Shenzhen Ferris Wheels and High-Altitude Observation Decks 2026: Bay Glory, Ping An Cloud, Diwang (How to Get There from Luohu / Futian / Nanshan)

To see Shenzhen from above, there's actually more than one option: for a Ferris wheel there's the "Bay Glory" at Bao'an's OH Bay, for a skyscraper there's the Cloud Sightseeing Deck at Futian's Ping An Finance Centre, for a budget look at old Shenzhen you can go to the Diwang Mansion in Luohu, and completely free options include the hilltops of Lianhuashan Park and Nanshan Park. This guide is organised by the three checkpoint districts of Luohu, Futian and Nanshan, listing tickets, opening hours and transport.

1. Bay Glory Ferris Wheel (Bao'an · OH Bay)

The "Bay Glory" Ferris wheel was created by the OCT Group in collaboration with the design team behind the London Eye, opening on 18 April 2021. It stands 128 metres tall and has 28 imported cabins, each about 16.8 square metres and holding 25 people. It is China's first fully panoramic rotating imported-cabin Ferris wheel, and one rotation takes about 28 minutes. From the cabins you can look down over Qianhai Bay and the Shenzhen Bay Bridge; sunset and night-time are the most beautiful slots.

• Address: OH Bay Coastal Culture Park, Bao'an District (around Haitian Road and Baoxing Road)
• Transport: Metro Line 5 to Linhai Station Exit B2, about a 10-minute walk; from Luohu Checkpoint take Line 1 to Qianhaiwan Station and change to Line 5; about 23 minutes by taxi from Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint
• Tickets: about ¥150 for adults on weekdays and weekends, about ¥180 on statutory holidays; there are also two-person and family packages; the day's price on the "Shenzhen OH Bay" WeChat official account is authoritative
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday 10:30–22:00, weekends and holidays 10:30–22:30 (ticket sales stop 30 minutes before closing)

2. Ping An Finance Centre Cloud Sightseeing Deck (Futian · CBD)

Shenzhen's tallest building (599 metres in total), with the sightseeing deck on the 116th floor at about 547.6 metres above ground. It is a 360-degree indoor observation deck featuring a glass-bottomed cantilevered viewing platform that has held a Guinness World Record. The sightseeing lift rises at about 10 metres per second, reaching the top in 55 seconds. To the north you look at the Civic Centre and the Longhua hills, to the east at KK100 and Diwang Mansion, and to the south you can see as far as Hong Kong's New Territories.

• Address: 116th Floor, Ping An Finance Centre, 5033 Yitian Road, Futian District
• Transport: Metro Line 1 or Line 3 to Shopping Park Station Exit D, about a 5-minute walk via the COCO Park underground passage; from Futian Checkpoint cross the border and take Line 4 to Convention & Exhibition Center Station and change
• Tickets: ¥200 for adults at the door, about ¥180 if bought online in advance; about ¥150–160 for full-time students; about ¥100 for children 1.2–1.5 metres tall; free under 1.2 metres; half-price or free arrangements for seniors
• Opening hours: about 10:00–20:00, extended to 21:00–22:00 on Fridays and Saturdays (last entry about 45 minutes before closing); the official mini-programme "Ping An Cloud Sightseeing Deck" is authoritative

3. Diwang Mansion "Window of Shenzhen and Hong Kong" (Luohu)

For a budget view of Shenzhen, choose Diwang Mansion (Shun Hing Square): the "Window of Shenzhen and Hong Kong" sightseeing deck on the 69th floor at 384 metres, with tickets at only about ¥80 — less than half the price of Ping An Cloud. This was Shenzhen's tallest building in the 1990s, and you can see Luohu Checkpoint, the Shenzhen River and the Hong Kong New Territories area, plus at night the lights of both cities at once. It's at 5002 Shennan East Road, Luohu District, a few minutes' walk from Metro Line 1 Grand Theatre Station, just a few metro stops after crossing at Luohu Checkpoint.

4. Free hilltops: Lianhuashan Park and Nanshan Park

Lianhuashan Park (Futian, free)

Futian District's most famous urban hill, with a statue of Deng Xiaoping on the summit plaza facing straight down Futian's central axis, so you can capture the Ping An Finance Centre, the Civic Centre and a row of CBD towers all in one shot. You can walk up from Metro Line 3 Children's Palace Station or Line 4 Lianhuabei Station — from Futian Checkpoint take Line 4 directly to Lianhuabei Station. Open all day, free entry, and best at dusk when you reach the top for the sunset.

Nanshan Park (Nanshan, free)

Nanshan Park is a high point in Nanshan District; from the summit you can look down over Shenzhen Bay, Houhai and Qianhai, and on a clear day see Hong Kong across the water. The climb up the stone steps takes about 40 to 60 minutes, free entry. After crossing at Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint, the easiest way is by metro or taxi to the Nanshan Park Station area; afterwards you can carry on to Sea World for a meal.

