Minghua

The Minghua is a beached ocean liner in the Shekou district of Shenzhen, in use since 1986 as a themed complex of hotel, restaurants and leisure venues. Built in 1962 in Saint-Nazaire as the Ancerville for the French West Africa route, she was bought by China in 1973 and ran another decade in scheduled service, making her one of the last surviving liners of her generation. Today she sits dry in an artificial basin at Sea World Plaza, an icon of the early Special Economic Zone that became Shenzhen. The surrounding promenade is a lively evening destination with open-air bars and views of the southern skyline.