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