Deng’s legendary ‘To get rich is glorious’ speech that heralded the transformation of South China took place here. The Sea View Square, although not yet fully occupied, has altered the pattern of leisure in the area. There are also excellent restaurants offering Thai, Indian and Russian cuisine, and a new brasserie planned for opening soon.

Just north from the square is the justly popular Gypsies, run by the father and son team of Xavier (front) and Dorian (kitchen) Chang. Gypsies offers consistently good food and has a short but excellent quality wine list with some of the keenest prices in Mainland China.

There is also, as you would expect, a lot of variety when you want to eat Chinese food and some of the restaurants are also investing in modern Chinese decor of a level of sophistication that would have been inconceivable only one or two years ago. However, the Red Lantern in Taizi Square is one of the old school.

You may have a bit of an argy bargy trying to get them to clean the detritus of the last occupants off the table, and to actually to use real water in the cleaning process, but the struggle will be worthwhile, resulting in excellent food at extremely reasonable prices.

Finally, when the delights of Shekou begin to pall, there is al ways recourse to the ferry. It is, of course, damning with faint praise to include in a list of benefits of any place the ease of escape but in the case of Shekou the proximity to Hong Kong and Macao must be mentioned.

Within a five to ten minute stroll of all the places mentioned above is the ferry terminal and easy, regular access to many things that, until now, the Mainland (Beijing and Shanghai included) still does not offer. Actually most Shekou residents find what they need locally, but just knowing how close the facilities are is rather pleasing.

The ferry journey is comfortable and low hassle, interesting in terms of the volume and variety of shipping seen and, if you are lucky you may also see the rare (and becoming rarer) pink dolphin en route. When even Hong Kong and Macao are not enough then a run for Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong’s airport, is the only answer and the ferry time from Shekou direct to the airport is just 30 minutes.