Major parks and greenways in Futian

A combined photo of Meilin Mountain Park, Yinhu Mountain Park, Bijia Hill Park, Shenzhen Central Park and Lianhua Hill Park. Photos from WeChat account “happyfutian” unless otherwise stated

Shenzhen’s downtown parks have become increasingly linked through a series of hiking trails, flyovers and greenways, providing residents with accessible and interconnected natural spaces.

Beginning at Meilin Mountain Park (梅林山公园) and winding through Yinhu Mountain Park (银湖山公园), Bijia Hill Park (笔架山公园), Shenzhen Central Park (深圳中心公园) and Lianhua Hill Park (莲花山公园), participants immersed themselves in the lush landscapes, forests and mountains in this warmly cozy winter.

A map of the five major downtown parks. 

Meilin Mountain Country Park

The Meilin Mountain Country Park is divided into two parts by the Meilin Reservoir and water source protection area, forming two areas to the south and north respectively, with a total area of about 6.9 square kilometers.

The highest peak in the southern part of the park is at an altitude of 362 meters, and the highest peak in the northern part has an altitude of 386 meters. The Meilin Mountain Country Park boasts forest and natural resources. The main hiking trail in the southern part of the park is about 10 km long. The northern part is yet to be constructed.The park abounds with forest resources and is known as the city's important treasury of natural resources.

The Meilin Mountain Country Trail is nearly 8 km long and has two entrances, including the Mei'ao Entrance and Meilin Mountain Back Entrance. It is mainly built in the form of handmade trails, retaining the original wilderness of the mountains. The handmade trail not only reduces the damage to nature, but also provides people who live in the city for a long time opportunities to get close to primitive nature.

Add: No.14, Meiting Road, Futian

Metro: Line 2 to Qiaoxiang Station

The Kunpeng Trail (鲲鹏径) provides a connection between Meilin Mountain Park and Yinhu Mountain Park. The Kunpeng Trail No. 1 Bridge (一号桥) appears as an ordinary flyover from a distance but upon closer inspection, you will discover that it is a nice little natural habitat where native plants grow and animals of the two mountains can safely traverse the bridge alongside humans.

The Kunpeng Trail No. 1 Bridge connecting Meilin Mountain Park and Yinhu Mountain Park.

Yinhu Mountain Park, situated east of Meilin Mountain, boasts multiple trails and a picturesque reservoir, presenting itself as a gem in the city. 

Lianhuashan Park

The Lianhuashan Park, also known as the Lianhua Hill Park, spans 181 hectares and is situated at the northern edge of the city center. The park is known due to its seven hills that embrace each other like a lotus flower in bloom. 

The park was formally opened to the public in June 1997, and has a distinctive geographic setting and a humanistic landscape. The park is an ecological municipal park that serves as a window showcasing Shenzhen's beauty. With an annual attendance of roughly 10 million visitors, it has been dubbed a "National Key Park" and "National Red Tourism Demonstration Base."

The park’s main landscapes include an artificial lake, a kite square, woods, grassy lawns and a teahouse. The main peak of Lianhuashan is above 100 meters and has a 4,000-square-meter plaza containing a bronze statue of late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, which is the best place for tourists to commemorate the great man of the generation and see the city's beautiful scenery as well. The 10-meter-tall statue was the first urban statue of Deng approved by the Central Government.

Add: 6030 Hongli Road, Futian

Metro: Line 2 to Lianhua West Station, Exit A1

Bijia Mountain Park

Located north of downtown Shenzhen, the Bijia Mountain Park covers 146 hectares and has more than 10 small hills. The three main peaks have a shape like a penholder used for traditional Chinese calligraphy. The main peak is about 178 meters high.The park covers an area of 1.49 square kilometers. It was built in 1989 and officially opened to the public in October 1999. In 2008, it was rated as a "five-star" park in Shenzhen.

Green landscapes are important features of the park, which is home to a variety of animals and plants and is a great place for citizens to escape from busy work. Two artificial lakes and a grass course are built in the park, which also has public fishing and barbecue facilities. Alarge number of outdoor events are held in the park on a regular basis.

Add: No. 26 Meigang Road, Futian

Metro: Line 6 to Yinhu Station; Line 7 to Huangmugang Station

Shenzhen Central Park

The Shenzhen Central Park is covered mostly with plant landscapes, utilizing the diversity of natural plant shapes and seasonal changes to create landscapes.

The park offers various exercise equipment, sports facilities (tennis courts, soccer fields, basketball courts), and a cultural plaza for the public. It also features city sculpture landscapes, tropical garden landscapes and other scenery.

