Dapeng Fortress Travel Guide: A Poetic and Romantic Ancient Town in Shenzhen

To celebrate my birthday, today, with my husband, I visited one of Shenzhen’s most famous ancient towns: Dapeng Fortress.

📖 About Dapeng Fortress

Dapeng Fortress has a history of over 600 years, originally built during the Ming Dynasty as a coastal defense stronghold❗️
It’s also one of the best‑preserved Ming and Qing coastal fortresses in China.

Here I will site a paragraph of introduction from the Shenzhen government:

Located in the southeast of Shenzhen, Dapeng New District is a peninsula surrounded by the sea on three sides. The remains found in Xiantouling Village prove Shenzhen's earliest human activities took place 6,000 to 7,000 years ago. Dapeng Fortress is the most complete military fortress of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in Southeast China. The fortress has a very important meaning to Shenzhen in that the city is named after it — the nickname of Shenzhen is “Pengcheng” (“the City of Roc”). The Roc is a giant mythical bird.

💕 My Experience

☀️I highly recommend visiting on a sunny day; otherwise, everything can look a bit gloomy and dull.
🚪 The moment you enter, you’ll see the ancient gate tower, solemn and full of character.Walking along the long streets and wandering between the old buildings feels peaceful and relaxing, and the colorful decorations look absolutely stunning.

🌲 The area is rich in both commercial and cultural atmosphere.There’s even a Dapeng Fortress Museum, which is worth a visit.You’ll find snack shops, jewelry stores 💍, and several high‑end private restaurants built inside old residences 🍴.

(There’s a goose‑burger shop where you can go upstairs to photograph the ancient alley views.)

Many shops decorate their storefronts with flowers and plants 🌹, making the whole place charming and full of personality.

🏪 Special shout‑out to the 7‑Eleven here — it blends perfectly with the ancient architecture without disrupting the historical look.

As you stroll around, you’ll also see many local homes.The living atmosphere is strong, and there are several beautifully decorated guesthouses 🏨.

🌊 Nearby Attractions

Right next to the fortress is the famous Jiaochangwei Beach, perfect for a relaxing seaside walk 😄

🚗 I recommend driving, as public transportation isn’t very convenient. If you drive from Luohu, it takes about 1.5 hours to come here.

📚 Overall Review

You can fully enjoy the beauty of the ancient town, and the slow pace helps you adjust your body and mind.

Compared to Gankeng Ancient Town, Dapeng Fortress feels less commercialized, allowing you to better appreciate the depth of traditional architecture and culture.

Strongly recommended for a weekend visit❗️