Bronwen Shelwell

FOR those of us who have lived in Shenzhen for a while, and for those who have only just arrived, there are a few neighborhoods to which we all get introduced. Shekou is a well-traveled strip for most foreigners and local tourists alike. Coco Park is an after-work and weekend staple for many and Luohu is best known as the shopping mecca for everyone coming and going from this burgeoning metropolis to its muse, Hong Kong.

Most of us zip under, through, or over all the other areas on the subway, passing little gems of places as the light turns red on the Metro line. We barely have time to stop and smell the roses, never mind taking the time to exit one of these mysteriously named places to discover what treasures they may hold — unless there is a good reason.

I found my reason to stop at one of these little dots — the poetically named Xiangmihu, or Honey Lake — completely by accident. I was there to meet a man about a job, and despite my best efforts to not be characteristically compass challenged, I got lost. It was one of those happy accidents.

The first thing that hits you as you walk out is the sky. Xiangmihu appears to be on a slight elevation overlooking the dazzling sprawl that is downtown Futian, providing the perfect backdrop for this area’s culinary array, luxury spas, wine tasting, go-kart racing and roller coasters.

Walking out of Exit B of Xiangmihu Metro Station (which was not the exit I was supposed to take) about five minutes straight and turning to the right brings you to a myriad of exotic restaurants and teahouses. The area is famous for bringing together some of the country’s most exotic fares: from the wild mushrooms of Yunnan to legendary Jiangsu crab. One of the area’s more popular places, Season, is a Hainan restaurant specializing in tender coconut chicken. But my personal vote goes to sitting inside a Mongolian yurt at Impression, Grassland, complete with oriental rugs, hookahs and little white sheep.

But if you thought the fun ends there, you’re wrong. Xiangmihu is also home to one of the largest amusement parks in Shenzhen. A short trip past the restaurants and litchi trees, over the Hongli Road West overpass to the left, and you arrive at a scene straight out of an adventure film: pirate ships, wave pools, speed slides, a haunted house, and something terrifying called “Kraken.” Its opening hours seem to be dependant on the season, so it’s better to look them up before you go. There is also a rather tame go-kart track right next door that has 60cc cars, where 10 minutes of racing costs 80 yuan (US$13).

If you don’t want to go that far, there is plenty to keep you well-fed and pampered at Exit A. Right in front of it, a specialty wine store offers wine tastings before you purchase. Next door is a decadent spa that does everything from traditional massage to rose water baths and even offers massages for children and babies. And to keep it all centrally located, just to the left of that is a lively food street with Korean barbecue, Thai curry and more Hainan coconut chicken.

When I took a wrong turn at the wrong exit, I had no idea how right it would turn out. Sometimes getting lost in an unknown place offers you so much more than you could have ever anticipated.

Bronwen Shelwell has been living and writing in China for over seven years. Originally from South Africa, Bronwen’s main focus has been art writing for magazines, galleries and nonprofit art spaces. In her spare time, you can find her exploring the in-between spaces of Shenzhen and its surrounding metropolises.Bronwen Shelwell