Hi all,
I saw a report on Civil Spotters some time ago suggesting that a ‘spotters package’ could be had at the Sunway Hotel just East of Shenzhen Airport. I contacted Simon Yang via [email protected] and this was duly sorted direct. So not through ctrip or Agoda.

The rooms were Executive Deluxe Twin Size rooms at CNY 338 (£40) each per night including breakfast. They also offered to collect us from Guangzhou with a limo for 850 CNY (£99) but I declined that instead using the coach option which I’ve already reported to you.

If you need a hotel confirmation for your Chinese Visa application, the Sunway can email you one with all the guest names on, just ask.

The rooms along the top floor that would give great views overlooking both runways were 1012, 1014, 1016, 1018, 1020, 1022, 1024, 1026, 1028, 1030 & 1032. Although the view are great, you can’t see all that biz that is parked on the East side as too many building get in the way. Hotel coordinates are Latitude 22°39’2.73″N and Longitude 113°49’8.75″E.

We enjoyed our day here and left around 3pm using the hotel bus to go over to the airport terminal. I had been told that from there you could see the biz and cargo aircraft parked on the East side. We were told to go to the multi-storey car park nearest the terminal and find our way to the top where there are some high rise buildings and a deserted concourse.

Concourse coordinates are Latitude 22°37’37.29″N and Longitude
113°48’42.74″E. As it was so quiet up there, I didn’t think there would be any problem.

Well we just finished reading off what we could from the East side and then airport security cycled past us. He stopped to look and we took that as our cue to leave. We met back up with Grahame (bag guard) on the ground level and we were just about to set off back to the terminal when we found ourselves surrounded by lots of airport police.

So we were escorted under armed guard to a Police station within the terminal and held for around 30 minutes whilst they discussed what we were doing and what they were going to do about it. They whistled up an airline check-in lady who spoke very good English and she explained what we were doing to them in native.

It seems they were bothered by Ben’s big pole and thought we were taking photographs. Once convinced that we were just looking and not taking photographs, they were fine with it and quickly let us go. So be warned, no taking photographs in that area!

From the terminal there are signs to the nearby Shenzhen Fuyong Ferry Terminal. You take a free coach from the airport to the ferry terminal. Once at the ferry terminal, it’s all fairly obvious as to where to get your ticket and ferry to get on.

We were going on the Shenzhen to Macau route and once underway, I’d never seen so many ships before in my life.