Fengyuxuan is a multi-functional service space integrating a book bar, a nature education center and a visitor service center. It is also designed with a city exhibition hall, a public reading hall, a lecture hall, a nature activity room, and a baby care room.

Add: No. 1, Zhenhua West Road, Futian

Metro:

1 About 800 meters west of Huaqiang Road Station, Line 1

2 About 800 metres west of Huaqiang North Station, Line 2 / Line 7

3 Line 3 to Huaxin Station

Xiangmi Park

The Xiangmi Park was previously the Agricultural Science Research Center of the Agricultural Science Group. Futian's Urban Management and Comprehensive Law Enforcement Bureau formally started the project in 2014, and the park opened July 19, 2017. Since then, people from all walks of life have praised the park for its landscape, theme, and function. The park quickly gained popularity by capturing the essence of Shenzhen. 

Dubbed “the most beautiful park in Shenzhen” and “the green lung of the metropolis,” the Xiangmi Park offers a pleasant and soothing vista. In the park, there is a glazed walkway in the air where you can enjoy the view of the whole litchi orchard. The most beautiful marriage registration office is also located inside the park. Standing with your lover among a park full of roses cannot be more romantic.

1 Rose Garden

The rose garden hosts the marriage registration office of the Futian Civil Affairs Bureau and is a must-visit spot.

2 Ecological grass ditch

The park has set up concave grass strips on both sides of the jogging and walking paths in order to undertake the sponge city policy.

Add: 30 Nongyuan Road, Futian  

Metro: Nonglin Station, Exit C, and walk around 650 meters

Futian Coastal Ecological Sports Park

The Futian Coastal Ecological Sports Park is located on the southeast side of the intersection of Baishi and Hongshulin roads, north side of Binhai Boulevard, and on top of the Futian Water Purification Plant of Shenzhen Water Co. 

It has a total area of 76,000 square meters, including 31,200 square meters for sports facilities and 17,900 square meters for green spaces. It also has two standard 11-player football fields, four standard eight-player football fields, and two five-player football fields.

The park is the country's first football-themed sports ecological park built on top of a water purification plant. The concept of "water plant in the house, park on the rooftop" has helped Shenzhen improve the quality and efficiency of its comprehensive reform, helping create the first demonstration area of its kind in the city. A rainbow bridge, known as a music walkway, with LED light-emitting piano keys of sound and light features, is built on the east side of the park.

Add: No.5, Baishi Road, Futian

Metro: Line 1 to Zhuzilin Station, Exit B1 

Litchi Park

Situated in busy downtown Shenzhen, the Litchi Park is known as the "No. 1 park in Shenzhen." Built in 1982, the park got its name from its 500 litchi trees and held a special place in the hearts of Shenzhen's earliest residents.The park covers an area of 300,000 square meters (lake, pond, pool and other waters account for 100,000 square meters).

More than 20 sightseeing attractions and leisure and entertainment places are in the park, including pavilions, terraces, buildings, waterside pavilions, bridges, flower corridors, bamboo paths, dance venues, book bars, amusement facilities and so on. Taking "elegant, peaceful and quiet" as the important guiding ideology, the park reflects a strong Lingnan style with large areas of litchi and other plants.

Add: 1001 Hongling Road Central, Futian

Metro: Line 3 to Hongling Station; Line 1to Grand Theatre Station 

Huanggang Park

Situated in the southern portion of Futianand  bordered by Fuqiang Road to the south and Yitian Road to the west, the Huanggang Park boasts various sports and entertainment facilities to meet the needs of different visitors.

As an urban oasis with lush mountains, woods and a lovely setting, it attracts many tourists. To meet the demands of the general public for leisure, entertainment and activities, the park provides three entrance squares, two parking lots, three public restrooms, nine landscape pavilions, and hiking pathways of more than 1,000 meters. In addition to scenic sites generally found in parks, including a grassland, a corridor and a garden, the park also has tennis courts and a fitness square.

The South Gate Square offers a new public restroom, two rain shelter corridors, and a flower-themed square featuring Ceiba insignis.

The West Gate Square features a fan-shaped pattern and is used for dancing, sports and entertainment.

The East Gate Square is a comprehensive area integrating parking, rain shelter and recreation.

The Center Lawn is a huge area of sparsely forested lawn where the public can wander.

The tree shade path is surrounded by lush trees, and in the summer, visitors may feel cool and comfortable when taking a walk.

On the hiking trail, visitors can exercise, breathe in fresh air and enjoy the gorgeous landscape.

