Curious about Whats inside a Shenzhen water club? Here is a simple guide to their offerings.

Alright, let’s talk about what these Shenzhen water clubs, or ‘Shui Hui’, are actually like inside. I went to check one out not too long ago, just to see what the fuss was about.

First off, you walk in. Sometimes the entrances are pretty flashy, sometimes more low-key. You go to the counter, pay up. They usually give you an electronic wristband thingy. That’s your key, your wallet, everything inside. Handy, I guess. Keeps your hands free.

Then they point you towards the changing rooms. Usually separate for men and women, obviously. You swap your shoes for slippers first. Inside, it’s rows and rows of lockers. Find the one matching your wristband number, dump your stuff. You get a sort of robe or pyjama set. Most people just wear that around.

Hitting the Wet Area

This is the main ‘water’ part. You gotta shower first, basic hygiene, you know. Then you’ve got the options:

• Pools: Usually a few pools. Hot ones, sometimes a really cold plunge pool which wakes you right up. Maybe one with herbs or milk or something weird floating in it. I just stuck to the hot one mostly.
• Sauna/Steam Room: Pretty standard stuff. A dry sauna, hot rocks and all that. And a steam room, gets real foggy in there. Good for sweating it out. Sat in there for a bit, felt decent.

There are attendants walking around, handing out towels, sometimes scrubbing people’s backs if you pay extra for that service. Looked kinda rough, not my thing.

The Relaxation Zone

After you’re done with the water and heat, you dry off, put the pyjamas back on, and head to the main lounge area. This is usually the biggest part.

It’s basically rows and rows of big, comfy reclining armchairs. Like lazy-boy style. Each chair usually has its own little TV screen, headphones. You just find an empty one, kick back, and chill. Lots of folks just sleeping. Seriously, like half the people are knocked out cold.

Food and Drinks: This is a big part of it too. There’s usually free fruit, like oranges, watermelon slices, cherry tomatoes. Basic drinks too, water, maybe some tea. If you want more, you order it using your wristband. They have menus, proper meals, noodles, snacks, beer, everything. It all gets added to your tab, paid when you leave. I grabbed some noodles, they were okay, nothing special, but filled a hole.

Other Stuff

Depending on the place, they might have other things. Maybe a small gym, pool tables, sometimes even a little cinema room showing movies. Some places have private rooms you can book. And yeah, massages are usually a big offering. You see people getting foot massages right there in the main lounge sometimes, or you can book a private room for a full body thing. Didn’t try that myself on this visit, just observed.

You can basically spend hours there. Eat, sleep, bathe, watch TV. It’s like an all-in-one relaxation factory. When you’re ready to go, you head back to the changing room, swap back into your clothes, go to the front desk, hand over the wristband, and pay for whatever extras you consumed.

So, that’s pretty much the drill. It’s a place to kill time, relax, get clean, maybe have a nap or a bite. Nothing too mysterious, just a big spa complex, really. Felt alright leaving, maybe a bit cleaner and more relaxed than when I went in. Would I go often? Probably not, but I can see why people like it for a few hours of escape.