Shenzhen, a city in the south of China, on the very border with Hong Kong, is rapidly moving towards taking the first lines in the country's travel guides. The former fishing village has become a state-of-the-art metropolis with a population of 10 million. Shenzhen is a city with the status of a free economic region, a "Chinese miracle", admiring the incredible buildings and technological landscapes of which thousands of people come from all over the world. The city is so tourist-oriented that even the most discerning visitor will definitely find something to see in Shenzhen. The metropolis offers its residents and visitors the most interesting museums and art quarters, entertainment complexes and natural parks, beaches and incredible shopping opportunities.
TOP 10 attractions in Shenzhen
Dafen Artists Village
Chinese craftsmen are renowned for bringing the cloning of world products and counterfeiting of everything to perfection, be it umbrellas, electronics or cars. The Dafen Artist Village in Shenzhen, on the other hand, specializes in copying art. Dafen is the world's largest copy center for paintings. Moreover, the reproductions made in Dafen are of the highest quality. For them hundreds of art critics, private collectors, designers and hoteliers from all over the world come here. The village, founded in 1998, is now home to over 5,000 people who are employed in 600 art workshops. Copyist artists are not shy about tourists and work right on the street. Therefore, numerous onlookers have a great opportunity to see how art is put on stream here, how the conveyor is set up and how good pictures are born and money is made in just a few hours.
Safari Park
A huge green area of 120 hectares near Lake Xili, the city of Shenzhen has provided its safari park. This is the kingdom of nature, where more than 10,000 animals live, representatives of 300 species. For the convenience of residents and visitors, the safari park is divided into thematic and climatic zones. Animals are kept in comfortable conditions that are identical to their natural habitat:
- Lions and rare species of tigers (white Bengal and Amur tigers) coexist quietly on "Lion's Mountain". Daredevils can drive right up to the predators in a special truck with thick rods and even feed the animals;
- In the "House of Giraffes" you can see flamingos, kangaroos, zebras, camels, hippos, giraffes and other herbivores;
- "Panda House" introduces the cutest animals in the world - rare giant pandas, beloved by everyone, live here;
- Rabbit Paradise - home to 170 rabbits from all over the world;
- Swan Lake is decorated with graceful black and white swans;
- Monkey Mountain is the funniest and most fun area.
The safari park hosts daily entertainment shows with animals, as well as excursions to the Zoological Museum and the Zoological Science Center. For the convenience of visitors, a bus runs through the territory and there are cafes.
Pingan skyscraper
The construction of skyscrapers in the country is developing rapidly. The top 10 tallest buildings in the world include 5 skyscrapers in China. The honorable 4th place (after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the Shanghai Tower and the Royal Clock Tower in Mecca) is occupied by the Shenzhen skyscraper - the Ping An International Financial Center. Today it is the tallest office building in the world. Its height is 599 meters, and the number of floors is 115. According to the ideas of the creators, the height of the skyscraper was supposed to be 660 meters. But at the last moment, it was decided to remove the giant 60-meter spire, which could interfere with aviation flights. Among the skyscrapers of the world, Pingan is considered a youth, its construction was completed only in 2017. Today, business offices and shops are located on the floors of this outstanding, in the literal sense of the word, landmarks of the city.
Shenzhen Museum
The city's main museum is very young, as is Shenzhen itself. The museum aims to show the connection between Chinese historical heritage and modern development trends in Shenzhen.
The main exhibitions are located on three floors of the spacious building, which display such exhibits as pottery and porcelain dishes, jade products, gold and silver jewelry, old calligraphic scrolls, household items, stone sculptures and much more.
A feature of the museum is its scientific and educational activities. The museum's priorities are to support scholars engaged in research in the field of culture and history. The building has halls where public lectures, seminars and scientific meetings are held with the participation of the best specialists of the PRC.
The museum is open until 6:00 pm, but the last visitors are admitted at 5:30 pm. The entrance is free.
Folk Village "Magnificent China"
The Chinese consider this park to be the main attraction of Shenzhen, because they are very proud of their national traditions and cultural and historical heritage. Park "Magnificent China" fully justifies its loud name. This large-scale project reflects the whole essence of the Chinese peoples - their painting, architecture, music, theater, the whole way of life.
