A new city of towers, parks and malls just across the border from Hong Kong, 30 minutes by train from Guangzhou.
A new city of towers, parks and malls just across the border from Hong Kong, 30 minutes by train from Guangzhou.
A free 150-hectare hill park at the north end of the Futian business district, a short walk from Children's Palace metro station. The summit looks straight down the axis of the Civic Center and the towers beyond.
Blocks of multi-story malls selling electronics, phones and components, one of the largest electronics markets in the world. Come to browse; compare prices before buying anything.
The city's tallest building, about 599 m, with the Free Sky observation deck on the 116th floor at about 541 m. Prices and hours change, so check before you go; late afternoon gives you daylight and dusk.
A 1980s factory complex turned into galleries, design studios, shops and cafés, free to walk around. Take Line 1 to Qiaocheng East or Line 2 to Qiaocheng North.
A free seafront park of lawns, walking paths and cycle lanes along about 15 km of the bay, looking across the water to Hong Kong's New Territories. Best in the late afternoon and at sunset.
A small neighborhood in Longgang packed with more than 1,800 galleries and studios that paint and sell commercial oil paintings. Take Line 3 to Dafen station.
Fresh beef, sliced to order by cut, dipped briefly in a plain bone broth.
Chicken cooked at the table in fresh coconut water, for a light, slightly sweet broth.
Oysters grilled in the half shell under minced garlic and chili; the best-known local oysters come from Shajing in Bao'an.
Young pigeon roasted until the skin is crisp, a specialty of the Guangming district.
Shenzhen sits directly across the border from Hong Kong, and for many visitors it is the first stop in mainland China. It is a modern city of glass towers, large parks and malls rather than old monuments. The reasons to come are the skyline, the seafront, the art and design districts, the electronics markets of Huaqiangbei, and Cantonese and Chaoshan cooking.
It suits travelers arriving from Hong Kong who want an easy first day or two in the mainland, and anyone more interested in cities and food than temples. Guangzhou is about 30 minutes away by high-speed train, and the rail network continues to Shanghai, Beijing and the rest of the country.
Before you cross, check which entry rule applies to you; our visa-free entry guide covers the 30-day list and the 240-hour transit rule. The quickest crossing is the high-speed train from West Kowloon to Futian, about 14 minutes. On foot, take the MTR East Rail Line to Lo Wu or Lok Ma Chau, clear both borders, and continue on Shenzhen Metro Line 1 from Luohu or Lines 4 and 10 from Futian Checkpoint.
Spend the first day in Futian. Climb Lianhuashan Park for the view over the Civic Center, browse the malls of Huaqiangbei, and go up the Ping An Finance Center around dusk, then have Chaoshan beef hotpot for dinner. On a second day, walk around OCT Loft in the morning and spend the late afternoon on the Shenzhen Bay Park seafront. From there, cross back to Hong Kong or take a train from Shenzhen North to Guangzhou South. The metro accepts foreign contactless cards; for everything else, our payments guide explains Alipay and WeChat Pay.
Checked on 29 October 2026. Opening times and ticket rules change; confirm on the official site before you go.
The quickest way is the high-speed train from Hong Kong West Kowloon to Futian, about 14 minutes, with both border checks inside West Kowloon station before you board. On foot, take the MTR East Rail Line to Lo Wu or Lok Ma Chau, clear both borders and continue on the Shenzhen Metro.
Lo Wu and Shenzhen Bay are open from 6:30 to midnight, the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line to Futian from 6:30 to 22:30, and the West Kowloon rail station from 6:30 to 23:30. The new Huanggang Port, open since October 12, 2026, clears passengers 24 hours a day.
It depends on your passport. Citizens of the 30-day visa-free countries, including the UK, Canada, Australia and most of the EU, can enter at any crossing until December 31, 2026. US citizens using the 240-hour transit rule cannot use the Shenzhen land crossings and must take the train from West Kowloon or fly into Shenzhen, with a confirmed onward ticket to a third country.
One to two days, or a long day trip from Hong Kong. A first day in Futian covers Lianhuashan Park, Huaqiangbei and the Ping An Finance Center; a second adds OCT Loft and the Shenzhen Bay Park seafront.
Shenzhen suits travelers more interested in modern cities and food than temples. It has a skyline, seafront parks, art and design districts, the Huaqiangbei electronics markets and Cantonese and Chaoshan cooking, but few old monuments.
High-speed trains from Shenzhen North to Guangzhou South take about 30 minutes. Book with your passport on 12306 or Trip.com; see our Guangzhou guide.
Late October to March is the best time to visit Shenzhen. May to September is hot and humid, and typhoons are most likely from July to September.
Yes. Since June 2026 the Shenzhen Metro has been trialing foreign contactless cards tapped at the gates, and you can also pay with an Alipay or WeChat transit QR code.
A host who lives in Shenzhen can take care of as much or as little as you like. Pick what you need; it all comes back as one plan and one price.
Tell us your dates and which cities you have in mind. A host replies within 24 hours with a day-by-day plan that fits Shenzhen in, and a price.
Plan your trip