First Time in Chaoshan: How to Plan Your Trip
Chaozhou, Shantou, Jieyang or Nan'ao Island? How many days do you need? The essentials of planning a Chaoshan trip.
Most people arrive knowing only that Chaoshan is delicious — then get stuck on the itinerary: three cities (Chaozhou, Shantou, Jieyang) plus Nan'ao Island, and no idea how to split the days. This guide lays out the essentials of a first trip in one place.
Know the map first: three cities and a sea
The region centers on Chaozhou, Shantou and Jieyang, plus Guangdong's only island county, Nan'ao. Each city has its own character: Chaozhou is the thousand-year prefecture city, best for sights and sipping; Shantou is the old treaty port with the densest street life and food; Jieyang is the region's gateway, keeping the most everyday Chaoshan.
The good news: all the cities sit within about an hour of each other, so the trip runs as a single line with no backtracking.
How many days: four to five is the standard answer
For a first visit, plan four to five days. Under three means choosing one city over the other; beyond six, you had better really love clan halls and tea.
A classic four-day plan
- Day 1 | Chaozhou: arrive by afternoon, walk Paifang Street and Kaiyuan Temple, watch Guangji Bridge light up at dusk, sleep in the old town.
- Day 2 | Chaozhou to Shantou: the Han Wen Gong shrine or a teapot workshop in the morning, transfer after lunch, beef hotpot and late-night congee.
- Day 3 | Nan'ao Island: a loop day around Qing'ao Bay, the garrison headquarters and the fishing harbor, back to Shantou for the night.
- Day 4 | Shantou old quarters: Small Park and the Qiaopi museum, then a wet-market breakfast before you leave.
If you have five days
The best thing to add is not another sight but slack: an extra night in Chaozhou for a full afternoon of gongfu tea, teapots or embroidery — or half a day in Jieyang for Jinxian Gate and the Yangmei jade market.
How to spend your Shantou day
Shantou radiates from the old quarters — walking plus taxis covers everything:
- Small Park quarter: arcade blocks and old-name shops, best at golden hour.
- Qiaopi museum: the story of emigration and remittance letters, told properly.
- Xidi Park and Binhai Road: where the Han River meets the sea; a breezy dusk walk.
- Late-night food: chilli-cured seafood and kueh around Longyan South Road — Shantou's grand finale.
How to spend your Chaozhou day
The old city is compact — take it in half-day units:
- Paifang Street: 22 stone archways strung along arcade shops; graze as you go.
- Guangji Bridge: one of China's four great ancient bridges, loveliest when lit after dark.
- Kaiyuan Temple and Han Wen Gong Shrine: a Tang-dynasty temple and a shrine to Han Yu — the keys to reading Chaozhou.
- A tea house: give one whole afternoon to gongfu tea; nothing is more 'Chaoshan'.
Should you include Nan'ao Island?
If heritage and food are your main thread, squeeze the island into a one-day loop. If you love the sea, stay a night — Qing'ao Bay at dawn and the fishing harbor at night are things the daytime island cannot give you.
The only way in is the roughly 11-kilometre Nan'ao Bridge; a loop road links Qing'ao Bay, Treasure Island and the old garrison headquarters. Traffic builds up on holidays — arrive before 10 am.
Getting in and where to sleep
Arrive by high-speed rail at Chaoshan Station or fly into Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport — both put you within an hour of Chaozhou and Shantou. Between cities, take a private car or taxi and skip the parking.
The classic stay pattern is two nights in Chaozhou plus one in Shantou: it protects the old town's mornings and keeps Shantou's night. For the trade-offs, see our where-to-stay guide.
About the author
Teochew Travel Editorial Team
A local editorial team in Chaoshan documenting old-town lanes, gongfu tea and the qiaoxiang story.
This guide is published by the Teochew Travel editorial team, covering local travel, culture and roots journeys across the Chaoshan region.
