Ping An Finance Centre
One of the world's tallest skyscrapers, with a sleek steel-and-glass design. An observation deck near the top gives a broad view of the city and the border with Hong Kong.
Shenzhen
Beside Hong Kong, this fast-growing tech city has a modern skyline, theme parks and electronics markets.
Attractive locations
Window of the World
Theme park with scaled-down copies of famous landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the Pyramids. It is a light, family-friendly day out, with performances in the evening.
Shenzhen Bay Park
Long waterfront park beside Shenzhen Bay, with cycle paths, lawns and sea views across to Hong Kong. Many locals come at sunset for walks and picnics.
Wutong Mountain
Mountain in the east of the city with hiking trails through forest and rocks. Views from the upper paths cover the city and the coast.
Shenzhen Mosque
Mosque serving the city's Muslim community. Visitors are welcome in modest dress and should behave respectfully.
Dafen Oil Painting Village
A neighbourhood of small studios and galleries where artists paint copies and original works in oils, many sold to buyers around the world. Visitors can watch painters at work and browse the shops.
Splendid China Folk Village
A theme park of scaled-down models of China's best-known sights, including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. It sits next to a park showing traditional village life of China's ethnic groups.
Hongfa Temple
Shenzhen's best-known Buddhist temple, set at the foot of a wooded hill beside the Fairy Lake Botanical Garden. Visitors walk among its halls, and it is often combined with a stroll in the garden.
Happy Valley Shenzhen
An amusement park in Nanshan with roller coasters, water rides and themed zones. It is a popular family day out in the city.
Dapeng Fortress
A walled coastal fortress town from the Ming dynasty, with gates, old streets and temples inside the walls. It is a quiet outing east of the city.
Shenzhen Museum
The city's main history museum, covering the area's story from ancient times to its rapid growth from a fishing district into a major city.
Dameisha Beach
A broad sandy beach on the eastern coast, one of the city's main public beaches, popular with local families for swimming and picnics in the warm months.
Airports
Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport SZX
It is about 28 km in a straight line from Shenzhen.
Zhuhai Jinwan Airport ZUH
It is about 92 km in a straight line from Shenzhen.
Huizhou Pingtan Airport HUZ
It is about 79 km in a straight line from Shenzhen.
Getting around
From Bao'an Airport
According to Shenzhen's government guide, Metro Line 11 is entered from the Ground Transportation Center concourse. Airport Express buses, including NA1 to Futian and Luohu and NA3 to Nanshan, leave from the western second-floor platform. Taxi stands are on the eastern second-floor platform and are reached through Door 13. For ride-hailing, pick-up is at Point A, outside the south side of the centre, or at Point B on the first floor.
- Source: Shenzhen Government Online: Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Shenzhen Metro and buses
The metro network has 17 operating lines, according to Shenzhen Government Online. Fares on the metro and buses can be paid in cash, with a Shenzhen Tong card, through the Chengchema WeChat mini program, or with a Shenzhen Tong QR code in WeChat, Alipay or the Shenzhen Tong app. Some transit cards from other cities are accepted too. At Airport Station, a multilingual customer service terminal provides translation and travel planning.
- Source: Shenzhen Government Online: How to use public transportation (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Source: Shenzhen Government Online: Paying for Metro rides easier for international visitors (checked 4 Nov 2026)
International cards on the metro
Under a trial begun by Shenzhen Metro, Visa, Mastercard, American Express and JCB cards, including those in mobile wallets, can be tapped at fare gates that show the matching logo, as can UnionPay contactless. The plan is to extend this to all gates. Separately, customer service centres have card terminals that take Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, Diners Club and JCB for buying tickets without cash.
- Source: Shenzhen Government Online: Shenzhen Metro to accept international bank cards at fare gates (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Source: Shenzhen Government Online: Paying for Metro rides easier for international visitors (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Scams and safe taxis
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan16.0 °C35 mm
- Feb17.7 °C29 mm
- Mar20.1 °C69 mm
- Apr23.2 °C109 mm
- May26.5 °C231 mm
- Jun28.1 °C288 mm
- Jul28.8 °C197 mm
- Aug28.7 °C234 mm
- Sep27.9 °C173 mm
- Oct25.4 °C55 mm
- Nov21.9 °C29 mm
- Dec17.3 °C21 mm
Driest months: Feb, Nov, Dec. Wettest months: May, Jun, Aug.
Costs
Prices here are about 47% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Who can help
Emergency
Police 110. Ambulance 120. Fire 119.
ngo
Red Cross Society of China
Helps with: China's national Red Cross society. Its site covers emergency rescue and disaster relief, first aid training, humanitarian assistance, and blood and stem cell donation. The site is in Chinese only.
Who qualifies: People in China affected by disasters or needing its humanitarian services; contact the head office or a provincial branch.
Phone: 010-84025890
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) China
Helps with: The UN migration agency, with an office in Beijing. In China its work covers migration management, crisis response, international cooperation and partnerships.
Who qualifies: Migrants and government or other partners working on migration. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +86-10-59799695
Address: 北京市朝阳区塔园外交公寓9-1-82 100600
embassy
Foreign embassies in Beijing (Beijing government list)
Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy. The Beijing government's English site lists foreign embassies by letter, with chancery addresses and phones.
Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy. The list is for Beijing only and its page addresses are dated 2020.
local government
Nanshan International Cultural Exchange and Service Center
Helps with: A Nanshan District centre for foreigners living in or visiting Shenzhen, with English-speaking social workers. It gives administrative information and legal advice. The page was last updated in 2022.
Who qualifies: Foreigners living in or visiting Shenzhen. Confirm hours and number before visiting.
Phone: 0755-2161 2083
Address: 1st Floor, Imperial Park I, Wanghai Road, Nanshan District, Shenzhen