Travel Information

Discover Shenzhen

Shenzhen was a farming and fishing community of 300,000 on the Hong Kong border before it became China's first Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in 1979. Today, it's a vast metropolis of 14 million, a UNESCO City of Design, and one of China's most popular tourist destinations.

Besides being a prime shopping spot, Shenzhen is an inspired choice for culture fans. A thriving art district and an impressive range of museums, galleries, theaters, and attractions have earned Shenzhen its place on UNESCO's Creative Cities list.

Discover Shenzhen's beautiful green spaces, its famous theme parks, and some of the best beaches in China. There are lots of great reasons to make this vibrant city your next destination.

Top 5 Reasons to Visit Shenzhen

1. The Theme Parks
See some of the world's most renowned sites (albeit smaller duplicates of them) at Shenzhen's amusement parks. Head to Window of the World, a huge park with scaled-down versions of some of the world's most famous monuments and a nightly parade and fireworks show, or to Splendid China Folk Village with its replicas of famous Chinese sites like the Great Wall and the Forbidden City.

2. It's a Great Place for Kids
Despite its size, Shenzhen is a family-friendly city. Enjoy a beach-based getaway with outings to Dameisha Coastal Park or visit Shiyan Lake Hot Spring Resort for the day. The little ones will enjoy classic playgrounds like Shenzhen Children's Park (Tongle Road), while older kids can try rides that rival those at nearby Disneyland Hong Kong at the Happy Valley Shenzhen theme park.

3. Greenery All Around
Shenzhen boasts more parks and gardens than almost any other Chinese city. Lianhua Mountain Park is ideal for families, and you can join an aerobics or yoga group or climb to the top to see the huge statue of Deng Xiaoping. Spot an impressive number of bird species at China's smallest national park, Mangrove National Park, or visit the Hongfa Temple in Fairy Lake Botanical Gardens, one of the country's most beautiful parks.

4. The Art
Shenzhen is one of the country's creative hotspots and art lovers will enjoy the city's 'anything goes' attitude. Explore industrial, fashion, and domestic design at the OCT Art and Design Gallery, or have your favorite work reproduced at Dafen Oil Painting Village.

5. Tee Off
Shenzhen is one of the world's top golfing destinations. It's home to some of China's oldest courses like Shenzhen Golf Course and to the world's biggest, Mission Hills Golf Course. Other notable courses include the Gary Player-designed Shahe (Sand River) Golf Club.