广义而言，海上世界是蛇口南部占地40万平米的滨海区域，是一个以高档住宅为主，集居住、商务、文化、娱乐、商务公寓、酒店、写字楼，滨海休憩、观光旅游于一体的多功能综合性地区。
海上世界交通便利，往深圳机场、香港中环、香港机场均可快捷直达，正在修建的深圳地铁二号线亦设有海上世界站点，将于2009年开通。新时代广场、金融中心、海景广场、海洋石油大厦等写字楼内分布着众多国际知名企业；由三洋厂房改建的南海意库正在成为深圳西部创意产业的结集地；而周边分布的泰格公寓、美伦会所、明华酒店、南海酒店等星级酒店为商旅人士带来高品质商旅服务。海上世界由此成为西部商贸、经济、信息、文化核心。
狭义的海上世界是指由明华轮、船前广场、中心广场、太子广场、海滨商业中心等组成的商业街区。富丽堂皇的明华轮，夜似海市蜃楼，方圆之内国际美食遍布，酒吧文化异彩纷呈。海上世界国际街区生活首先从半山后街、太子广场、中心广场展开。半山后街处于深圳高档住宅区“半山区”，片区内，鲸山别墅、半山别墅、美伦会所、龟山别墅、明华酒店等像一朵朵奇葩掩映在郁郁葱葱的大南山上。沿半山后街往上，即可走到登山的路口；往下朝南，走一百米左右即到太子广场，隔着太子路，对面就是中心广场了。
海上世界被评为深圳“最佳一日游”、“最佳三日游”和“最佳情侣旅游线路”。作为蛇口这个国际化人文社区的精华，海上世界以其时尚情调和品位休闲成为深圳的一张名片。

To the east of Minghua Cruiser, it is the statue of legend over the five thousand years of Chinese history, mother of human beings. She's also the symbol of Generally speaking, Marine World covers a 400 thousand square meter of coast area located at the south of Shekou. It is featured with high-class residences and provides business, culture, entertainment, business residence, hotel, office building, recreation, and tourism services.
It has convenient transportation with direct access to Shenzhen Airport, central Hong Kong, and Hong Kong Airport. Line 2 of Shenzhen Metro, which will be completed in 2010, will have a station in Marine World. Lots of global well-known enterprises have setup offices in the commercial buildings in the area such as New Times Plaza, Financial Center, Sea View Plaza, and Marine & Petroleum Building. Nanhai E-cool, which was reconstructed from the original Sanyo factory building, is becoming the center of art and design industry in western Shenzhen. Taige Apartment, Meilun Club, Minghua Hotel, and Nanhai Hotel are providing high-standard services to business travelers. Marine World is the western center of Shenzhen for business, economics, information and culture.
For the narrower definition, Marine World is the commercial area composes of Minghua Cruiser, Minghua Square, Central Square, Prince Plaza, and Sea Shore Commercial Center. Surrounding Minghua Cruiser are splendid restaurants of international cuisines and colorful pubs. It was awarded