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Hong Kong's Mai Po Marshes are one of the world's great birdwatching paradises as birds migrating from Siberia rest in the fishponds. The same birds also rest in the mangroves on Shenzhen Bay a scant two miles north of Mai Po. In the late 1990s when the Binhai Freeway was being built, there was public outrage at plans to route the road through the bird habitat of the mangroves, subsequently the road was built 200 m north and China's smallest national park was founded. The bird watching is legendary, but if you are not into birds, the park provides coconut palm shaded walks and views to die for across Shenzhen Bay. The birds are seasonal—outside of winter and early spring you may not see many.
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深圳高尔夫俱乐部
This is one of China's two oldest golf courses. When it was established in 1985 it was way out in the country but now it is surrounded by skyscrapers, providing a pleasant oasis in the heart of Futian. This is where the locals prefer to play.
平安国际金融中心, Píng'ān Guójì Jīnróng Zhōngxīn
At 600 meters, this is the fifth-tallest building in the world, the second-tallest in China, and the tallest all-office building in the world. Visitors can go up to the 541-meter-high observation deck, "Free Sky", on the 116th floor, for 360-degree views of Shenzhen, Hong Kong's New Territories, and the bay. The observation deck has little glass-floor nooks where you can see the city far down beneath your feet. Buy your tickets on the underground level of the building, watch a short presentation of the history of Shenzhen, and then take the incredibly fast (10 m/s) elevator that gets you up to the observation deck in less than a minute. Considering it's the fifth tallest building in the world, the observation deck is surprisingly not crowded, at least on ordinary weekdays.
深圳市工业展览馆
Groups are required to make a booking before visiting. No booking is required for solo visitors.
深圳博物馆; Shēnzhèn Bówùguǎn
In Wing A of the Shenzhen Civic Centre, the City Government's spectacular wing-roofed building. This is a must-see. The ground floor gallery has temporary exhibits from some of the most famous museums of China, which have ranged from jade burial suits to Shang Dynasty bronzes to contemporary Chinese painting. The upper floors have exhibits of the history of Shenzhen: the incredible number of ancient relics unearthed during construction; an exhibit of the Qing and Republican periods in the area, including a recreated street from traditional Shenzhen complete with shops and wax figures; and the founding and development of the SEZ, revealing details of some of the most significant events of recent Chinese history.
深圳图书馆
Shenzhen Library and Concert Hall together make up another of the architectural masterpieces of the city. Architect Arata Isozaki designed the buildings with a back of almost featureless black granite and a front of brilliant folded glass. It is a must see for architecture freaks. The library has four million books.