If you just want to photograph a mall skyline without climbing a hill, you can also head to the Shenzhen Talent Park area in Nanshan District: get off at Houhai Station and walk the waterfront promenade, free, facing the Shenzhen Bay headquarters tower cluster.

5. Which of the three checkpoints to choose?

• Luohu Checkpoint: closest to Diwang Mansion's Window of Shenzhen and Hong Kong (Line 1 Grand Theatre Station), and you can also take Line 1 and change to Line 5 for OH Bay.
• Futian Checkpoint: closest to the Ping An Finance Centre (Line 4, change for Shopping Park Station) and Lianhuashan Park (Line 4 Lianhuabei Station).
• Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint: the closest for a 23-minute taxi to OH Bay, and also the fastest checkpoint for Nanshan Park and Talent Park.

6. Practical tips

• To catch both sunset and night views, go up to the observation deck between 4 and 5 pm to see the daytime view, sunset and night lights all in one go.
• For both Ping An Cloud and OH Bay, it's best to buy tickets online in advance; on-site queues can mean waiting more than 30 minutes.
• Glass is highly reflective, so light-coloured clothing photographs better; the observation decks are air-conditioned indoors, so bring a thin jacket.
• Visibility is poor on smoggy or rainy days, so it's not worth making a special trip up.
• All three attractions require real-name entry, so remember to bring your Mainland Travel Permit; prices and opening hours are subject to the latest official announcements.

FAQ

Which observation deck in Shenzhen is most worth visiting?

For the highest and best views, choose the Cloud Sightseeing Deck on the 116th floor of the Ping An Finance Centre (about ¥180–200); for a budget option choose Diwang Mansion's Window of Shenzhen and Hong Kong (about ¥80); for a Ferris wheel go to Bay Glory at OH Bay (about ¥150).

Are there any free places to see the whole of Shenzhen?

Yes. The hilltops of Futian's Lianhuashan Park and Nanshan Park are both free — the former looks over Futian's central axis, the latter over Shenzhen Bay and Qianhai, with no admission charge.

Which metro station do I get off at for the Bay Glory Ferris Wheel?

Metro Line 5 Linhai Station Exit B2, about a 10-minute walk to OH Bay.

Do the observation decks need booking?

Not necessarily, but buying tickets online in advance is strongly recommended — it saves time and a few dozen yuan, and in peak season the on-site queues are long.

In summary: in Shenzhen, from ¥80 to ¥200 and on to free hilltops, there's a way to see the views for every budget. Tickets and opening hours are adjusted from time to time, so remember to confirm on official channels before setting off.

7. Old-school high-altitude spots and free rooftops: KK100, Talent Park Star Bridge

Besides Bay Glory, Ping An Cloud and Diwang, Luohu and Nanshan have a few more night-view spots with very different prices, so you can pick according to the day's itinerary:

• KK100 St. Regis Hotel 96th floor (5016 Shennan East Road, Luohu District): the building is 441.8 metres tall, and the 96th-floor sky lobby is the highest viewing spot, looking down over Luohu, Futian and the Hong Kong ridgeline; the 95th floor is the Social buffet restaurant and the 96th floor serves afternoon tea. The approach is "first buy an about ¥100 sightseeing ticket on the 1st floor (fully redeemable against spending at the 96th-floor restaurant) then take the high-speed lift up", or simply book dining on the 95th/96th floor (about ¥300–500 per person). Reference buffet time slots on the 95th floor: 07:00–10:30, 12:00–14:30, 18:00–21:30. It sits directly above Metro Line 1/2 Grand Theatre Station, two stops on Line 1 from Luohu Checkpoint.
• Shenzhen Talent Park · Star Bridge (Nanshan Houhai): completely free, the bridge hugs the Houhai coastline and faces Shenzhen Bay One and the Houhai skyline — the most convenient free spot for photographing the Shenzhen Bay night view. Metro Line 2/11 Houhai Station or Line 9 Shenzhen Bay Park Station, a 10–15 minute walk; from Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint take Line 13 to Houhai Station for the smoothest route.
• Lianhuashan Park summit plaza (Futian): about 106 metres above sea level, facing the Civic Centre and Ping An Finance Centre — the most classic free spot for the full Futian CBD panorama; enter the park from Metro Line 3/4 Children's Palace Station Exit B and walk up for about 20 minutes.
• Shenzhen Bay Park (Mangrove section) (Nanshan): a free waterfront promenade where the sunset frames the hills of Hong Kong's Lau Fau Shan across the water; Metro Line 9 Shenzhen Bay Park Station Exit D2.

A reminder: KK100 sightseeing tickets, dining prices and opening hours change, so before setting off it's best to call the St. Regis Shenzhen or check official channels to confirm; the light shows around the Civic Centre have been suspended for maintenance from time to time in recent years, so check official announcements beforehand. All three checkpoints have direct metro access to the above spots: Luohu Checkpoint (Line 1), Futian Checkpoint (Line 4/10), Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint (Line 13).