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Whether sitting on a mountaintop, strolling in a park, or lolling on a beach, there is something for every nature-lover here

WUTONG MOUNTAIN

Luohu District

About 45 minutes by taxi from the Luohu border

It is difficult to believe at first that such a place can exist in Shenzhen, let alone shorter than an hour's drive from the ren shan ren hai (crowds from the mountain to the sea) scene of Luohu. Yet Wutong mountain is well known in Shenzhen as one of its most beautiful hiking spots.

The best time for shutterbugs to visit is at dawn, to catch the first light coming up over the ocean. As the road to the top is closed, this will require a hike of about an hour. But it's well worth the effort. Despite its popularity, there's refreshingly little in the way of tourist services here: no merchants selling bottled water or snacks, no kids astride motorbikes offering to take you to the top for a few kuai (though if you want this, you can arrange it at one of the candy stores at the base of the hill), and no entry ticket to buy. In short, all that's on offer is beautiful scenery, fresh air, panoramic views, and a chance to get away from noise.

DAMEISHA AND XIAOMEISHA BEACHES

Yantian District

About an hour by taxi from Luohu

The two beaches are located just a few kilometers apart along the east coast of the Yantian district, far enough to be removed from the city's hustle and bustle yet close enough to be convenient for day-trippers. Both have the standard waves, clear blue water and yellow sand you would expect of decent beaches anywhere in Asia.

Dameisha is open to the public, while Xiaomeisha requires a 20 yuan entry fee. Strangely enough, on the beautiful and sunny afternoon that we visited, the public beach was nearly empty while the private beach had a healthy crowd. Dameisha's Gulliver-sized pastel statues of tall, muscular men with white feathered wings instead of arms gave it the edge in looks, though it's likely to be the more crowded on weekends. The area around Xiaomeisha, however, is more fun to explore. There are a number of seafood restaurants and stores selling seaside knickknacks on the strip between the beach and Sea World Aquarium and Park (see page 9 for more details on the shows, including a high-diving act from the Ukraine).

Both beaches offer stands selling and renting various floatation devices and water toys in case you forget to bring your own, and they are reputed to have decent surf in season.

THE FAIRY LAKE BOTANICAL GARDENS

Luohu District

About 30 minutes from the Luohu border

Nature lovers will surely want to spend at least half a day exploring the Fairy Lake Botanical Gardens. Unless you have your own car, you'll have to. Taxis aren't allowed past the front gate, leaving visitors to rely on shuttle buses or their own two feet to get around. There's quite a lot to see in this sprawling park between Wutong mountain to the east and the Shenzhen reservoir to the west, so wear comfortable shoes.

The majestic Hong Fa Buddhist temple, the largest in Shenzhen, is built into the side of a mountain and looks over much of the park. There are a number of specific botanical areas to see, including an enclosed cacti and succulents greenhouse, a bonsai garden, an aquatic garden built right on Fairy Lake, a Magnolia garden, a bamboo forest, and perhaps the area's second-most popular attraction, the petrified forest, composed of fossilized trees from Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang. The park's most popular attraction is supposedly a humble fig tree planted by Deng Xiaoping in 1992; the late former paramount leader is held in high esteem in Shenzhen, making the tree quite beloved in the eyes of many.

DONGHU PARK

Aiguo Dong Road Donghu Yijie 11, Luohu District (11)

In the eastern part of Shenzhen lies the home of Shi Gengshan Hill. This park was renovated in 2002 and now boasts vastly improved views and facilities. Inside, visitors can enjoy scenery and serenity on the shores of the Shenzhen reservoir. The park also contains a lovely gate that contains the inscription 'Mountain Doors', and the beautiful Huating pavilion. On the west side lies the Donghu hotel, which promises a relaxing afternoon sipping tea around the city's main reservoir.

SHENZHEN INTERNATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDEN

Futian District

About 20 minutes from Luohu or 10 minutes from Huanggang

A week ago, China's pre-eminent botanical expo site opened in Shenzhen. Over the next six months, the International Botanical Garden will play host to tourists and horticulturists from around the world. Once the expo is over, curators hope that most of the exhibits will be retained to form the nexus of the Botanical Garden's exhibits.

LICHEE PARK

Honglingzhong Road 1001 Futian District (1001)

In the southern part of the city, just off Hongling Road, is a beautiful park named for its 600-plus Lichee trees. This is a favourite hangout for poets, calligraphers and other painters living in Shenzhen, and on any given afternoon you might see a group of artists assembled to discuss, study, or philosophize.  Every spring, Lichee Park holds a flower exhibition, which is popular among Shenzhen's more botanically minded citizens.

HONGHU PARK

Next to Donghu Park ()

This much bigger park's famous water lilies draw thousands of visitors from China and abroad each June, when their fragrance fills the air. Another horticultural event held here is the Lotus Festival.  Honghu Park was the setting for Shenzhen's first-ever lotus festival in August 1988, and since then this has become an annual tradition on August 6.

LIANHUA

MOUNTAIN PARK

Hongli Road, Futian District

Located just behind the new Civic Centre in central Shenzhen is an oasis of green, with rolling lawns, shady trees, and a beautiful lake for fishing and boating.  The southern part of the park is filled with various species of palm trees, allowing visitors to relax amid some splendid subtropical scenery, while east of this is the well-known (to children and kite enthusiasts) Kite Square, where on any given weekend you're likely to see hundreds of kites filling up the sky. And in the park's centre, on top the mountain from which the park gets its name, is the 106-metre high Peak Square. Standing at the centre of this square, eternally surveying the city he helped create, is a bronze statue of the late former leader, Deng Xiaoping.



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