Shenzhen: My Two Cents (Spoiler: It's... Something)

[Delia Jast]

My overall impression of Shenzhen is as follows:

• The city gives off a very modern vibe, with well-planned structures. There are few old buildings visible on the streets.
• The city is friendly towards people with disabilities. There are designated seats reserved for them in the subway system, and indeed, I saw some disabled friends out and about.
• Near tourist attractions, you can see quite a few peddlers selling goods on tricycles. From time to time, sanitation officers (similar to urban administrators) would chase them away, leading to fights that somehow seem like "real life".

Specific places I have visited:

• Lianhuashan Park

  • Attention: In the late afternoon around 5 PM, I was stopped by security guards at the entrance not allowing entry from the main gate. But still, there's always a workaround; I took a smaller trail up the hill.
  • On top of the mountain, there is a large monument (said to be Deng Xiaoping, a key figure who drew the circle marking the development of Shenzhen), from where you can also take a glimpse of what the city center looks like.
  • Honestly, this site is just average.

• Shenzhen Bay Park

  • It's a long path and green spaces along the beach, something quite common for coastal cities. You can ride the bike, watch sea birds, or even catch a view of Hong Kong on the opposite shore if the weather is nice.
  • Nothing special really.

• Huanle Harbor Square

  • This is another seaside commercial and recreational district. An especially large Ferris wheel inside, which looks fine at nighttime when they turn on the lights.

• Xianhu Botanical Garden

  • The garden is quite spacious, with many tropical plants – good for botanists and those who love flowers.
  • Be Careful: Although the inside of the garden has sightseeing buses, the line for those buses is extremely long.
  • After you enter the door, to your right, there is a stepped path. If you're physically fit, you can try taking this route to climb the hill for exercise. It’s said you can walk all the way to a little peak named something like Shitou (Peach Tree). But I got tired before I could explore further.
  • Inside the garden, there is a temple (Hongfa Temple). I observed that many people go there to worship as it is bustling with people. However, I found it unremarkable and similar to any other temples.
  • There is a pagoda on the back mountain, which I initially intended to visit, but apparently it’s off-limits for visitors, perhaps due to ongoing religious events.

• Five Fingers Mountain

  • I initially planned to visit Five Fingers Mountain too. However, after researching, I learned access involves quite several routes, and climbing isn’t an easy task. If you want to go, set aside a whole day for the ascent. I decided not to make the effort.

• SeaWorld

  • Just another seaside commercial and recreational area that doesn’t stand out much compared to others, though its bustling crowds catch my eye.
  • Small Complaint: The signatory giant ship (Minghua Wheel) is actually covered with a cloth, possibly under maintenance. That was somewhat disappointing.
  • At 8pm, there’s a fountain show but the performance is only 4 minutes long – rather short and thrifty.

• Observatorium

  • Important Tip: Visitors wishing to sightsee at the Observatory must make reservations beforehand. Entry tickets are released every Monday morning at 10 AM on their official channels, so act quick. As I didn’t set the alarm in time, I had to miss out.
  • Nonetheless, visitors do not need booking for the walkway next by the shore, they can meander down to the seaside. And there, people often share a water taxi ride back to the starting point – quite an experience.
  • There’s a beach nearby that’s ok to enjoy.

• Dameisha

  • Just a normal, decent beach with not much distinctive features, though it’s crowded with tourists.

• Yangmeping

  • This place has featured as a filming location in Stephen Chow’s hit movie “The Mermaid.” Visitors would need to take a long queue for a boat ride to reach the shoot location, but I wasn't keen to join in the fun.
  • Besides this small selling point, there’s not much left to see there.

[Ellis Sauer DVM]

1. For Shenzhen Bay Park, you missed the Talent Park section – that's the main highlight. 2. At Sea World, you didn't go to the actual seaside, which is the city's most beautiful coastal area; another key spot missed. 3. For Dameisha, you skipped the seaside boardwalk, so you missed the best part there too. That's about it.

[Hazel Brown-Stracke]

You're right, I missed points 1 and 3. For point 2, I did visit the Nuwa statue and the seaside.

[Clarence Hessel II]

You might have seen too many amazing places, which is why you found this just okay. I personally thought it was pretty good.

[Timothy Denesik]

Exactly. When you've seen similar sights a few times, it's hard for them to make much of an impression.

[Lucia Feest]

Are you writing a travelogue like an elementary schooler just listing events?

[Lindsey Jerde DDS]

Pretty much, yeah.

[Israel Koss]

Wutong Mountain isn't really worth it. It's a tough climb, mostly just for hiking, and the views are just average.

[Dr. Cheryl Willms]

Yeah, that's Shenzhen for you – super boring and not really a place for tourism.

[Brenda Shanahan]

I've visited Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen this year. It was my first time in Shenzhen. Honestly, the attractions weren't particularly surprising, but the city's urban planning and development are truly excellent, and everything looks very modern and new.