48 Hours in Shenzhen: Experiencing the World's Most Futuristic City

Forty years ago, Shenzhen was just a quiet fishing village on China’s southern coast. Now, it’s home to over 18 million people and some of the boldest tech on the planet. Visiting here is like fast-forwarding into the future, with robots, driverless taxis, and even drone ice cream deliveries just part of everyday life. Here’s what really stood out from spending two action-packed days exploring this wild, high-rise wonderland.

Key Takeaways

• Shenzhen feels like living in the future: think drone deliveries, robot taxis, and an endless skyline
• Tech and innovation are everywhere, from coffee shops to massive electronics markets
• Despite all the gadgets, some things (like robots making coffee) are strangely normal
• The city is surprisingly clean, relaxed, and non-touristy for its size and pace

First Impressions: Skyscrapers and Showrooms

We arrived in the middle of towering buildings—no idea where to start. Fred, our local tech-savvy guide, took us straight to a robotics showroom. Pretty much everything here involves some sort of futuristic gadget.

We tried on a wearable exoskeleton for legs that made walking a breeze. Think Iron Man, but just the legs. It’s meant to help people effortlessly get around—especially older folks who want a break from sore knees. Next up? A robot-made latte, complete with perfect foam art, and a massage robot that costs about £8,000. You could literally get a massage any time you want. There was also a mind-controlled racetrack car—focus hard and the car moves faster. Easy in theory, but after a few coffees, my brain didn’t cooperate.

Drone Delivery: Ice Cream From the Sky

One of the wildest things had to be drone delivery. We ordered gelato through an app, and about 15 minutes later, a drone appeared in the sky. It dodged trees, dropped our (still-cold) ice cream in a reusable box, then flew off for its next mission. The operator explained this service only runs in Shanghai and Shenzhen right now, so it’s brand new. The ice cream itself? Proper gelato—worth the wait.

Driverless Taxis: A Ride With No One At the Wheel

Next, we hopped into a completely driverless taxi. It was white with spinning sensors and cameras everywhere. At first it felt surreal—especially with just a stuffed animal “driver” and no one up front. But with the press of a button, off we went. The car tracked everything: bikes, pedestrians, lane changes. Even at 54 km per hour, it stopped smoothly for everything, so it somehow felt safer than most normal taxis back home. Pony AI runs these, and so far—no crashes. Honestly, it's unsettling but impressive.

The Heart of Tech: Drones, Gadgets, People

Shenzhen is home to heavy-hitters like DJI (drones), Huawei (phones), and BYD (electric cars). At the giant DJI flagship, it’s just drone after drone—no surprise, since 70% of the world’s drones are made here.

We also checked out the world’s largest electronics market. You could buy everything from smartwatches to old-school gaming machines, or spare parts for just about any gadget. Vendors are upfront about what’s second-hand or fake—which was oddly refreshing. The market was spotless, and same goes for the rest of the city. There’s a robot cleaner roaming the streets; I nearly got in its way snapping photos.

Ordering and Eating: From Apps to Robots

In Shenzhen, apps do everything. Coffee? Just order on WeChat, pick your time, and skip any human chit-chat. Most places are cashless, with QR codes for everything. Sometimes your coffee is made by a robot barista, sometimes it arrives by drone. The norm is no queues and almost no chatting with staff—makes everything smooth but a bit weird.

For lunch, we tried a robot restaurant called Orbit One, where robots delivered our meals. The experience was fun, if not as seamless as expected. Human staff still run the place, and everyone was super friendly to us—maybe because we were grinning like it was Christmas morning. The steak was decent, and we even got a candle as a gift. Not everything was automated, but the novelty was real.

City Life: Skyscrapers, Ebikes, and Night Lights

Shenzhen is stacked with skyscrapers—over 200 buildings taller than 200 metres. Ebikes and electric cars make it quiet compared to most cities this size. Even the metro has driverless lines.

At night, we wanted to catch the famous light show. Turns out, we got the timing wrong and almost missed it, but suddenly the whole street lit up. Massive towers flashed with colours and patterns—it looked totally unreal and was strangely not packed with tourists. Robot cleaners still rolled around.

Everyday Surprises: Clean Streets and Chill Vibes

This city just works. Everything is fast, efficient, and somehow more relaxed than expected. It’s crawling with security cameras, so people say there’s barely any crime—if you tried to steal anything, they’d track you down in no time. People seemed younger, more upbeat, and—yes—cooler than other big Chinese cities we’ve been to. Skateboards, bright hair colours, and selfie sticks everywhere.

A City Racing Ahead

Shenzhen's journey from fishing town to tech hub is pretty wild. It has a bit of everything: sky-high towers, gadgets on every corner, and a pace that makes even Tokyo look slow. The future? It’s already here, in Shenzhen. Give it a few more years, and who knows—maybe your morning coffee will just appear in your hand before you even wake up.