| Shenzhen is a city of over 12 million people located in | | | | Completely refurbished in 2006, the Da Ju Yuan / |
| Guangdong Province, China, directly on the border with | | | | Grand Theater in Shenzhen is a great venue for |
| the New Territories of Hong Kong. | | | | classical music and traditional Chinese music events. |
| It's likely that your travel guide to China does not say | | | | Shenzhen has its own Symphony Orchestra and with |
| much about this city except to dismiss it as industrial | | | | tickets normally between 60 - 300 RMB no one can |
| and good only for cheap knockoff shopping. | | | | complain that culture is out of reach in this modern |
| Similarly, if you ask people in Hong Kong about | | | | boom city. |
| Shenzhen, they will pretend to think it's still a small town | | | | Across the road from the Grand Theater is Lychee |
| full of knife-wielding thieves and you shouldn't even | | | | Park, which is recommended for taking photos on |
| consider going there. | | | | traditional style bridges, taking a pedalo out on the lake, |
| Both these impressions couldn't be further from the | | | | or watching the unnervingly professional ballroom |
| truth. Shenzhen's incredibly fast growth is the reason | | | | dancing couples practice outdoors. |
| travel books are out of date, and perhaps Hong Kong | | | | On the corner of the park is a large billboard with a |
| people's snobbishness about the city stems from a | | | | Picture of Deng Xiao Peng, the "father of Shenzhen". It |
| certain fear and envy of this shiny wealth center on | | | | was he who came up with the idea of raising |
| their doorstep! | | | | Shenzhen / Baoan from a fishing village to a global |
| Modern day Shenzhen is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city | | | | scale metropolis, and Chinese visitors to Shenzhen |
| that offers a wide range of cultural and leisure venues | | | | wouldn't want to miss a chance to be pictured in front |
| for tourists, as well as unrivalled shopping and dining. If | | | | of the late Chairman. |
| you like Hong Kong and Shanghai, you will also love | | | | Citizens' Center |
| Shenzhen - fast, fashionable, cool, and not a little bit | | | | Shenzhen's city government decided to relocate the |
| crazy! | | | | Central Business District west, out of the original city |
| If you are clueless about Shenzhen and want a few | | | | center (Luohu) and into brand new, spaciously planned |
| basic pointers, here are the three most famous city | | | | zones in Futian District. Part of this project is the Shimin |
| center places to see in one day: | | | | Zhongxin / Citizens' Center: a huge government building |
| Diwang Building | | | | with an iconic "bird shape" roof. Not much to do or see |
| Diwang building is the tallest skyscraper in Shenzhen, at | | | | inside, but it's worth taking a taxi around this whole |
| 69 floors, and the symbol of the city's super fast | | | | area, especially at night time, to see all the shiny new |
| success. The building is office space for the city's | | | | skyscrapers. The newly developed area around the |
| most prestigious firms, but you can pay around | | | | Citizen's Center also includes the Children's Palace |
| 120RMB to go to the viewing deck on the 68th floor | | | | amusement center and exemplary New Shenzhen |
| and look over the whole city center. | | | | Library. About half a mile south is the New Exhibition |
| Opposite the Diwang building is the new multi-storey | | | | Center / Huizhan Zhongxin, which is, in typical |
| shopping center "Mix C" complete with ice rink, cinema, | | | | Shenzhen style, impressive just because it is huge. |
| and lots of international style restaurants. Many of the | | | | Visiting Shenzhen |
| shops in the Mix are Hong Kong style overpriced | | | | If you are in Hong Kong it's an easy day trip to |
| fashion boutiques, but this does not deter the hordes | | | | Shenzhen, crossing the border at Luohu (KCR to |
| of window shoppers. | | | | Lowu) or Huanggang (Bus to Lok Ma Chau) - both of |
| A short distance from Diwang is the Shenzhen Stock | | | | which are less than an hour from HK Central. |
| Exchange, which you can't go into, and still within | | | | If you are leaving Mainland China e.g. from Guangzhou |
| walking distance, a block away and still the same | | | | or from Shanghai through to HK, we hope you're open |
| metro station, is the Grand Theater. | | | | minded about Shenzhen to carve out an extra whole |
| Grand Theater | | | | day to stop off and explore the city. |