Ping An Finance Center

This 599-meter-tall skyscraper might be a shade shorter than China’s tallest (Shanghai Tower), but for bragging rights, the only metric that matters is the height of its observation deck: a whopping 547.6m — one of the world’s highest. If you’re blessed with crystal clear skies, scurry for the superfast elevators and drink in vistas, from the emerald wilds of Wutong Mountain to shimmering Hong Kong Island.

Wutong Mountain Forest Park

Shenzhen’s scatter of hills on otherwise flat land lends the city a surprising number of natural recreation areas, the biggest and best of which is this 31.8-square-kilometer national park, home to Shenzhen’s tallest mountain. Hiking the stepped paths up to the summit is a serious workout, but with trails all over the area, you can do as little or as much as you like.

Hehu New Residence

This time warp of a stone fortress is proof that Shenzhen has history. A cross between a village and a castle, it’s one of the best preserved fortified Hakka residences in China, where an entire family clan of around 200 people lived and worked from the middle of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It’s home to a museum with recreated homesteads and exhibitions on everything from marriage ceremonies to dragon boat racing.