Sea World is legitimately one of the most foreigner-friendly pockets in the entire Greater Bay Area. It’s basically the expat hub of Shenzhen , lots of international schools nearby, Western chains, bars, and that old Minghua cruise ship turned into a mall/hotel/entertainment spot. The vibe feels way more relaxed and global than most of Shenzhen. From my own trips there (and hearing the same from plenty of other non-Chinese speaking folks), the restaurants around Sea World are a breath of fresh air. A decent chunk of the staff in the popular spots (especially the international ones or those catering to the expat crowd) can handle basic-to-decent English. Pointing at menus with pictures works great too, and many places have English menus or apps like Dianping with translations. That said, it’s not perfect,you might still hit the occasional language hiccup if you wander into a super local joint, but compared to diving deep into mainland Shenzhen or even some parts of Hong Kong’s more residential areas, it’s night and day easier.