https://www.flickr.com/…/62861611@…/albums/72157678508903945

9H-VJF Bombardier Aerospace Global 6000
9M-AFB ** Airbus A320-214 AirAsia
9M-AJC ** Airbus A320-216 AirAsia
B-1501 ** Boeing 737-84P Hainan Airlines
B-1532 Boeing 737-83Z Donghai Airlines
B-1533 ** Boeing 737-83Z Donghai Airlines
B-1601 Airbus A320-232 Shenzhen Airlines
B-1602 Airbus A320-232 Shenzhen Airlines
B-1616 Airbus A321-231 China Southern Airlines
B-1626 Airbus A321-231 China Southern Airlines
B-1633 ** Airbus A320-216 Chengdu Airlines
B-1683 Airbus A320-214 Shenzhen Airlines
B-1685 Airbus A320-214 Shenzhen Airlines
B-1690 Airbus A320-232 China Southern Airlines
B-1697 Airbus A320-232 China Southern Airlines
B-1705 ** Boeing 737-86J Donghai Airlines
B-1710 Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-1713 ** Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-1739 Boeing 737-9KFER Okay Air
B-1759 ** Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-1771 ** Boeing 737-8Q8 Donghai Airlines
B-1793 Boeing 737-86J Hainan Airlines
B-1829 ** Airbus A320-232 China Southern Airlines
B-1833 Airbus A321-231 Air China
B-1845 Airbus A321-231 China Southern Airlines
B-1846 ** Airbus A321-231 China Southern Airlines
B-1857 Airbus A321-211 Juneyao Airlines
B-1867 Airbus A320-214 Zhejiang Loong Airlines
B-1880 Airbus A321-231 China Southern Airlines
B-1925 Boeing 737-86N China Southern Airlines
B-1928 Boeing 737-84P Hainan Airlines
B-1936 Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-1937 Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-1939 Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-1973 Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-1993 Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-2017 ** Boeing 737-4K5(SF) SF Airlines
B-2047 Boeing 777-39LER Air China
B-2060 Boeing 777-2J6 Air China
B-2063 Boeing 777-2J6 Air China
B-2326 Airbus A300B4-605RF Uni-Top Airlines
B-2351 Airbus A320-232 China Southern Airlines
B-2352 Airbus A320-232 China Southern Airlines
B-2367 ** Airbus A320-232 China Southern Airlines
B-2368 ** Airbus A320-232 China Southern Airlines
B-2369 ** Airbus A320-232 China Southern Airlines
B-2393 ** Airbus A320-232 China Southern Airlines
B-2395 ** Airbus A320-232 China Southern Airlines
B-2396 ** Airbus A320-232 China Southern Airlines
B-2578 ** Boeing 737-33A(SF) Yangtze River Express
B-2598 ** Boeing 737-3J6(SF) SF Airlines
B-2656 ** Boeing 737-3Q8(SF) China Postal Airlines
B-2820 Boeing 757-2Z0(PCF) SF Airlines
B-2835 ** Boeing 757-236(PCF) China Postal Airlines
B-2839 ** Boeing 757-2Z0(PCF) SF Airlines
B-2840 Boeing 757-2Z0(PCF) SF Airlines
B-2883 ** Boeing 737-4K5(SF) SF Airlines
B-2899 ** Boeing 757-21B(PCF) SF Airlines
B-2966 ** Boeing 737-33A(SF) SF Airlines
B-2969 ** Boeing 737-36R(BDSF) SF Airliines
B-3077 Bombardier Challenger 605
B-3909 Hawker Beechcraft 900XP
B-5057 scrape Boeing 737-330QC Yangtze River Express
B-5062 ** Boeing 737-76N Hainan Airlines
B-5103 Boeing 737-97L Shenzhen Airlines
B-5105 Boeing 737-97L Shenzhen Airlines
B-5118 ** Boeing 737-85N Shandong Airlines
B-5145 ** Boeing 737-8Q8 Shanghai Airlines
B-5163 Boeing 737-81B China Southern Airlines
B-5213 Boeing 737-79L Air China
B-5289 Boeing 737-79P Hainan Airlines
B-5303 ** Boeing 737-85C Xiamen Airlines
B-5309 ** Boeing 737-86N Xiamen Airlines
B-5311 ** Boeing 737-8Q8 Donghai Airlines
B-5313 ** Boeing 737-8Q8 Donghai Airlines
B-5317 Boeing 737-86N Shenzhen Airlines
B-5318 Boeing 737-85C Xiamen Airlines
