China : Safety by City
China - safety as a country
Shenzhen, as one among many well-known tourist destinations in China, is famous for various cultural, historical and architectural monuments, as well as amusement parks, which are very important for the Chinese and, at the same time, amaze people from the whole world.
The most visited sights are theme parks which are of the main interest for some tourists.
Other attractions are great parks like Window of The World and Lianhua Mountain Park, museums and galleries – Dafen Oil Painting Village, religious structures – Hong Fa Buddhist Temple and historical sites from the 12th century.
Once a small town, today it is the center of fun and shopping in China.
Warnings & Dangers in Shenzhen
OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
Shenzhen is the place that is quite safe according to Western standards, in comparison to other cities around the world with approximately the same number of tourists. Violent crime is rare, prostitution is common and pickpocket gangs are in action at the crowded areas, where foreigners are often victims. However, if they remain vigilant, they will not become easy prey.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM
The Shenzhen Metro is the most appropriate and safe means of transport around the Shenzhen city area because a driver would not give you problems by taking you far away from your destination, unlike the cab drivers. When choosing the taxi, look for the plastic stand on the right-hand dashboard which represents the license. Driving in Shenzhen is chaotic, so tourists need to be extremely careful when crossing the street and always use over or underpasses.
PICKPOCKETS RISK: HIGH
Busy and crowded areas are the main hubs of pickpocketing and purse snatching. Tourists should be careful and keep their valuables close to them in shopping centers, bus stations and particularly around the theme parks. This is an increasing problem that authorities are trying to prevent and stop.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
Shenzhen, as well as the whole of China, is very prone to natural disasters like flooding, landslides and forestry fires which tend to be an important limiting factor for the economic and social growth of the country.
MUGGING RISK: LOW
There were reports in Shenzhen about people being kidnapped and killed, but those were usually crime acts against citizens. The kidnapping of foreigners is rare and tourists should not be afraid when coming to Shenzhen.
TERRORISM RISK: LOW
Due to the history of a series of terrorist attacks by the Muslim separatist militants that have left dozens dead and wounded, there is a possibility of new ones. However, the level of this risk is low.
SCAMS RISK: HIGH
As in most of China, fake banknotes are a huge problem. Tourists encountered fake money even when taken from ATMs. When this kind of scam is in question, you need to be careful when taking a change and exchange money only in banks or other licensed exchange offices. Foreigners are often victims of dishonest taxi drivers that use the situation to overcharge and even steal from passengers.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Even though China is an extremely safe country in terms of female safety, solo women are advised to avoid walking alone at night and remain cautious in crowded places.
So... How Safe Is Shenzhen Really?
Shenzhen, a small town next to Hong Kong, has turned into a huge, tourist destination, not only due to its historical attractions and monuments but also for its theme parks.
With thousands of citizens and even more tourists yearly, it is not surprising to find criminal activities in Shenzhen.
Petty crime, like purse snatching and pickpocketing, are frequent, and you should pay special attention when in shopping districts or front of crowded tourist sights, like the Citizen’s Center and Lizhi Park among others.
The best thing for tourists is that the level of violent crime is extremely low, so they can relax and enjoy their experience of this amazing destination.
How Does Shenzhen Compare?
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Shenzhen | 64 |
| Shanghai | 66 |
| Tianjin | 67 |
| Hong Kong | 70 |
| Guangzhou | 64 |
| Beijing | 65 |
| Macau | 66 |
| Buenos Aires (Argentina) | 60 |
| Vancouver (Canada) | 82 |
| Cordoba (Argentina) | 61 |
| Toronto (Canada) | 81 |
| Melbourne (Australia) | 80 |
| Montreal (Canada) | 81 |
Useful Information
Visas
There is special 72-hour transit possibility for those travelers that are just passing through China on their way to other counties. For those who stay in China, a visa can be acquired from a Chinese embassy before coming to China. A valid passport is an obligatory documentation.
Currency
Yuan or renminbi is the official currency of China. You can find bank machines on every step in major cities. Even though some services accept credit cards, it is better to have cash on you, since China is still a country where cash is the main means of payment.
Weather
Shenzhen has a sub-tropical climate. Periods of the year that should be avoided if you want to experience the city to the fullest are the rainy season from February to September and the hottest months, July and August. When the climate is considered, the best time to visit Shenzhen is from October to December.
Airports
Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, for both domestic and international flights, is 50 minutes away from Shenzhen by the metro. Major airports that can be used as an alternative when coming to Shenzhen are Beijing Capital International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, and Hong Kong International Airport among many others.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance that includes medical issues, theft and loss of personal items and all possible and unpredictable injuries or accidents is always advised to travelers wherever in the world they decide to travel.
Shenzhen Weather Averages (Temperatures)
Average High/Low Temperature
| Temperature / Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C |
20 | 21 | 23 | 27 | 30 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 30 | 26 | 22 |
| Low °C |
12 | 13 | 16 | 20 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 22 | 18 | 13 |
| High °F |
68 | 70 | 73 | 81 | 86 | 90 | 91 | 91 | 90 | 86 | 79 | 72 |
| Low °F |
54 | 55 | 61 | 68 | 75 | 79 | 79 | 79 | 77 | 72 | 64 | 55 |
China - Safety by City
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Beijing | 65 |
| Guangzhou | 64 |
| Hong Kong | 70 |
| Macau | 66 |
| Shanghai | 66 |
| Shenzhen | 64 |
| Tianjin | 67 |
| Tibet | 87 |
| Xinjiang | 80 |
Your website needs update urgenly
You are describing the Shenzhen of 1990s. I grow up in Shenzhen, for 20 years me and my family have never meet pocketpickers.
Shenzhen one of the safest places in the world
I am a European living in Shenzhen since 2006 (15 years now). Your reviews are not accurate at all.
Never had any issue, and in 2021 it is getting as safe, if not even safer, than Singapore or Japan.
All green lights on all topics now!
Lived 2 years in Shenzhen. Very safe. The city is covered by police security cameras. Much safer than any big USA city. There is counterfeit money but easy to distinguish real from fake if you look on line to determine how.
SAFE AS A BABY
WTF? There isn’t s single pick pocket in the city. Your data is 15 years out of date. Shenzhen is probably the safest city in the entire world.
Information needss upgrade
With Wechat pay you can purchase almost everywhere. Do not bring too much cash in China. It’s uncommon now. And Shenzhen is much much more safer than London, Paris, Amsterdam, etc, although it’s not in the safest tier of Chinese cities.
Are you kidding me? I grew up in Shenzhen and I can assure you it’s a very, very safe city and it’s definitely safer than Hong Kong today, if Hong Kong is 70, Shenzhen must be 80.
A place filled with history and fun
It’s hard to believe this was once a small town seeing how big and populated it is today. You can do a lot of shopping here plus there are many themed parks that are very exciting. I’ve visited Buddhist temples where the energy was very different from the outside. It was a surreal experience for me.
In 15 years living here, I have never, ever even once seen a pickpocket. One of the safest cities in the world.
In the pre-pandemic days, tickets scalpers we recognizable for being the people waving Tufts of cash in the air in the middle of the crowds. Tufts! Of cash!