Chaozhou-Shantou Three-Day Foodie Tour Guide

Drink Kung Fu tea and slurp beef meatballs in the "Linghai Famous City," and travel back in time through the thousand-year-old arcade buildings.

You think Guangdong is only about Guangzhou and Shenzhen?
Take a trip to Chaozhou-Shantou, and you’ll see this land in a new light—
Here, people spend half an hour brewing a cup of tea,
At 3 a.m., some are still pounding Shishi rice cakes,
A bowl of noodles on the street can keep you coming back for three days without getting tired,
And those old arcades carved with dragons and phoenixes,
Quietly guarding the Han River,
Like a love letter written to the Tang and Song dynasties.

Chaozhou is the "cultural heart,"
Shantou is the "culinary engine,"
In three days and two nights,
We’ll take you sipping Kung Fu tea in one hand and biting into oyster pancakes in the other,
From the morning light of the ancient city to the night lights of Xiaogongyuan,
Soak both your taste buds and soul in this rich "Chao flavor."

🗺️ Itinerary Overview | 3 Days 2 Nights Essential Route

Time Schedule
------ --------
Day 1 Morning Arrive in Chaozhou → Check in at Paifang Street guesthouse → Visit 【Guangji Bridge】+【Xiangzi Bridge】
Day 1 Afternoon Walk along 【Paifang Street】→ Explore 【Jisi Pavilion】+【Kaiyuan Temple】
Day 1 Evening Chaozhou Ancient City Night View + Must-try snacks (Salty Rice Cake, Spring Pancake)
Day 2 Morning Head to Shantou (40-minute drive) → Visit 【Xiaogongyuan Opening Area】
Day 2 Afternoon Walk the old arcade streets → Eat classic beef hotpot
Day 2 Evening Watch sunset at Nanbin Road + Night stroll at MixC Food Street
Day 3 Morning Visit 【Chen Cihong Former Residence】→ Check in at 【Longdu Market】
Day 3 Noon Taste authentic fish rice + Return trip

📌 Best Season: October to April (pleasant climate, no typhoons)
🚗 The two cities are only 40 km apart, convenient for self-driving or taxi

🏯 Top 6 Must-Do Attractions | Missing Them Is Missing Out

1️⃣ 【Guangji Bridge · The World’s Earliest Movable Bridge】→ A century-old floating bridge spanning the Han River
“Eighteen shuttle boats, twenty-four islets,” connected by day, separated by night
Best photo spot: Riverside promenade opposite side, at dusk when lights come on
Kids’ task card: “Count how many stone lions there are?”

💡 Tip: Go before 9 a.m. to avoid tour groups

2️⃣ 【Paifang Street】→ “Living history” linked by 23 Ming and Qing dynasty archways
Each archway tells a story, like “Top Scholar Arch” and “Centenarian Arch”
Listen to the audio guide as you walk to instantly understand Chaozhou’s cultural roots
Must-stop shops:
【Hu Rongquan】: Duck mother dumplings (sweet glutinous rice balls), century-old brand
【Grandma’s Salty Rice Cake】: Served with dried radish, a bite takes you back to childhood

3️⃣ 【Xiaogongyuan Opening Area】→ China’s largest arcade cluster, full of vintage film vibes
Central landmark “Zhongshan Memorial Pavilion” shaped like a Bagua
Recommended activity: Rent a Republic of China era costume for photos (¥50/set including makeup)
Photo spot: Intersection of Anping Road and Shengping Road, stunning light and shadow

📸 Artistic tip: Visit after rain, the bluestone slabs reflect like mirrors, every snap looks like a movie still

4️⃣ 【Shantou Beef Hotpot】→ Freshly sliced native beef, soul cooked in 8 seconds
Recommended restaurants: 【Xinghua Wuji】【Fuheting】
Must order: Hanging tenderloin, spoon handle, pork belly, brisket fat
Secret: Dip in satay sauce + Puning soybean paste, no cilantro!

🥩 Fun fact: A single cow is divided into over a dozen parts; Chaozhou locals even grade the fascia into three levels

5️⃣ 【Chen Cihong Former Residence】→ “Lingnan’s top overseas Chinese mansion,” the Forbidden City of mansions
Four large courtyards, 99 halls, over 500 rooms
Blend of Western and Chinese styles: Roman columns + Chaozhou-style inlaid porcelain + wooden carved screens
Kids’ favorite: Maze-like corridors, a “hide-and-seek paradise”

🎫 Ticket ¥15, worth a slow visit

6️⃣ 【Longdu Market】→ The true “source of Chaozhou-Shantou flavors”
Watch uncles pounding beef meatballs and fish dumplings on site
Try fresh fried shrimp rolls and sticky rice stuffed pig intestines
Buy vacuum-packed specialties to take home: old medicinal tangerines, olive vegetables, dried galangal

⚠️ Recommended to arrive before 8:00 a.m. for the liveliest and freshest experience

🍜 Five Must-Try Street Foods

✅ Chaozhou must-eats:
Salty Rice Cake (rice cake with preserved radish) → Grandma’s stall on Paifang Street
Spring Pancake (crispy pastry wrapped vegetables) → Old Xu’s on West Horse Road
Beef Offal Soup Noodles → New Bridgehead Beef Offal

✅ Shantou must-eats:
Oyster Pancake (fried oyster omelet) → Nameless stall in the old city
Fish Rice (cold seafood rice) → “Shunzhang Fish Rice” on Jin Xin South Road

💡 Foodie rule: Breakfast with noodles, lunch with hotpot, dinner with snacks, never repeat!

🏡 Accommodation Recommendations | Stay Amid Local Life

✅ 【Chaozhou · Paifang Street Boutique Guesthouse】
💬 Renovated old house with white walls and gray tiles, window views of arcades
🎯 Recommended: “Zaiyang Inn” and “Taolu” (¥300–500/night)
🌟 Advantages: Central location, quiet at night, attentive service

✅ 【Shantou · Apartments near Xiaogongyuan】
💬 Walking distance to all old neighborhoods
🎯 Recommended: “Qilou Impression” and “Maritime Silk Road Residence” (¥250–400/night)
🚗 Advantages: Great value, family-friendly

🚫 Special Warnings: Things You Must Not Do!

🚫 Don’t touch ancient carvings randomly! — Delicate wood carvings are fragile and culturally sensitive
🚫 Don’t drink strong Kung Fu tea on an empty stomach! — Locals are used to it, outsiders may feel dizzy or shaky
🚫 Don’t hail taxis randomly at scenic spots! — Use Didi or walk a bit before calling a ride
🚫 Don’t miss the golden time for beef hotpot! — Arrive before 5 p.m. for the freshest meat
🚫 Don’t let kids near water without railings! — Some old bridges have dangerous edges

🌟 Final words for you:

When you sit on a small stool on Paifang Street,
Watching an old man brew tea with thirty years of practiced gestures,
Amid the fragrant steam he says:
“We’re not slow, we just know when to stop.”

In Chaozhou-Shantou,
Time is not for rushing,
It’s for savoring.

Three days is short,
But enough for a restless heart
To learn from Kung Fu tea—
First brew, second brew, third brew, the longer it steeps, the more fragrant it gets.