Add: 2088 Fuqiang Road, Futian

Metro: Line 7 to Huanggang Village Station, Exit A

Futian Mangrove Ecological Park

The Futian Mangrove Ecological Park, which integrates science popularization education, coastal culture, natural landscape, leisure and sightseeing, is located at the estuary of the Xinzhou and Shenzhen rivers, and is adjacent to the Futian Mangrove National Nature Reserve to the west.

Birds spotted at Futian Mangrove Ecological Park. Photo by Wang Haolan

About 100,000 migratory birds of 189 species come to the reserve every winter, and more than 20 of the species are rare and protected. There also are 55 species of rare plants. The reserve forms a green corridor through downtown between Binhai Boulevard and Shenzhen Bay. Numerous bird-watchers, strolling couples and people simply enjoying bay breezes are attracted to the reserve every day.

The park covers an area of about 380,000 square meters, consisting of tourist, ecological restoration and ecological control areas. It was officially opened to the public on December 26, 2015. The Natural Power Playground has an area of about 1,100 square meters, and is suitable for babies under 3 years old to receive an early nature education.

Add: Junction of Furong Road and Xinzhou Road, Futian

Metro:

1 Line 3to Yitian Station, Exit D

2 Line 7to Shawei Station, Exit A or B

Shenzhen International Garden and Flower Expo Park

Covering an area of 660,000 square meters in the west part of the Zhuzilin neighborhood in Futian, the Shenzhen International Garden and Flower Expo Park is a municipal park integrating garden and flower expositions, culture and arts, science education and popularization and grid-connected solar power generation.

It opened to the public Sept. 23, 2004 and was rated as a national key park by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on Sept. 12, 2008. On Dec. 8, 2009, the park was honored as a "Science Education Base of Guangdong Province" by the province’s science and technology association.

Historical tales reflected in themed garden sections: The Zhile Garden demonstrates the joy of both fish and people; the Butterfly Garden depicts the love story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai; the Hubei Garden tells the story of the three meetings of Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei in Longzhong, Hubei Province; the Dongpo Garden records the story of Su Dongpo's relegation to Huizhou City; and the Baozhi Garden tells the patriotic story of Huang Feihong.

Local characteristics reflected in themed garden sections: The Shiku New Garden shows the new scenery of Shanghai; the Ink Jiangnan Garden shows the beauty of the West Lake of Hangzhou City; the Ludao Qinyun Garden features the Qindao style of Xiamen City; and the Zhuang Ethnic Village Garden shows the local flavor of the Zhuang people in Nanning City, Guangxi.

Cultural collections reflected in themed garden sections: The Cangtai Garden features a collection of five thousand-year-old hitching posts, reflecting the artistic pursuit of the people in the Guanzhong area of Shanxi Province.

Notably, the garden expo park is also an ecological garden. The park has rich and carefully planned and designed plant landscape resources, featuring about 100 picturesque attractions built on the original mountains that had been severely damaged by mining. The construction of the park has also helped restore the greenness and vitality of the area, giving a new look to the neighborhood while preventing water and soil erosion, and reducing pollution of air, noise, water and solid waste, further optimizing and protecting the ecological environment. The park was included within Shenzhen's basic ecological control plan in 2005, playing an important role in the city's urban ecological construction.

Add: Zhuzilin Fourth Road, Futian

Metro: Line 1 to Qiaocheng East Station, Exit A.

Shenzhen Children's Park

The Shenzhen Children's Park is located west of Nonglin Road, south of Qiaoxiang Road, and east of Guangshen Expressway in Futian. Covering an area of 182,000 square meters, it is a non-profit children's park with contemporary features.

Opened in August 2011, the Shenzhen Children's Park has always been themed as "Children's Green Paradise," aiming to create a joyful place for children that integrates participation, observation, experience, education, knowledge, and fun. After its completion, Shenzhen Children's Park has become the largest non-profit children's themed park in Shenzhen, welcoming an average of 2.2 million visitors to its mechanical amusement facilities annually.

The park offers various facilities catering to different preferences of children to participate and play in, such as "Loulan Ancient City," "Mist Plaza," and "Wind Stage." The green area of the park covers 140,000 square meters, with over 100 species of trees and shrubs planted, most of which have identification signs, allowing children to learn about plants while playing.

The park also provides comprehensive convenience services for visitors, including a visitor service center, restrooms and others. The visitor service center is equipped with facilities such as first aid kits, wheelchairs, strollers, and umbrellas for free, as well as services such as temporary storage, a hot water dispenser, and power bank rentals.

