Shantou and Chaoshan: Coastal Guangdong Beyond the Cities

Guangdong's Other Coast

The Chaoshan region, around Shantou and Chaozhou in eastern Guangdong, is culturally distinct from the Pearl River delta: its own language, its own opera, its own tea ritual, and — most famously — its own cuisine, which many Chinese consider the most refined in the country. The coast adds islands, fishing harbours and a slower pace, and the high-speed rail now makes the region an easy addition to a Guangdong trip.

Teochew Food, Properly

Chaoshan cooking is about freshness and restraint: steamed fish, poached seafood, beef hotpot with hand-cut slices, rice rolls, oyster omelette and a whole vocabulary of preserved and fermented flavours. The tea ritual is gongfu brewing with small cups, served in shops and restaurants alike. Plan at least two meals a day around it and eat where the locals queue.

Old Towns and Arcades

Chaozhou's old city keeps its walls, its arcaded streets and its bridges, with workshops making embroidery, woodwork and ceramics; Shantou has the treaty-port architecture of its waterfront and the shophouse streets behind it. Both walk well in a morning, and both are best combined with a harbour or island afternoon.

Coast, Islands and Practical Notes

The coast is the least-visited part: ferries run to several islands with temples, beaches and seafood restaurants, and the fishing towns are working places rather than resorts. Autumn through spring is the comfortable season; summer is hot, humid and typhoon-prone. Shantou has a high-speed rail station with direct links to Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Xiamen.

Frequently Asked Questions