Here are five sites and experiences worthy of your time.

1. Splendid China

Splendid China is a special tourist region within Shenzhen Special Economic Zone beside Shenzhen Bay. It is the world's largest and most complete theme park of replicas of the natural, historical and cultural places of interest in China.

The area features more than 80 tourist hotspots, which are built in the proportion of 1 to 15 and are generally placed according to their relative locations on the map.

Sights include the Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors, the Forbidden City, Leshan's Giant Buddha, just to name a few. There are also famous temples, bridges, gardens, pagodas and fine examples of traditional architecture.

The park also shows off the vibrancy of Chinese culture. Costumed actors recreate various traditional scenes including an imperial marriage ceremony in the Forbidden City, a religious ceremony in a Confucius Temple, a Chinese kungfu performance, folk singing, dancing and other distinctive activities.

The Eiffel Tower is a standout at the Window of the World theme park. Provided to China Daily

2. China Folk Culture Village

China Folk Culture Village is a delightful scenic spot, which brings together folk art, customs and architecture.

It displays the most interesting aspects of Chinese ethnic groups, and is a good place to discover the diversity and contributions of these unique cultures.

Visitors can watch dancing and singing performances and folk custom exhibitions revealing colorful decorations, weavings, costumes and textiles. It is a good idea to buy one-of-kind souvenirs for your family and your friends.

As well as the sights and sounds there is also local food on offer that provides a taste of something new.

A day at this theme park will help any newcomer gain a deeper understanding of Chinese folk culture.

3. Window of the World

Window of the World, which lies next to Splendid China and China Folk Culture Village, is a large-scale theme park that condenses the most famous natural sceneries, historical and cultural sights, and folk cultures in the world.

A day at this Shenzhen park is a day touring the globe.

It includes 118 miniature scenic spots of the world wonders and consists of scenic areas from Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas and Oceania. It also includes a modern high-tech recreational zone, a world sculpture zone and International Street.

Here one can appreciate the spectacular sights of the world's greatest feats of architecture. It is especially busy at night when the cross-cultural folk performances are presented.

4. Xiaomeisha Tourist Resort

Known locally as the "Hawaii of the East", Xiaomeisha tourist area is the largest seaside resort in the city. The resort lies to the east of Dapeng Bay, about 30 km from downtown Shenzhen.

It is a pleasant location consisting of a vast white beach, Sea World, water sports facilities, accommodation, catering and shopping centers. The beach sits at the base of a hill and is surrounded by lush tropical forest. A day spent here can be an enjoyable and refreshing break from the city's noisy construction zones.

5. The Botanical Gardens

The Botanical Gardens are one of Shenzhen's more pleasant areas and although they are not as spectacular as other famous Chinese gardens, such as the gardens of Suzhou, this large, green open space offers an oasis for a weary traveler.

The gardens are located in the northeast of the city on Xianhu Road with the majestic Wutong Mountain towering behind.

The gardens are designed according to traditional principles of Chinese garden planning and there are more than 3,000 different types of plants.