Add: 71 Ronglin Road, Futian

Metro: Line 2 to Qiaoxiang Station, Exit A

Caitian Park

The Caitian Park covers an area of 56,874 square meters, with a total investment of 20.8 million yuan. It was built in 2002 and officially opened to the public in January 2005.

As a modern city park integrating ecology, culture, recreation and leisure, the Caitian Park not only includes tennis courts, children's playgrounds, the Yangguan Square on the hilltop, and other facilities, but is also covered with exquisite and elegant garden landscapes.

Add: No. 18 Caiyun Road, Futian

Metro: Line 4to Lianhua North Station, Exit A1 and A2

Meilin'ao-Changlingpi trail

The Meilin'ao-Changlingpi section of the Special Zone Management Line trail is an ecological pathway from Meilinyicun in Futian District to Changyuan Village in Nanshan District.

The section is about 8.6 kilometers long and is a provincial-model trail featuring cobblestone roads, iron netting and military border facilities. Four recycling stations and new-energy light poles are built along the walkway, promoting ecological living concepts.

Futian River green track

The 6.1-kilometer green track stretches from Beihuan Road near Bijia Mountain to Binhe Road, connecting the major two parks in downtown Shenzhen: Bijia Mountain Park and Lianhua Hill Park. It is an important landscape corridor in downtown Shenzhen and a great choice for cyclists.

Shenzhen Bay green track

The 15-km long trail lasts from Nanhai Hotel in Shekou to Mangrove Natural Reserve. It’s one of the most beautiful trails in Shenzhen, with excellent sea view on the one side and lawns, coconut trees and mangrove trees on the other.

Fulong Urban Greenway

The Fulong Urban Greenway stretches 3.08 kilometers from Xinzou South in the east to the Futian Mangrove Ecological Park in the west, covering an area of 102,700 square meters. It passes through seven communities: Cuiwan, Shawei, Shazui, Jindi, Shangsha, Xiasha, and Jinbi, benefiting more than 250,000 residents along its path.

The greenway was transformed from the sound barrier forest belt along the Guangzhou-Shenzhen Expressway. With a focus on "nature, ecology, and elegance," it features a forest ecological environment. Carefully planned to maintain its original ecology, it includes channels for drainage, the reorganization of plants, scenic spots, and supportive facilities, and was completed in July 2011.

There's no need for long hikes to enjoy nature, the urban greenway is a great place to go. It is vibrant and meticulously designed, with winding paths through the forest, picturesque pavilions and bridges, lush trees, and colorful flowers. It's a harmonious green space for residents to connect with nature, relax, exercise, walk, and enjoy the scenery.

Xiangmi Rose Trail

The Xiangmi Rose Trail starts at the west gate of the Xiangmi Park and ends at the Children's Library in Futian, stretching about 1.5 kilometers. It’s a unique pathway that integrates sightseeing, ecology, culture, and leisure, linking various attractions within the Xiangmi Park, featuring diverse types of flora.

Along the way, visitors can admire the shimmering Huaxiang Lake and the vibrant roses. There are spacious, convenient squares, a marriage registration office symbolizing love and happiness, and the whimsical Futian Children’s Library (Xiangmi Branch), offering residents a serene beauty filled with vitality.

Futian Mangrove Trail

The Futian Mangrove Trail begins at the Guangdong Nailingding Island—Futian National Nature Reserve in the west and extends to the Futian Mangrove Ecological Park in the east, covering about 7.7 kilometers. The pathway serves as a habitat for various biological communities, a place for ecological civilization, and a destination for ecological living.

The Futian Mangrove Ecological Park, as Shenzhen's first national ecological science popularization base, balances ecological conservation and wetland education. Backed by the core area of Futian, it acts as a buffer zone between the city and the nature reserve and serves as a model for mangrove wetland rehabilitation.

(Guangdong Nailingding Island-Futian National Nature Reserve is the only national-level forest and wildlife nature reserve located within an urban area and is the smallest of its kind in the country.)

Lianshan Spring Trail

The Lianshan Spring Trail starts from the second floor corridor of the Shenzhen Book City and ends at the east gate 1 of Lianhuashan Park, spanning approximately 3.6 kilometers. This urban landscape belt combines relaxation, fitness, recreation, and cultural exploration.

The trail connects essential cultural landmarks such as the Lianhuashan Peak Square, Kite Square, the Deng Xiaoping Statue, and the GuanShanyue Art Museum, allowing visitors to appreciate Shenzhen's urban landscape and immerse themselves in its cultural and artistic atmosphere.