Sea World Plaza海上世界广场
Inside Sea World Culture & Arts Center · In Sea World
Shekou's waterfront plaza around the Minghua, a 1962 French liner turned theatre ship
Sea World is the plaza at the heart of Shekou, built around the Minghua, a cruise liner beached here as an entertainment complex in 1983. The ship was launched in France in 1962 as the Ancerville, with Charles de Gaulle at the ceremony, and was bought by China in 1973. When Deng Xiaoping visited in 1984 he wrote the name Sea World (海上世界) for the project, and the ship became one of the symbols of Shekou's reform-era start.
After a renovation of more than two years the ship reopened in autumn 2025 as a performance venue, using its old name Ancerville alongside Minghua. Its decks hold shops, cafés and restaurants that are free to walk into, and a theatre that hosts The Deal, an immersive physical theatre show made with the UK's Gecko company.
Around the ship are restaurants, bars and a musical fountain that plays most evenings. It is the classic Shekou meeting point: easy to reach, lively at night, and good with visiting friends or family.
What to see and do
The Minghua (Ancerville) ship
Free to board daily, with design shops on the lower deck and cafés and restaurants above. The interiors were reworked in a French Art Nouveau style during the 2025 refit.
The Deal
An immersive physical theatre show aboard the ship, with no seats: you follow the actors through the decks. It premiered on 1 October 2025, runs about two hours and is recommended for ages 14 and up.
Musical fountain
A free water, light and music show in the pool beside the ship, with performances every half hour from 19:00, Tuesday to Sunday.
Sea World Culture and Arts Center
The Fumihiko Maki-designed arts centre on Wanghai Road, home to Design Society, is a few minutes' walk away and worth combining with an evening at the plaza.
Visiting
- Hours
- Plaza open all day; the ship is open 10:00-22:00 daily (2025)
- Tickets
- Plaza, ship and fountain free, no booking. The Deal from ¥580 (2025), more at weekends and holidays
- Booking
- The Deal: via the 海上世界明华轮 WeChat account
- Fountain
- From 19:00, every 30 minutes, Tuesday-Sunday; no shows on Mondays (Bendibao, 2026)
- Getting there
- Metro Lines 2/8 and 12 to Sea World station, Exit A (Sea World Plaza, Nuwa Binhai Park)
- Address
- 1128 Wanghai Road, Shekou, Nanshan District (南山区蛇口望海路1128号)
- Time needed
- 1-2 hours, longer with dinner or the show
- Monday is the one night without the fountain. Friday and Saturday have the most shows, running until about 21:30.
- Book The Deal in advance on WeChat, especially for weekend performances. Check the age guidance before bringing teenagers.
- The plaza is busiest on weekend evenings and holidays. Weeknights are much easier for dinner without a wait.
- Exit A brings you out on the plaza side of Taizi Road. Nanhai E-Cool creative park is a short walk north.
- The fountain can be watched from all around the pool, so a restaurant terrace facing the ship makes a good seat.
FAQ
Can you go on the Minghua ship in Shekou?
Yes. Since its 2025 reopening the ship is free to board from 10:00 to 22:00 daily, with no booking. Only the theatre show is ticketed.
What time is the Sea World fountain show?
Shows start at 19:00 and run every half hour, Tuesday to Sunday. There are no shows on Mondays.
Which metro exit for Sea World Shekou?
Sea World station (Lines 2/8 and 12), Exit A, which comes up on the plaza side of Taizi Road.
How much are tickets for The Deal in Shenzhen?
Standard tickets were ¥580 in 2025, rising to ¥680 for some weekend and holiday performances.
Sources: Bendibao: Sea World visitor page, hours and fountain (2026) · Bendibao: Sea World station exits · Newsgd: The Deal premiere, times and prices (2025) · RSGT travel news: Minghua reopens, free to board, hours (Nov 2025) · HK01: what's aboard the reopened Minghua (Feb 2026) · Wikipedia: Minghua (ship), history · checked 2026-10-04