What attracts you to Chaoshan? Fine food, folk culture, or perhaps the distant memories of a homeland your ancestors once spoke of, across the sea? For me, it’s the food and traditional Chaoshan-style houses, and I spent four days in Chaozhou and Shantou in early April 2025.

Typically, Chaoshan area includes three main cities, Chaozhou (Teochew), Shantou (Swatow), and Jieyang, while the visiting mainly focus on Chaozhou and Shantou. If you’re wondering how to plan your visit, I’m here to share some itinerary ideas based on my own experience.

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• How to Get
• Best Time to Visit
• How Many Days
• Itinerary
• Where to Stay
• Travel Cost

How to Get to Chaoshan from Singapore

Singapore to Chaozhou and Shantou

You can take a direct flight to Chaoshan Jieyang International Airport from Singapore. But there is only one flight run by Scoot each day, and it’s not available daily.

• Singapore to Chaoshan: 9:45—13:55
• Chaoshan to Singapore: 14:55—19:10

You can take either a taxi or a bus from the airport, but I’d suggest taking a taxi. It’s more convenient than the bus, no transfers, faster, and not much more expensive.

Chaozhou and Shantou Transportation

I recommend starting your trip in Chaozhou. It has more historical sites and requires more walking to visit. While Shantou is more laid-back, perfect for a food tour and leisurely sightseeing, making it an ideal spot to wind down at the end of your journey.

When is the Best Time to Visit Chaoshan

Chaoshan’s climate is similar to Guangzhou’s. You can visit any time, but October to November is best, as the weather is mild, and there’s less rain, fewer crowds, and lower tour prices.

Best Time to Visit Chaozhou and Shantou

Chaoshan may be less known than Beijing or Shanghai, but it still gets crowded during holidays like the first week of May and October.

The peak periods are during Chinese New Year and the Lantern Festival, when local folk events like Yingge Dance and God-wandering draw big crowds. Accordingly, you’ll see large crowds, long queues, pricey hotels, and heavy traffic.

How Many Days Do I Need to Visit Chaoshan

Typically, it takes 3–5 days to explore Chaozhou and Shantou.

Plan about 1.5 days per city for downtown highlights, with an extra 1–2 days for Nan’ao Island, Jieyang, or other experiences and activities that interest you.

If you have more time, you can also explore nearby cities like Guangzhou, Foshan, Hong Kong, or Xiamen, for around 7-8 days in total.

5-Day Chaozhou and Shantou Essence Tour

Maybe you can take a look at my 5-day itinerary for reference.

I visited during the Qingming Festival, which usually means rainy weather. That’s why the photos can look a bit grey. If possible, I’d suggest avoiding this period (April 4–6) for a smoother visit, as there can also be some traffic jams.

Day 1: Chaozhou Arrival in the Afternoon

After settling into the hotel, you can explore Archway Street and look for dinner there. It’s the liveliest area in Chaozhou Ancient City, full of restaurants and local snacks.

Archway Street

If you still have some time before dinner, taking a 1-hour stroll around can be pleasant to catch the Teochew vibe first.

Two pleasant spots for a walk:

• Riverbank: best for a side view of Guangji Bridge, with kapok trees in bloom in spring.
• Ancient City Wall: Elevated views over parts of the old town, feel like you’re in Xi’an.

The bridge, gate tower, city wall, and Archway Street are all connected. You don’t have to walk a lot or a long distance.

Stroll around Guangji Bridge and the city wall

After the stroll, I had the local specialty, Chaoshan beef hotpot for dinner, at a popular chain called Guantang Brothers. It tasted great, and the flavors were light and super fresh.

However, the service was a bit slow, and I waited for half an hour. If you don’t mind, you can go when there are fewer people.

Day 2: City walk in and around Chaozhou Ancient Town

You’ll explore most of the highlights of Chaozhou on this route. It’s the most convenient and efficient way without detour.

Hanwengong Temple>Guangji Bridge>Archway Street>Kaiyuan Temple>Zaiyang Tea House>Jilue Huang Ancestral Hall>Son-in-Law Xu’s Mansion.

My walking route

No driving is allowed inside the ancient town, but golf carts are available for transfers. It helps reduce your walking.

1. Hanwengong Memorial Temple (1 hour)

You’ll get great distant views over the ancient town and the Han River.

That said, there are a lot of stairs, so it’s not ideal if you have knee issues or limited mobility.

2. Kaiyuan Temple (30 minutes)

The highlight is the colourful Teochew ceramic roof carvings. Still, the red walls with Teochew-style lanterns are also worth a short stop.

3. Archway Street (1.5 hours)

Again for food hunting. But today, you can explore the snacks or Teochew cuisine.

Besides the main street, the side food lanes are also ideal to hunt for snacks, such as scallion-like sugar, fermented tofu chicken wings, almond and sesame tea, braised goose, and more.

4. Zaiyang Teahouse (20-30 minutes)

Daily life in Chaoshan revolves around tea, so sitting down to sip gongfu tea is a great way to experience the local culture.

You can also enjoy Chaozhou opera, vintage songs, and traditional instrumental performances while relaxing.

5. Ji Lue Huang Ancestral Hall (30 minutes)

The space is small, but you’ll notice the wooden carvings under the eaves are full of Chinese mythological stories.