B-5322 Boeing 737-86N Shenzhen Airlines
B-5323 Boeing 737-8Q8 China United Airlines
B-5357 Boeing 737-8AL Shenzhen Airlines
B-5358 ** Boeing 737-84P Hainan Airlines
B-5360 Boeing 737-86J Shenzhen Airlines
B-5365 Boeing 737-86J Shenzhen Airlines
B-5378 Boeing 737-8AL Shenzhen Airlines
B-5379 Boeing 737-8AL Shenzhen Airlines
B-5381 ** Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-5388 ** Boeing 737-86N Xiamen Airlines
B-5400 Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-5410 Boeing 737-8AL Shenzhen Airlines
B-5412 Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-5427 Boeing 737-84P Hainan Airlines
B-5440 Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-5517 ** Boeing 737-89P China Eastern Airlines
B-5580 Boeing 737-84P Hainan Airlines
B-5581 Boeing 737-84P Hainan Airlines
B-5596 Boeing 737-81B China Southern Airlines
B-5606 ** Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-5613 Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-5615 Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-5616 Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-5618 Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-5619 Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-5623 ** Boeing 737-84P Hainan Airlines
B-5636 Boeing 737-84P Hainan Airlines
B-5642 ** Boeing 737-89L Dalian Airlines
B-5661 Boeing 737-84P Hainan Airlines
B-5673 Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-5685 Boeing 737-84P Hainan Airlines
B-5709 Boeing 737-808 Hainan Airlines
B-5711 Boeing 737-84P Yangtze River Express
B-5736 Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-5738 ** Boeing 737-81B China Southern Airlines
B-5771 ** Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-5778 Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-5790 Boeing 737-85C Xiamen Airlines
B-5797 ** Boeing 737-84P Hainan Airlines
B-5859 Boeing 737-87L Shenzhen Airlines
B-5905 Airbus A330-343X Hainan Airlines
B-5972 Airbus A330-343X Hainan Airlines
B-5977 Airbus A330-343X Air China
B-6004 ** Airbus A319-115 Air China
B-6091 Airbus A330-243 Air China
B-6096 Airbus A330-343X Shanghai Airlines
B-6112 Airbus A330-343X China Southern Airlines
B-6153 Airbus A319-115 Shenzhen Airlines
B-6159 ** Airbus A319-112 Shenzhen Airlines
B-6165 Airbus A319-112 Shenzhen Airlines
B-6175 ** Airbus A319-133 Sichuan Airlines
B-6197 Airbus A319-115 Shenzhen Airlines
B-6297 Airbus A320-214 Shenzhen Airlines
B-6322 Airbus A320-232 Sichuan Airlines
B-6343 Airbus A321-231 China Southern Airlines
B-6346 ** Airbus A320-232 China Eastern Airlines
B-6351 Airbus A320-214 Shenzhen Airlines
B-6353 Airbus A321-231 China Southern Airlines
B-6355 Airbus A321-231 China Southern Airlines
B-6356 Airbus A321-231 China Southern Airlines
B-6357 Airbus A320-214 Shenzhen Airlines
B-6358 Airbus A320-214 Shenzhen Airlines
B-6362 Airbus A321-213 Air China
B-6366 ** Airbus A321-211 China Eastern Airlines
B-6379 Airbus A321-231 China Southern Airlines
B-6436 Airbus A319-115 Tibet Airlines
B-6497 Boeing 737-89L Air China
B-6499 Boeing 737-89L Air China
B-6500 Airbus A330-343X China Southern Airlines
B-6501 Airbus A330-343X China Southern Airlines
B-6502 Airbus A330-343X China Southern Airlines
B-6503 Airbus A330-343X Air China
B-6563 ** Airbus A320-214 Shenzhen Airlines
B-6567 Airbus A320-214 Shenzhen Airlines
B-6571 Airbus A320-232 Shenzhen Airlines
B-6630 Airbus A321-231 China Southern Airlines
B-6642 Airbus A321-231 China Eastern Airlines
B-6647 Airbus A320-214 Shenzhen Airlines
