China's tech city on the Hong Kong border: the Huaqiangbei electronics market is well known to Mongolian traders. For families, Window of the World, Splendid China and Happy Valley theme park; the 116th-floor observation deck of the Ping An tower, Shenzhen Bay Park, Dameisha beach and Wutong Mountain. Since October 2026 Hunnu Air flies direct once a week; otherwise go via Guangzhou (MIAT + high-speed train ~30 min) or Hong Kong (14 days visa-free for Mongolians). No time difference. Mainland China requires a tourist L visa.
🛂 Visa: Visa required · 30 days✈ Flight: 4h · direct☀ Best months: October, November, December
#technology#electronics market#theme parks#family#Hong Kong border#city
A garden park with miniature replicas of about 130 world landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, the pyramids and the Taj Mahal. Evening lights, shows and fireworks. Half a day for families. Metro lines 1 and 2 to Window of the World station.
Culture¥220 (half price ¥110), combo with Window of the World ¥32010:00–22:00 (evening tickets from 17:30)
Travel guide
Like a well-travelled friend for a first-timer: before you go, landing, SIM, transport, money, food, safety, manners, apps, leaving — step by step.
🧳Before you goChinese visa, payment apps and internet — sort all three at home. Entering via Hong Kong needs no Hong Kong visa, but the mainland still needs a Chinese visa.+
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Visa: tourist L or business M visa
Mongolian citizens with an ordinary passport need a Chinese visa. Fill in the form on cova.cs.mfa.gov.cn, book an appointment and apply in person at the consular section of the Chinese embassy in UB. Fees: single entry $53, double $79, standard processing 4 working days. For buying trips to Huaqiangbei an M visa with an invitation fits best.
Tip: If you will cross between Hong Kong and Shenzhen several times, get a double or multiple-entry visa.
Mongolians are visa-free in Hong Kong for 14 days. Travelling in a group of at least 2 organised by a travel agency registered in Hong Kong or Macao, you may stay 144 hours visa-free in 10 Guangdong cities including Shenzhen — the group must enter and exit together, so it does not cover independent travel.
Shenzhen is almost cashless — markets, shops and taxis take QR payments. Download Alipay and WeChat, verify them with your passport and link a Visa or Mastercard.
🛬Landing and getting to the cityHunnu Air's direct flight lands in the middle of the night; via Guangzhou or Hong Kong you come in by train.+
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From Bao'an airport to the city
Metro line 11 runs from the airport to Futian in ~35–40 minutes for ¥7 (business car ¥21), ≈6:00–24:00. Landing at night, use the official taxi rank or DiDi: ¥95–120 to Futian. Have your hotel address ready in Chinese.
Fly MIAT to Guangzhou, then take the high-speed train from Guangzhou South to Shenzhen North in ~29–35 minutes, second class ¥47–105. Buy tickets on Trip.com or 12306 with your passport.
The high-speed train from West Kowloon to Futian takes ~15 minutes, ¥68–75; both border checks are inside the station. Or take the MTR East Rail to Lo Wu or Lok Ma Chau, cross the border on foot and change to the Shenzhen metro.
📶Phone and internet+
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Roaming eSIM — Google and WhatsApp work
On Chinese networks Google, Gmail, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp are blocked. Foreign eSIMs such as Airalo or Holafly route data abroad, so these work without a VPN. A plan covering both Hong Kong and China keeps you connected across the border.
China Mobile and China Unicom outlets at the airport and in town sell SIMs with your passport. Cheap if you are staying a long time for buying, but foreign apps won't open.
🚇Getting aroundShenzhen's metro is new, clean and has English signs; the main sights all sit along it.+
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Metro: fares by distance
Fares go by distance and most trips in town are cheap. Use the Alipay or WeChat metro QR code, or tap a foreign Visa/Mastercard card on the gate. Every station has a bag check.
The DiDi app has an English interface: type your destination and call a car. It is the easiest way to eastern spots such as Dameisha, Dapeng Fortress and Wutong Mountain. Street taxis are metered; refuse drivers who offer to go without the meter.
Window of the World, Splendid China and Happy Valley are close together — take metro lines 1 or 2 to Window of the World or OCT station. Buying tickets online in advance shortens the queue.
Shops, eateries and taxis all take QR payments. With a foreign card linked, Alipay and WeChat Pay charge no fee on small amounts and a small percentage on large ones. Big hotels and department stores take Visa/Mastercard directly.
Electronics traders take WeChat Pay, Alipay or cash yuan. For large stock purchases the Alipay limits on a foreign card may not be enough, so sort out cash or a bank transfer in advance. Bank of China and ICBC ATMs dispense yuan.
Tip: Hong Kong dollars are rarely accepted on the mainland — bring yuan separately.
🍜FoodShenzhen is a city of people from all over China — Cantonese, Hakka, Sichuan and Chaoshan food are all here.+
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What to eat
Morning dim sum, Chaoshan beef hotpot, Hakka salt-baked chicken, seafood in Shekou and Nan'ao, and cheung fun rice rolls. Cantonese food has little chilli, so it is easy for children.
Tip: No tipping in restaurants.
