How many days in Shenzhen? A 2-day route and transport

How many days? Two is the core, three if you have time

Two to three days is the right length for Shenzhen. This route follows the guide's own plan: on day one you see the old town and seaside park of Nanshan in the west and the night views of downtown Futian, and on day two you give a whole day to the old fort and beaches of the Dapeng Peninsula in the east.

The Dapeng Peninsula is far from downtown, so it needs a full day of its own. With an extra day you can add nature at Fairy Lake Botanical Garden and Wutong Mountain, or plan time around the checkpoints to Hong Kong.

• Full Shenzhen travel guide →
• Incheon → Shenzhen flights →

Day 1: Nantou Ancient Town, Chiwan Tianhou Temple, Shenzhen Bay Park, Lianhua Hill

Start the morning with a walk through Nantou Ancient Town (Xin'an Ancient Town). Built in 1394, it later became the seat of Xin'an County's government, and Guandi Temple and traditional Qing-style houses and temples still stand inside. As of June 2026, Metro Line 12 has a Nantou Ancient City station, and the town is also about a 5-minute walk from Exit B of Taoyuan station on Line 1.

After lunch, head to Chiwan Tianhou Temple, the largest temple to Tianhou (Mazu), goddess of the sea, in Guangdong. Most of it was destroyed in the 1950s; it was rebuilt in 1992 and reopened in 1995. Take bus 226 or 355 to the Tian Hou Gong stop, and check official information for hours.

In the afternoon, take Metro Line 9 to Exit D2 of Shenzhen Bay Park station for a seaside stroll. The park runs 13 km along the north shore of Shenzhen Bay, is free of motor vehicles, has cycle paths and picnic spaces, and looks across to Hong Kong's New Territories. End the day with night views of downtown Futian from the top of Lianhua Hill Park, which also has a large kite-flying square (Children's Palace station).

Day 2: A full day on the Dapeng Peninsula

Set off early for the Dapeng Peninsula. Dapeng Fortress, founded in 1394, was a Ming and Qing coastal-defence fortress and is the source of Shenzhen's nickname 'Pengcheng'. Its east, south and west gates still stand, and old streets such as Nanmen Jie, Dongmen Jie and Shizi Jie are lined with Qing generals' mansions and temples including Houwang Temple, a Tianhou temple and Huaguang Temple. The Dapeng New District Museum inside has 4 permanent exhibitions. Check official information for transport and hours.

For lunch, try Dapeng seafood such as sea urchin fried rice. Lü wan zai, green rice noodles served in soup, is a dish particular to Dapeng Fortress.

In the afternoon, enjoy the sea at Xichong Beach on the southern Dapeng Peninsula, facing the South China Sea with Dapeng Bay to the west, Daya Bay to the east and Qiniang Mountain, the city's second-highest peak, to the north. Buses M231 and M232 run to Dongchong and Xichong beaches (check official information for routes), and a hiking trail follows the coast between them. Then head back to the city.

Adding a third day: Fairy Lake, Wutong Mountain or Hong Kong

For nature, consider Fairy Lake Botanical Garden and Wutong Mountain. The garden sits at the north-western foot of Wutong Mountain (944 m), the city's highest peak; use Exit C2 of Xianhu Road station on Line 2 (Line 8). The garden says tickets are sold only through its official WeChat accounts, and it closes during severe weather such as typhoon yellow or higher warnings, so check official information. Hongfa Temple sits halfway up Wutong Mountain on its east side.

For Wutong Mountain, take bus 211 to Wutongshan Community. The broad road is a gentle climb but takes about five hours to the top and back, while Haohan Slope to Greater Wutong is notoriously steep. Bring plenty of water and set off early. On a clear day you can see Dapeng Bay and the mountains of Hong Kong's New Territories.

Several checkpoints link Shenzhen with Hong Kong. Futian Checkpoint is linked by footbridge to Lok Ma Chau, connecting Metro Line 4 with Hong Kong's East Rail Line. See this app's Hong Kong guide for Hong Kong itself; opening hours, visa and entry rules change often, so always check official information.

• Luohu Checkpoint 06:30-24:00
• Futian Checkpoint 06:30-22:30
• Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint, passengers 06:30-24:00
• Huanggang Checkpoint 24 hours
• Liantang Checkpoint 07:00-22:00
• Other ideas: Window of the World and Splendid China at OCT, Huaqiangbei pedestrian street, Futian Mangrove Ecological Park

Where to stay and getting in from the airport

For a first visit, Futian is convenient: it is good for city night views and Futian Checkpoint makes Hong Kong easy to reach. For history walks, theme parks and seaside parks, Nanshan, home to Nantou Ancient Town, Shenzhen Bay Park and Chiwan Tianhou Temple, fits better; Shekou Ferry Terminal (07:00-22:30) and Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint are close by. The Dapeng Peninsula is far from downtown and best kept for a day of its own.

The Metro Line 11 entrance is inside the Ground Transportation Center (GTC) of Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (SZX). From Airport (T3) station, Line 11 runs via Bao'an, Qianhaiwan, Nanshan, Houhai, Chegongmiao, Futian, Gangxia North and Huaqiang South. Fares are distance-based, from CNY 2 for the first 4 km.

Airport Express buses leave from the western platform on the second floor of the GTC, with tickets sold at the counter near Door 17; check official information for routes, times and fares. Taxi stands are on the eastern platform on the second floor of the GTC (Door 13), and ride-hailing app pick-up points are outside the south side of the GTC (Point A) and in the reservation pick-up area on the first floor (Point B). If you have heavy luggage or arrive late, a taxi or ride-hailing car is handy.

Cards, budget and when to go

Metro fares start at CNY 2 for the first 4 km and rise with distance. Business Class carriages on some trains have their own fares (CNY 6-36 one way), so don't mix them up with Ordinary Class tickets. The Shenzhen Tong card takes a CNY 20 deposit that is refunded when you return it, and gives 5% off metro fares and up to 35% off bus fares. Chip bank cards with the UnionPay and QuickPass logos, or phones carrying them, also work at the gates; switch on small-amount password-free payment and keep a balance of at least the highest Ordinary Class single fare.

Sticking to the metro and buses keeps transport costs low. Taxis are metered, and for theme park or botanical garden tickets check each official site. Hotel and food costs vary a lot by date, so compare prices on booking sites.

Shenzhen has a subtropical monsoon climate, warm with plenty of rain. The figures below are 1971–2000 normals for Shenzhen from the WMO World Weather Information Service (China Meteorological Administration). Some sights, such as Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, close during typhoon or rainstorm warnings, so check official weather warnings before and during your trip.

• January: average high about 20°C, low about 12°C, rainfall about 30 mm
• July: average high about 32°C, low about 26°C, rainfall about 339 mm
• October–March has less rain, about 30-99 mm a month
• April–September is rainy, about 174-368 mm a month
• Dapeng's salt-baked hairy crabs are in season from after the Mid-Autumn Festival until before Spring Festival
• At Chiwan Tianhou Temple, the 2 weeks before Tianhou's birthday (23rd day of the 3rd lunar month) are the busiest and are described as an ideal time to visit
• Check official information on visa and entry rules before you travel

• Full Shenzhen travel guide →
• Hong Kong in 3 days →

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