This city can get a little hot during the baking sun of the summer months, and with a population of millions well into double figures, everyone in this city will be feeling the heat. So what to do? Aside from the more down-to-earth activities of buying a parasol, investing in a decent air conditioning unit and making sure to drink plenty of water, where are the best places in the city to go if you want a bit of a cool down?

1) Hit the beach

Shenzhen's beaches can get notoriously crowded, but they are not the pollution strewn wastelands that many commentators would have you believe. Dameisha beach in Yantian district is the easiest to access, and has a long stretch of clean sand with an ocean view that overlooks some of the more remote outlying islands of Hong Kong. There are beachfront bars and a marina, and providing the crowds aren't too bad (avoid weekend afternoons) you can usually snag a parasol. If you want more privacy and are a bit more adventurous, Xichong beach on the Dapeng peninsula is a better bet. More remote, with a longer beach and much more inviting waters, this is the best beach the whole city has to offer.

DameishaView In Map
Add: Dameisha Beach park, Yantian District, Shenzhen
地址：深圳盐田区大梅沙海滨公园公共海滩
XichongView In Map
Add: Xichong Beach, Nanmentou, Nan Ao, Longgang District, Shenzhen
地址：深圳市龙岗区南澳西冲沙滩南门头深圳西冲(西涌)三门岛

Inside the OCT Hotel. Photo: hotel.info

2) Queen's Spa View In Map

Something of a Shenzhen legend, Queen's Spa has attracted international customers from all over the world for a length of time. Situated in Luohu district, the Spa is a sprawling multi-floored affair. The entrance fee is 98 RMB, but if you rack up more than 168 RMB in additional massages they waive it. You start in a dazzling array of pools, hot, cold, boiling, freezing, then head upstairs to a large communal area. Large comfy chairs with TV screens built in are everywhere and all you have to do is sit and be pampered. A flick of a switch brings masseuses scurrying and it is one of the most relaxing experiences you can have in Shenzhen.

Add: B1-4/F, Jinse Duhui, Chunfeng Road, Luohu District, Shenzhen
地址：深圳罗湖区春风路金色都汇B1-4F
Tel: +86 755 8215-8822

3) Interlaken Outdoor PoolsView In Map

It's a bit of a trek out to Yantian, but once you're there, heaven begins. For 158 RMB, visitors gain access to the forested, outdoor hot spring area outside the Interlaken hotel in Shenzhen OCT East. The springs offer an incredible view, and everyone piles into the pools to relax. The scenery is stunning, with the forests retreating into mountain views that stretch for miles. Massages are of course extra, but the pools themselves are filled with specialities: everything from wine to coffee, fruit and Chinese herbs and teas are included. For an experience unlike anything else, this is the place. There's also an enclosed, nude bathing area for those who want a fully natural experience.

The Interlaken OCT Hotel, Shenzhen East OCT, Dameisha, Yantian, Shenzhen
地址：深圳东部华侨城国际酒店盐田区大梅沙东部华侨城
Tel: 0755 8888 3333

4) Bowling
Might sound like a silly idea, but Shenzhen's many bowling alleys are usually air-conditioned to perfection and they are also one of the few activities you can do indoors without coming across teeming hordes. Bowling is popular in Shenzhen, but not insanely so, and a cool relaxing afternoon is much more easily enjoyed inside a bowling alley than it would be wandering around a mall full of people. There are bowling alleys scattered all over the city, but the two most reliable ones are in Futian and Shatoujiao respectively. Games cost between 5 and 15 RMB and a refreshingly cold selection of drinks are on offer in each.
Bowling King – HuaQianBei, FutianView In Map
Add:  Bldg 22, Wangyuan Dasha, Hongli Xi Lu, Futian District, Shenzhen
地址：深圳市福田区红荔西路万源大厦22栋
Tel: 0755 8325 4036

Jinfute Bowling – Shatoujiao, YantianView In Map
Add: 3F, Bldg B, Qunli Dasha, Shensha Lu, Yantian District, Shenzhen
地址：深圳市盐田区深沙路群利大厦B座3F
Tel: 755 2573 2988

5) Ice Skating
Believe it or not, Shenzhen is getting quite excited over ice skating. The perfectly chilled solution to hot summer's days, ice skating rinks can be found all over the city. The best are at the MixC mall in Luohu district and at the Window of the World Holiday Plaza mall in Nanshan. Priced at 50 RMB on weekdays and 60 RMB on weekends, the ice-skating is a steal. Both rinks happen to be situated in nice air-conditioned malls and at last check there was a healthy smattering of ice cream parlours in the direct vicinity…
MixCView In Map
Add: 4F, the MixC, 1881 Bao'an Nan Lu, Luohu, Shenzhen
地址：深圳宝安南路1881号万象城4楼
Tel: 0755 8266 8171

Holiday Plaza View In Map
Add: B2/F, Yitian Holiday Plaza, OCT, Nanshan District, Shenzhen
地址：深圳南山区华侨城益田假日广场B2层
Tel: 0755 8629 9090

Warning：The use of any news and articles published on eChinacities.com without written permission from eChinacities.com constitutes copyright infringement, and legal action can be taken.

Keywords: Summer activities Shenzhen Queens Spa Shenzhen ice skating Shenzhen how to beat heat Shenzhen beaches in Shenzhen