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Where to eat
Shekou Sea World and OCT Harbour have international food; mall food floors in Futian and Nanshan are clean and reasonably priced. Choose by ratings on Dianping or Trip.com.
Huaqiangbei, the Lo Wu crossing and stations are crowded — keep your passport and phone in a front pocket. Fake and refurbished electronics are common, so get receipts and warranties; avoid people offering 'cheap goods' elsewhere, unlicensed taxis and unknown cargo agents.
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Hospitals and weather
English-speaking hospitals: Shenzhen New Frontier United Family Hospital and The University of Hong Kong–Shenzhen Hospital. Call your insurer's assistance line first. Summers are hot and humid — drink plenty of water; when a typhoon warning is issued, stay away from beaches and mountains.
Bargaining is normal at Huaqiangbei, but stay polite. Many stalls sell only in bulk and don't allow photos — ask first. Swapping WeChat QR codes starts the relationship.
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Public manners
Eating and drinking are banned on the metro. Be respectful at memorials such as the Deng Xiaoping statue. Tap the table with your fingers to thank someone pouring your tea; never stand chopsticks upright in rice.
📱Useful apps+
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Payments and messaging
Alipay — all payments, the metro QR code, DiDi and ticket mini-programs. WeChat — talking to traders and cargo agents, beach slot bookings. Link both to a foreign card at home.
Google Maps shows wrong positions in China. Amap (Gaode) gives accurate metro, bus and walking routes and has an English interface. Use DiDi for taxis.
Trip.com — hotels, high-speed trains, theme parks and Free Sky tickets. For negotiating, use Apple/Microsoft Translator, or Google Translate with a roaming eSIM; download Chinese for offline use.
Your baggage allowance depends on your ticket — use a separate cargo service for lots of goods. Lithium batteries and power banks go in hand luggage and must carry the 3C mark; large numbers of phones or batteries may be checked under customs rules. Confirm cargo contracts, prices and timing in writing.
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Get to the airport early
Hunnu Air's return flight leaves in the small hours when the metro isn't running — plan a taxi or DiDi in advance. Returning via Hong Kong, allow for border-crossing hours and queues. Claim VAT back on 'Tax Free' goods at the airport.
AI answer: double-check anything beyond our researched facts with an official source.
Miniatures of China's landmarks such as the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, folk houses of 56 ethnic groups, dances and a horse show. See every corner of China in one day; the evening show is a highlight.
KidsHappy Valley adult ¥208, child/60+ ¥130, evening ¥140; OCT Harbour freeHappy Valley 10:00–22:00 (varies by day)
A big theme park with roller coasters, water rides and a zone for small children. Nearby OCT Harbour is a lakeside strolling area with shops, restaurants and an evening water show. Allow a full day.
ShoppingFree (wholesale and retail prices)Street 24 hours; shops ≈10:00–20:00
One of the world's biggest electronics markets: multi-storey malls such as SEG Plaza and Huaqiang Electronics World — phones, accessories, components and drones. Mongolian traders source goods here. Beware of fake or refurbished items and check warranties.
CultureFree (paintings for sale)Village 24 hours; shops ≈10:00–22:00; Dafen Art Museum 9:30–17:30, closed Mondays
A village of thousands of painters' studios: copies of famous paintings and made-to-order portraits. Wander the narrow lanes and watch artists at work. Metro line 3 to Dafen station.
Ping An Finance Centre — Free Sky observation deck
City¥200 (child 1.2–1.5 m ¥100, under 1.2 m free, 60+ ¥120)10:00–20:00 (last entry 19:15)
The observation deck on the 116th floor of Shenzhen's tallest building, 599 m high. On clear days you can see as far as Hong Kong's hills. Go up just before sunset and watch the city light up.
NatureFree24 hours; light show Fri, Sat and holidays ≈19:30, 20:30, 21:30
A 15 km seafront walking and cycling path with Hong Kong across the water. On weekend evenings Talent Park hosts a light show on the skyscrapers (sometimes a drone show). Bikes for hire.
A hill park in the centre: at the top a bronze statue of Deng Xiaoping, who founded the Shenzhen special zone, and a great view over Futian. Below are the Civic Centre and Shenzhen Museum (free, closed Mondays). Open lawns for kite flying.
BeachDameisha free (book a slot online a day ahead)Dameisha 6:30–23:00
Sandy beaches in the east of the city: Dameisha is the big public beach, Xiaomeisha a revamped resort area with an aquarium. Swimming May–October; very crowded at weekends.
Shenzhen's highest peak (944 m). A 3–5 hour hike on steps and forest trails, with views over the city, the sea and Hong Kong from the top. Azaleas bloom in March–April. Bring water and good shoes — hard for small children.
FoodFree≈10:00–22:00; water show ≈19:00–21:30 (none on Mondays)
A leisure area of restaurants, bars and international food around the old French liner 'Minghua' set on land. Evening fountain show. The Design Society museum is nearby.
CultureUsually free (some halls may charge)≈8:00–22:00
A 600-year-old walled town built in 1394 under the Ming to guard against pirates — Shenzhen's nickname 'Pengcheng' comes from it. Old lanes, temples and generals' mansions. Combine with the beaches of the Dapeng peninsula.