It’s best with a local guide to help you understand what they showcase. Just note that on cloudy days, you may not see the details clearly.

6. Son-in-Law Xu’s Mansion (1 hour)
It’s a well-preserved traditional Teochew residence. You’ll have a glimpse into old Teochew people’s daily life, from the room layout and stone floors to carved wooden beds and lanterns.

But also not wheelchair-friendly. You’ll need to step over fairly high thresholds to enter each room.

Day 3: Chaozhou to Shantou, Transfer by Car

The former residence of Mr. Chen Cihong is located between Chaozhou and Shantou, so it’s ideal to visit along the way.

Compared to ancient Son-in-Law Xu’s Mansion, Chen Cihong’s residence is an overseas Chinese mansion, more like the Nanyang-style houses in the drama Little Nyonya. It’s great for soaking up a retro vibe.

More surprisingly, you may catch a daily Yingge Dance there, though less spectacular than during the festivals.

Queshi Scenic Area and Shantou Small Park area are separated only by an inner bay, so you can visit them together in one afternoon.

Taking a ferry is a good way to transfer between these two spots, but it’s still a 10-15 minute walk from the pier to the entrance. If you don’t want to walk, just take a taxi across the sea bridge and get dropped off right at the scenic area.

Take a ferry to Queshi Scenic Area

Chairlift was available to reach the top of the hill, but it was rainy and misty when I went, so I only stayed for half an hour. If you’re also visiting on a rainy day, skip it. The view was poor, and even though the open-air chairlift had a roof, your clothes might still get wet.

If the weather was good, the 5:30 pm sightseeing ferry was perfect for catching the sunset over the sea. It was newer and more comfortable than the regular one, but also cost-effective.

The Small Park is a must-see in Shantou.

The area is filled with arcaded buildings and Chinese-Western architecture, very different from Chaozhou’s ancient vibe. You’ll also find landmarks like Shantou Hotel and Laoma Palace Opera Stage here.

Zhongshan Pavilion in Shantou Small Park

Nearby, Zhenbang Road Food Street is packed with Teochew heritage snacks, with clear, fixed prices. Just go and look, try the licorice fruit, beef rice noodles, braised dishes, and even marinated raw seafood.

Day 4: Day Trip to Nan’ao Island

Nan’ao Island isn’t very big. Based on my experience, it’s more suitable for a day trip. Since there’s not much nightlife on the island, it’s more convenient to stay in Shantou without changing hotels. I started at 9:30 am and returned to Shantou at 4:30 pm.

Chartering a car was the best way to visit around the island. The driver showed me ten popular spots, staying maybe 10 to 30 minutes at each. It was a cloudy day when I went, so the sea looked greyish-green, and many of the views weren’t as pretty as expected.

Suuny day vs. what I saw on a cloudy day

Among the sights on Nan’ao Island, my favorites were the lighthouse, Qianjiang Bay Beach, and Rainbow Sea. You can snap some really beautiful photos here, especially on sunny days.

In the evening, it’s a great time to explore the local food streets in Shantou.

I went to Longyan South Road, the most popular food street.

full of local snacks. It’s convenient to get to as it’s right in the city center, and there is a local market best for picking up some local specialties.

The most lively time is between 8-10 pm, but remember to keep an eye out for electric scooters zooming around.

I had some crispy taro, wampee juice, congee, and crystal rice cakes (locals called them “guo”, or “kueh”), all tasted nice.

Day 5: Shantou Departure

Take a drive to Chaoshan Jieyang International Airport, and say goodbye to Chaoshan.

Alternatively, continue your trip to explore surrounding cities by 1-2h bullet trains.

For example, Meizhou or Xiamen (Hakka tulou), Guangzhou (modern China vibes and Chimelong Safari Park), Qingyuan (Gulong Gorge), or Hong Kong (Disneyland).

Where to Stay in Chaozhou or Shantou

Chaozhou: Stay near the entrance of the old town

I recommend staying near Archway Street (lively) or Chaozhou West Lake (quiet).

Both are right at the entrances, so cars can drop you off directly, and it’s easy for sightseeing, eating, and strolling.

Don’t recommend the hotels inside the old town. Cars can’t enter, so you’ll need to carry your luggage in, and with the crowds, it can get tiring.

Hotel picks:

• Hanting Courtyard: 4-star, near Archway Street, traditional Teochew-style
• Hansi Xihu Hotel: 4-star boutique hotel near West Lake, modern design
• Crowne Plaza Chaozhou: 5-star, across the river from the old town, nice river views

Shantou: Stay around MIXC, the City Center

MIXC is the most vibrant area of Shantou.

You’ll be close to food streets, and most of the high-end hotels are located here. Good options include Sheraton Shantou Hotel, Regency Hotel Shantou, and Meritus Hotels.

If you’re looking for something more cost-effective, you can stay near Shantou Small Park. It’s packed with food options and within easy reach of major attractions.

How Much Does the Trip Cost

The daily budget would be about 200-300 USD per person, including private transfers, meals, attraction fees, guide, hotels, domestic transfer, etc. But tips are not included.

The budget would vary depending on where, when, how many people, how many days, the hotel class, and other requirements you may have.

Hotel prices during the Chinese New Year in Chaoshan can be ridiculously high (multiplied several times). Unless you’re specifically visiting for traditional festivities like Yingge dance or lion dances, it’s best to avoid this peak period.

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