The park consists of two thematic zones:
- Miniature park. All the main architectural sights of China are located here with geographical accuracy: the Great Wall of China, the tombs of Genghis Khan and representatives of the Ming dynasty, main temples, lakes, mountains, waterfalls. That is, the project reproduces the whole of China in miniature;
- Folklore village. In this part of the park, life-size village houses have been built, representing different regions of the country, and ceramic figures are scattered throughout. Actors act out performances that introduce guests to the life of the Chinese, with their traditions (for example, with a wedding ceremony or burial ceremony). Combat shows on horseback are being held.
The park is so spectacular and so vibrant that it is easy to forget about the time and spend the whole day here.
Window to the World Theme Park
One of the most visited places in Shenzhen is the Window to the World Park. The creators conceived to collect on a huge territory (48 hectares) all the main architectural landmarks of the planet. In order to have a glimpse of “the whole world” in one day, the park's guests are offered well-thought-out and marked routes that describe all zones of the park: America, Africa, Europe, Asia and Oceania. Reproductions of architectural masterpieces have been created with amazing precision by the best masters of their craft, both Chinese and invited from abroad. The Eiffel Tower is especially loved by visitors - the tallest building in the park, which is easy to navigate from anywhere. The park is interactive in nature - for example, you can not only admire, but also climb on the model of buildings, and you can walk along the canals of Venice on gondolas. In the evenings, there is a grandiose light show.
And all the year round, all the main holidays of different countries are celebrated in the park.
Da Peng Fortress
If you want to find a corner of old China in Shenzhen, head to the eastern part of the city. There, in the XIV century, the city of Dapeng was founded, located on the peninsula of the same name. A sea fortress has survived from the medieval city. The entrance to the territory is free, you need to buy tickets to enter the museums. It is impossible to get lost - throughout the territory there are maps of the fortress, information signs in English and pointers. In fact, the fortress today is an inhabited village, surrounded by a fortified wall 6 meters high and 1200 meters long. The architecture is perfectly preserved. But the most interesting thing is that traditional life goes on here: ordinary people live in small houses, cafes and small hotels work, there are many small shops and shops. It is calm and quiet here. Tourists willingly include Dapeng in their plans and spend the whole day here.
Lotus Mountain (Lianhuashan Park)
Despite the fact that Shenzhen is an ultra-modern industrial city, local authorities ensure that residents have enough green oases where they can rest from work and enjoy nature without leaving the city. The pearl of Shenzhen can be safely called Lianhuashan Park in the central area of the city. It is here that locals and tourists flock to enjoy the clean air, take a break from the hustle and bustle, stroll and admire the natural landscapes. Here you can relax on the shore of the lake, fly kites, have picnics, do qigong gymnastics, listen to national music, dance, arrange a beautiful photo session. There are opportunities for active recreation: jogging tracks, ping-pong tables, sports grounds.
And from the top of the mountain, where an observation deck is equipped, the best views of business Shenzhen open up.
The entrance to the park is free. It is better to bring food with you (there are a minimum number of food outlets on the territory and they are located on the outskirts of the park and on the observation deck)
Happy Valley Amusement Park
You can safely go to Shenzhen with children. For younger guests, there are plenty of amusement and theme parks. And the best of all, of course, is the Happy Valley amusement park. The 35-hectare, state-of-the-art entertainment complex cost more than 2 billion yuan to build. But not only Shenzhen is proud of the result, but the whole of China.
The territory of the park unites 9 separate thematic zones, among which are “Plaza de Espana”, “Bay of Typhoons”, “Gold Mine”, “Shangri-La Forest”, “Sunny Beach” and, of course, the super popular open-air water park “Maya Beach” (only open during the season). You will have to spend a whole day to get around the entire park. To move around the territory, you can rent special cars.
There are a great many attractions here - for all tastes and ages, and all of them are magnificently decorated. The park pays great attention to show programs: the best artists from all over the world perform here with dizzying numbers. And in the evenings, colorful light shows are organized.
Magic Lake and Xianhu Botanical Garden
In the suburb of Shenzhen Longgang, among the mountains, there is the Xianhu Botanical Garden, covering an area of 600 hectares. Trees in the park are marked with signs, paths are marked on the diagrams - you can walk around the territory for hours, admire rare plants, enjoy nature. The garden contains more than 4000 species of plants brought from different parts of the world. On the territory there is an observation deck, a paleontological museum, a stone forest, a bonsai grove, a garden of butterflies and magnolias, a bamboo grove. And in the center of the garden there is a huge lake with shores arranged for relaxation. You can take walks on the lake by different types of water transport - from motor boats to catamarans. Buses run between the main points of the park during the day.