B-6649 Airbus A320-214 Shenzhen Airlines
B-6653 Airbus A320-232 China Southern Airlines
B-6657 Airbus A321-231 China Southern Airlines
B-6659 Airbus A321-231 China Southern Airlines
B-6687 Airbus A321-231 China Southern Airlines
B-6708 Airbus A320-214 Spring Airlines
B-6736 ** Airbus A320-214 Juneyao Airlines
B-6739 Airbus A320-214 China Southern Airlines
B-6749 ** Airbus A320-232 Shenzhen Airlines
B-6753 Airbus A321-231 China Eastern Airlines
B-6780 Airbus A320-232 Shenzhen Airlines
B-6813 ** Airbus A320-232 China Southern Airlines
B-6833 Airbus A320-232 Shenzhen Airlines
B-6852 Airbus A320-214 Spring Airlines
B-6855 Airbus A320-214 Shenzhen Airlines
B-6908 Airbus A320-232 China Southern Airlines
B-6910 Airbus A320-232 China Southern Airlines
B-6911 ** Airbus A320-232 China Southern Airlines
B-6913 Airbus A321-231 China Southern Airlines
B-6926 Airbus A321-231 China Eastern Airlines
B-6938 Airbus A320-214 Shenzhen Airlines
B-6942 ** Airbus A321-232 Air China
B-6978 Airbus A321-231 China Southern Airlines
B-6980 Boeing 737-83Z Donghai Airlines
B-6981 ** Boeing 737-83Z Donghai Airlines
B-6982 ** Boeing 737-83Z Donghai Airlines
B-6986 Boeing 737-85N Shandong Airlines
B-6996 ** Boeing 767-338ER(BCF) SF Airlines
B-7086 Boeing 737-85N Shandong Airlines
B-7100 Boeing 737-8Q8 Donghai Airlines
B-7195 Boeing 737-85C Xiamen Airlines
B-7342 Boeing 757-2G5(PCF) SF Airlines
B-7848 Boeing 737-85C Xiamen Airlines
B-7880 Boeing 787-9 Hainan Airlines
B-8077 Airbus A320-214 Shenzhen Airlines
B-8105 ** Bombardier Aerospace Global 6000
B-8110 scrape Airbus A320-214 West Air
B-8116 Bombardier Aerospace Challenger 300
B-8272 ** Gulfstream Aerospace Gulfstream G550
B-8315 Airbus A321-231 Juneyao Airlines
B-8336 ** Airbus A320-214 Zhejiang Loong Airlines
B-8372 ** Airbus A320-214 Sichuan Airlines
B-8409 Airbus A320-232 Shenzhen Airlines
B-8413 ** Airbus A320-232 Shenzhen Airlines
B-8421 ** Airbus A320-214 West Air
B-8435 ** Airbus A320-214 Spring Airlines
B-8557 ** Airbus A320-214 China Eastern Airlines
B-8572 Airbus A321-211 China Eastern Airlines
B-8646 Airbus A320-214 Spring Airlines
B-8675 Airbus A321-211 China Southern Airlines
B-9908 Airbus A320-214 Shenzhen Airlines
B-9913 Airbus A320-232 China Southern Airlines
B-9952 Airbus A320-232 China Southern Airlines
B-9979 ** Airbus A320-214 Shenzhen Airlines
B-18003 ** Boeing 777-309ER China Airlines
B-18353 ** Airbus A330-302 China Airlines
HL8025 Airbus A330-323 Korean Air
HL8259 ** Airbus A330-323X Asiana Airlines
N333GW ** Gulfstream Aerospace Gulfstream G450
N882FD Boeing 777-F28 Federal Express
N888HZ Gulfstream Aerospace Gulfstream G550
P4-VNL Airbus A319-115(CJ)

On airways:
9M-XBC ** Airbus A330-343X AirAsia X
B-1917 Boeing 737-81B China Southern Airlines
B-4061 ** Canadair Regional Jet CRJ-700 Chinese Air Force
B-5166 Boeing 737-81B China Southern Airlines
B-5536 ** Boeing 737-8AL Shandong Airlines
B-5545 Boeing 737-86N Shanghai Airlines
B-5605 ** Boeing 737-86N Xiamen Airlines
B-5650 Boeing 737-85N Shandong Airlines
B-6420 ** Airbus A319-133 West Air
B-6706 Airbus A320-214 Spring Airlines
B-8606 ** Airbus A320-214 Chengdu Airlines
B-9963 ** Airbus A320-214 Tianjin Airlines
JU-1015 Boeing 737-8SH MIAT Mongolian Airlines
VN-A667 Airbus A321-211 VietJetAir

After a delayed departure from Shenzhen and the subsequent ferry crossing, we caught a taxi from the ferry terminal to our airport hotel. The hotel you want here is the Golden Crown China Hotel as it towers over the terminal and aircraft ramp.