Shenzhen Tech Small-Group Tour with Robotaxi & Drones

Houhai and the Nanshan tech district

The tour begins in Houhai, the newest part of the Nanshan district, where glass towers, landscaped plazas and wide boulevards stand on land reclaimed from Shenzhen Bay. Nanshan is the engine room of Shenzhen's technology industry, home to the headquarters of major internet, gaming, drone and electric-vehicle companies, and to thousands of young start-ups.

For many visitors, this Shenzhen tech tour answers a simple question: what does a city built around technology feel like at street level? From Houhai you see delivery robots on pavements, electric taxis everywhere and payment by phone in every shop. How to get to Houhai from Hong Kong: cross at Shenzhen Bay Port by bus or take the high-speed train to Futian, then the metro to Houhai station.

Robotaxi ride: a car with no one at the wheel

Driverless taxis already carry passengers in designated parts of Shenzhen. Your guide calls one on a local app; it pulls up empty, unlocks for you and drives off with nobody in the front seat, signalling, merging and stopping at red lights on its own. A screen shows the surrounding traffic as the car's sensors detect it.

The Shenzhen robotaxi ride takes around 15 to 25 minutes and carries you towards the waterfront. Your guide explains how the system is supervised, why Shenzhen allows these trials and how everyday residents use them. It is a short ride but usually the highlight people talk about most after the tour, so keep your camera rolling.

Drone delivery at Shenzhen Bay Talent Park

Shenzhen Bay Talent Park is a waterfront park of lakes, lawns and promenades on the edge of the bay, with the mountains of Hong Kong's New Territories visible on the far shore. It is also one of the city's best-known drone delivery points: you order a drink or dessert on a phone, then watch a delivery drone fly in over the trees and lower your order at the landing station.

Your guide helps with the ordering, films the arrival for you and finds a spot to sit and enjoy your treat. There is time for photos of the bay and the bamboo-shoot-shaped tower on the skyline. Allow about 40 minutes here; the drink or dessert is included.

Innovation centre: robots, exoskeletons and 3D printers

Next stop is an innovation centre that gathers new Chinese consumer technology under one roof: chess-playing robots, suitcases you can ride like scooters, laser engravers, 3D printers and wearable exoskeletons that support your back and legs. Staff and your guide explain the products, and you get free hands-on time with the robots or the exoskeleton.

It is the most interactive stop of the tour and a favourite with teenagers and engineers alike. Nothing is sold to you; the aim is to see how quickly ideas become products in Shenzhen, where a prototype can be designed, built and on sale within months. Expect about 30 to 40 minutes, with time for questions.

Electric-vehicle flagship showroom and the shopping district

The tour ends in a modern shopping district of Houhai, known for its striking architecture and photo spots, with a visit to the global flagship showroom of a Chinese tech company that now builds its own electric cars. Your guide demonstrates the automated features, from self-parking to voice control, and shows you around the display of the brand's cars.

China is the world's largest market for electric vehicles, and Shenzhen was among the first cities to electrify its entire bus and taxi fleets. Seeing the cars up close explains why. After about 30 minutes in the showroom, the tour finishes nearby and you are free to explore the area or take the metro onwards.