shore — the deep water, unusually for this part of the South China coast, allowed berths without extensive dredging. Immediately north and south of the port, the hillsides come down to sandy beaches that are among the most accessible in the eastern Pearl River Delta.

Dameisha beach, on the coastal road north of the port, is the larger of the two beach parks and was for many years free to enter. The park now charges entry and manages visitor numbers, a change that has improved the beach experience during peak periods. Xiaomeisha, south of the port, has a more resort-oriented character with associated hotels and water sports facilities.

The coastline north of Dameisha transitions into the Dapeng Peninsula National Geological Park, where the rocky coastline and subtropical hillsides provide a counterpoint to the sandy beaches closer to the port. The walking trail from Dameisha to Nan'ao village runs along a cliff top for much of its length and provides views out to the South China Sea islands.

The district's compact size — the smallest of Shenzhen's districts — and its geography (a strip of coastal land between the hills and the sea) mean that the transition between industrial port and leisure beach takes under ten minutes by car. This juxtaposition of container ships and beach umbrellas is characteristically Shenzhen.