Shantou welcomes you. Here I am, Guangdong Shantou

Title: "Spend 4000 RMB to Explore Shantou! I Became a ‘Food God’ in Chaoshan’s Vibrant Streets for Four Days, Eating Beef Hotpot Until Midnight, Strolling the Qilou and Shooting Hong Kong-Style Photos, Netizens Say: This Is the Real Hidden Gem City!"---
If you ask me, which city in China is the most underrated for food and culture? I would say: Guangdong·Shantou! It’s not a first-tier city, yet it hides China’s most elusive yet stunning culinary culture; it doesn’t have the sea of Sanya, but it boasts century-old Qilou, the blue sea of Nan’ao Island, and the lively Mazu Temple; it doesn’t rely on influencer marketing, but with a bowl of satay noodles, a plate of raw marinated seafood, and a pot of beef meatballs, it makes countless foodies willing to "fly across half of China just for a bite." As a travel blogger who just returned from Shantou, I tell you: four days and three nights, 4000 RMB per person, all-inclusive for food, accommodation, and transportation, you can not only achieve a "culinary god-level experience" but also shoot "Hong Kong-style cinematic photos"!---
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️ Itinerary Overview: Shantou 4 Days 3 Nights · Food Feast + Qilou Arts + Island Slow Life | Day | Theme | Highlights ||------|------|------|| Day 1 | First Encounter with Shantou: Starting with Beef Hotpot | Xiaogongyuan Qilou + Time-honored Hotpot + Neon Night Shots || Day 2 | Nan’ao Island Coastal Self-Drive | Qing’ao Bay + Tropic of Cancer + Song Well + Lighthouse Sunset || Day 3 | Raw Marinated Freedom + Chaoshan Culture | Laomagong Rice Dumplings + Opening Port Museum + Overseas Chinese Letter Museum || Day 4 | Chaoshan Flavor Finale + Full Load Home | Vegetable Market Shopping + Packing Beef Meatballs + Return |---
Total Budget: 3980 RMB (per person) | Item | Cost ||------|------|| Round-trip High-speed Train (from Guangzhou/Shenzhen) | 300 RMB × 2 = 600 RMB || Accommodation (3 nights, including 1 night Nan’ao Sea View Room) | 400 RMB/night × 3 = 1200 RMB || Food (300 RMB/day, including 5 big meals) | 1200 RMB || Attractions + Transport + Experiences | 980 RMB |---
Day 1: The First Beef Hotpot, Soul Restored - Afternoon arrival at [Shantou Station], taxi to [Xiaogongyuan Historical and Cultural District] (about 30 minutes) - Check in at [Old Town Boutique Homestay or Jinhaiwan Hotel] (next to vintage Qilou, great for photos) - Evening stroll at [Xiaogongyuan Qilou Cluster]: Nanyang-style architecture, vintage signs, neon lights, shoot "Hong Kong-style film vibe" photos, Vlog opening can use "Tian Mi Mi" as BGM - Dinner straight to [Xinghua Wuji Beef Hotpot] (or local favorite [Changping Feijie]) - Tripe, spoon handle, pork belly, brisket rotate on the table - Beef sliced fresh, cooked in 8 seconds, dipped in satay sauce, so fresh it’s soul-stirring! - About 120 RMB per person, open until late night ---
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Day 2: Nan’ao Island Coastal Self-Drive, Blue Sea and Sky - Morning: Rent a car and drive to [Nan’ao Island] (about 1 hour, bridge toll 96 RMB/car) - Climb [Nan’ao Bridge]: China’s first cross-sea bridge, aerial shot of the "dragon lying on waves" - Island tour check-ins: - [Qing’ao Bay]: The only natural swimming beach in eastern Guangdong, walk on sand and splash waves - [Tropic of Cancer Square]: "Gate of Nature" landmark, shoot light and shadow wonders - [Song Well]: Thousand-year-old well, appears at low tide, full of history - [Sanchongya Lighthouse]: At sunset, blue and white lighthouse + golden sea, cinematic overload - Stay at [Qing’ao Bay Sea View Homestay]: Open window to the sea, fall asleep to the sound of waves - Dinner: seaside food stall with [Crab Roe Fried Rice + Cuttlefish Ball Soup + Sea Urchin Scrambled Eggs] ---
Day 3: Raw Marinated Freedom + Deep Dive into Chaoshan Culture - Morning: Return to Shantou city, visit [Zhujiang Road Food Street] or [Jinxin Road Market] - Experience "Chaoshan raw marinated": shrimp, crab, blood clams, thin shells, with garlic vinegar sauce, fresh to the max! - Recommended [Fuyuan Restaurant] or [Lao Ziniang Whole Beef Feast] (about 150 RMB per person) - Afternoon: Cultural triple hit: - [Shantou Opening Port Cultural Exhibition Hall] (free): See the bustling trading port a century ago - [Overseas Chinese Letter Museum] (free): One family letter, half of overseas Chinese history - [Laomagong Rice Dumpling Shop]: Eat salty and sweet mixed dumplings, 6 RMB each, authentic old taste - Evening: Shoot "Qilou silhouette + sunset" B-roll, with caption: "Shantou is a city full of stories." ---
Day 4: Take Away the Taste of a City - Morning: Visit [Zhongshan Road Dry Goods Market] to buy souvenirs: - [Vacuum-packed Beef Meatballs/Beef Tendon Balls] (50 RMB/jin, can be shipped) - [Dahao Fish Balls] (so bouncy you can play ping pong with them) - [Chaoshan Old Medicinal Tangerine/Old Fragrant Yellow] (aids digestion, great gift for elders) - [Satay Sauce/Nanjing Ginger Sauce] (recreates hotpot soul) - Last meal: Eat [A Qun Rice Rolls] + [Black Sugar Oyster Omelette] (crispy outside, tender inside, 20 RMB) - Before leaving, post on social media: "In Shantou, I spent four days truly understanding what ‘Eating in Chaoshan’ means." ---
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Blogger’s Viral Content Suggestions - Titles: "In Shantou, I ate four beef hotpots in a row, the doctor says I’ve been ‘beef-ified’!" "Others go to Xiamen to see Gulangyu, I go to Shantou to see Qilou—more vintage, more lively!" - Tags: `Shantou is unpretentious but deeply affectionate. It tells the rise and fall and perseverance of a century-old trading port with the rich aroma of satay, the salty sea breeze, and the weathered Qilou. 4000 RMB for a "taste explosion + visual feast"—this is not just a trip, but a pilgrimage to China’s most hardcore food culture. Come to Shantou, let your stomach arrive first, and your heart follow.🍜🌊🏙️

Post by Tranquility_789_Bell | Aug 27, 2025