Shekou (Chinese: 蛇口; pinyin: Shékǒu) is an area at the southern tip of Nanshan District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.

As a result of this first mover advantage in catering for mainly western tastes in housing, food and drink, entertainment and schooling, at a time when no alternatives were available in the area, Shekou gradually became home to the majority of the expatriate population working in and around Shenzhen and part of its hinterland in the Pearl River Delta.

In 2003, the local government, seeking to capitalize on the foreign flavor of the area, invested in a complete make-over of Sea World, turning it into a western-style entertainment area centered on the grounded Minghua[8] (明华) ship, a 14,000 ton, 168 m long vessel built in 1962 as a French ferry vessel purchased by China in 1973.

It is commonly, though incorrectly, referred to by many locals as French President Charles De Gaulle's private yacht.

The port is part of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road that runs from the Chinese coast via the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean, there to the Upper Adriatic region to the hub of Trieste with its rail connections to Central and Eastern Europe.

The new facilities provide an information center for locals as well as a place where foreigners can get assistance from very friendly English-speaking staff.

The types of assistance they offer include registration services for expats living in the area so foreigners no longer need to go to the police station, advice on marriage or disputes with landlords and employers, guidelines on leases, traveling, currency exchange and more.