HUNDREDS of tourist attractions across China are offering Shenzhen residents free admission under an autumn tourism promotion timed around the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting week.

The initiative covers more than 300 scenic areas in 13 cities across Guangdong Province, plus many A-rated attractions outside the province. Standard first-tier admission fees will be waived for Shenzhen residents during the promotional windows.

Promotion schedule

Guangdong Province attractions: Nov. 14–22

Attractions outside Guangdong: Nov. 16–22

Some offers extend beyond these dates; Huaying Mountain in Guang’an, Sichuan, for example, offers free admission through Dec. 31.

Eligibility

Shenzhen residents can gain free entry by presenting the original of a Shenzhen ID card, residence permit, household registration booklet, or social security card. Non-Shenzhen hukou holders must present a residence permit.

Free across Guangdong

All A-rated attractions in seven Guangdong cities — Shaoguan, Heyuan, Meizhou, Shanwei, Zhaoqing, Qingyuan and Yunfu — are waiving standard admission entirely for Shenzhen residents during the promotion. Participating sites range from mountains and historic landmarks to theme parks and wellness retreats.

Mount Danxia (Shaoguan): A UNESCO World Heritage site and the namesake of Danxia landform, famed for its striking red sandstone cliffs and dramatic peaks.

Dinghu Mountain (Zhaoqing): A pristine subtropical forest and China’s first nature reserve, celebrated as a “green pearl on the Tropic of Cancer” for its exceptional biodiversity.

Seven-star Crags (Zhaoqing): A karst landscape of seven limestone peaks rising from a lake, home to over 500 cliff inscriptions dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Guangji Bridge (Chaozhou): An 800-year-old bridge renowned as the world’s earliest open-close bridge, featuring a central section of linked boats that can be separated to let ships pass.

Other recommended spots include the Chimelong Resort Qingyuan, Lianzhou Underground River in Qingyuan, and the Yannanfei tea fields and Hakka World in Meizhou.

Most featured cities are within one to two hours of Shenzhen by high-speed rail.

Major attractions beyond Guangdong

In Sichuan Province, 12 top-rated 5A attractions will waive standard entrance fees for Shenzhen residents from Nov. 16 to 22.

Jiuzhaigou Valley: A UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its more than 100 vividly colored alpine lakes, cascading waterfalls, and forested valleys, famously described as “the king of water scenery” in China.

Huanglong Scenic Area: A UNESCO World Heritage site celebrated for its surreal terraced calcium carbonate pools that cascade down a valley like golden dragon scales, set against snow-capped peaks.

Mount Siguniang: A 6,250-meter peak known as the “Eastern Sacred Mountain,” offering some of China’s most accessible glacier scenery, alpine meadows, and world-class trekking and climbing routes.

Mount Emei: One of China’s four sacred Buddhist mountains, a UNESCO dual heritage site rising 3,099 meters, known for its wild monkeys, ancient temples, and the golden summit where sunrise and “Buddha’s halo” phenomena draw pilgrims and travelers alike.

Leshan Giant Buddha: The world’s largest stone-carved Maitreya Buddha at 71 meters tall, carved into a red sandstone cliff at the confluence of three rivers during the Tang Dynasty.

Other recommended 5A scenic spots in the promotion program in Sichuan include the Qingcheng Mountain and Dujiangyan scenic area, Hailuogou Glacier Forest Park, and Daocheng Yading, a remote high-altitude nature reserve in western Sichuan.

In Anhui Province, Mount Huangshan, the historic villages of Xidi and Hongcun, Huashan Mountain Mysterious Grottos and Taiping Lake are also participating in the free-admission initiative.

What is — and isn’t — covered

The offers cover only the standard first-tier admission to the main scenic areas. Cable cars, sightseeing buses, boats, hot springs and other separately ticketed services inside the parks remain chargeable. Some popular attractions with limited capacity require advance real-name reservations for “zero-yuan tickets” through their official WeChat accounts or miniprograms.(Tang Li)