Shenzhen
Lying along the coast of the South China Sea and 41 kilometers north of Hong Kong, Shenzhen is a city in south-central Guangdong province.
Shenzhen originally was a small border town of about 30,000 people and served as a customs crossing to mainland China from Hong Kong. Benefiting from China’s reform and opening-up policy from 1978, it has become a modern and internationally renowned metropolis. Nicknamed “China Silicon”, the city of Shenzhen now brings together more than 14,000 high-tech companies, including Huawei, Lenovo, and Tencent. It is also becoming the hub of innovation for new generations of emerging start-ups, which makes it the most competitive and innovative city in China.
Shenzhen has long been tied only to economic growth, mainly attracting business travelers and workers. This is gradually starting to change. Shenzhen offers more and more tourist attractions, modern and exciting.
Hidden between the skyscrapers you discover many art exhibitions and historical reconstructions. In terms of nature and escape, Shenzhen has notable assets around the city. In addition to shopping and dining, you have unique cultural potential here!
Useful information
Chinese name: 深圳 (shēn zhèn)
Population: 17,560,061 inhabitants. (2020)
Area: Land area: 1,997.47 km², Sea area: 1,145 km²
Location: in the south of Guangdong province, in southern China
Administrative division: 9 districts (Futian, Luohu, Yantian, Nanshan, Bao’an, Longgang, Longhua, Pingshan, Guangming); 1 new district (Dapeng)
GDP (2018): 2,422.2 billion CNY (366.1 billion USD)
How to get to Shenzhen?
By Air: Shenzhen Bao’an Airport (SZX) is approximately 32 kilometers from the city center. At present, it operates more than 150 domestic and 21 international air routes, connecting Shenzhen and other domestic and overseas cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, Macao, Taipei, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Tokyo. Transport to/from the city center is quite convenient from the airport with many shuttles.
Train: The city is located at the intersection of the Beijing-Guangzhou railway line and the Beijing-Kowloon railway line. Guangzhou-Kowloon and Xiamen-Shenzhen lines also pass through the city. As one of the most important transportation hubs in southern China, Shenzhen effectively connects mainland China and Hong Kong. Most high-speed trains depart from North Station and travel to Xiamen, Hangzhou, Huangshan, Shanghai, Nanjing, Chongqing, Xi’an, and Wuhan.
Buses: There are more than 40 long-distance passenger bus stations in urban and suburban areas. Among them, Luohu Bus Station, Bao’an Bus Station, Yinhu Bus Station, Futian Bus Station, Huanggang Bus Station, and Airport Bus Station are the most popular ones.
When to go to Shenzhen?
The best time to visit Shenzhen is from late October to early March. and the rainy season is from May to September, it should be noted that the city is located at the estuary of the Pearl River and is, therefore, a typhoon-prone area. In Summer, it is very hot and humid.
What to visit in Shenzhen?
Shenzhen is best known as a modern financial and commercial metropolis in China but in recent years the city has compensated by developing excellent theme parks and man-made scenic spots. These modern facilities have succeeded in attracting crowds of tourists, eager to experience the contemporary attractions.
Although Shenzhen does not have as many historical attractions as other famous cities in China, it is full of assets, cultural, historical, fun, and natural.
Park window on the world 世界之窗
It is a theme park near Shenzhen Bay, and it is undoubtedly one of the cultural highlights of the city. The park features miniature versions of more than 130 world-famous sites, from each of the five continents. Here you can visit many great monuments of the world in a single day.
China Folk Village 锦绣中华民族村
It is the largest and most comprehensive miniature park in the world, with replicas of over 100 Chinese attractions and 25 full-scale ethnic villages. The landscapes here are fantastic and landscaped with care. The miniatures are beautifully detailed and contain over 50,000 tiny clay figures that have been placed to look like real microscopic life!
China with more than 5000 years of history and more than 55 different tribes is very well represented on this wonderful site. Shows are also not to be missed: Dynasty at War reproduces the battle scene of the late Ming Dynasty, and it involves more than 300 stunt actors. An exciting visit for young and old!
Happy Valley Park 欢乐谷
Shenzhen Happy Valley is a must-see attraction. It is a large modern theme park in China, located in the Nanshan district of the city. Covering an area of 350,000 square meters, the park offers vast amounts of breathtaking attractions. There really is something for everyone, this park is so huge. The entire park is made up of nine areas with different themes, including Spanish Square, Cartoon Town, Mount Adventure, Gold Mine Town, Shangri-la Woods, Sunshine Beach, Typhoon Bay, Playa Maya Water Park, and Happy times. The park includes nearly 100 exciting attractions for adults and children. Every day in the park there are excellent shows in different styles, such as magic, acrobatics, and extreme sports.
Hiking on Wutong Shan 梧桐山
If you want to get out of the megalopolis and go into nature, Wutong Shan is the highest mountain in Shenzhen, rising to 943 meters. Wutong Shan offers some interesting and accessible hiking trails for everyone. You can opt for a safer route of stairs or try other paths that will take you through greenery and hills.
Most trails start from the village of Wutong. Once you have conquered the mountain, you will have the pleasure of enjoying a splendid panorama of Shenzen, it is port and Hong Kong in the distance. In general, the climb takes about 3 to 4 hours. Count half to go down!
Mangrove Seashore Ecological Park 红树林海滨生态公园
Shenzhen Mangrove Nature Reserve is located on the northeast coast of Shenzhen Bay. It belongs to a natural bird reserve. It is the only nature reserve located in the urban area and is called “Mini Protected Area” by foreign environmental experts. There are 189 species and a number of 100,000 migratory birds that come here to rest or spend the winter, including white herons, gulls, and other bird species.
On the flora side, there are also 56 species of rare plants. It is regarded as a green corridor in the district of Shenzhen City facing the Shenzhen Bay. It is not only a paradise for bird habitat and plant kingdom but also a perfect place for hikers, bird watching, sea view, and natural style experience.
Xianhu Botanical Garden
The Xianhu Botanical Garden is a lovely place to spend an afternoon. It is divided into six distinct zones: the Heaven and Earth Zone, the Lakes Zone, the Temples Zone, the Desert Landscape Zone, the Petrified Forest Zone, and the Evergreens and Azaleas Zone. Highlights of the garden include Hongfa Temple, which is the most popular and influential Buddhist temple in Shenzhen, and Fairy Lake. You can walk around the lake or rent a pedalo.
There are still plenty of things to do and places to visit in the city. Among them, Safari Park, Da Meisha, and Xiao Meisha Scenic Area (two excellent swimming beaches) and Meridian View Center (also called Shenzhen Window) is highly recommended. Moreover, the Xili Lake Resort, endowed with an enchanting natural view, offers citizens a quiet place away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
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