haxlr8r Map of Shenzhen Electronics Market

I’m fond of trawling the electronic markets of Shenzhen. It’s a huge area, several city blocks; it is overwhelming in scale. My friends at haxlr8r have published a guide to the markets, targeted at helping intrepid hacker-engineers use the market more efficiently, without having to spend a couple of weeks just figuring out the basics.

This is the first guide I’ve seen that gives a floor-by-floor breakdown of the wares contained in each building. This is particularly handy as some buildings contain several specialties that are not reflected by the items you find on the ground floor. It’s also bi-lingual, which helps if you can’t speak the language and you need to point at something the locals can read. While the map is missing a couple of my favorite spots, overall it’s well done and took a lot of effort to compile.

If you’re into making electronics, this electronics market is a must-see destination. If you have an idea you’re itching to build, you might want to consider applying to haxlr8r (currently accepting applications until November 30th). haxlr8r’s offices are right in the heart of the electronics district, and I’m a mentor for the program; so, it’s a great opportunity to learn the markets, build stuff, and hang out and have a few beers.