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Voykit pocket guide · China
Shantou
汕头
Spend 2 days: explore the old town, try local street food, and visit Nan'ao Island; add a half‑day to Pagoda Mountain if time permits.
Shantou is a coastal city in Guangdong’s Chaoshan region. It offers a compact historic centre, a lively night‑food street, and easy access to Nan'ao Island and nearby hills. One night is enough for the core sights; a second day lets you add a short nature or island trip.
- Country
- China
- Local name
- 汕头
- Best months
- Oct–Mar (cooler, less rain)
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (hot, heavy rain)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CNY
- Money
- Alipay and WeChat Pay accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards; single payments over ¥200 carry a fee of about 3% on a foreign card (smaller ones are free), and per-payment and yearly caps apply — check the app. Keep a second way to pay.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥250–¥400 excl. bed · Mid ¥400–¥650 excl. bed · High ¥650+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- A roaming eSIM from outside China routes traffic through its home network, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work without a VPN — the simplest setup.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire 119 · Ambulance 120
- Plugs
- Types A, C, I · 220 V · 50 Hz · Many sockets take flat two-pin (A), round two-pin (C) and angled three-pin (I) plugs; UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: No tip; upmarket hotels add 10–15% service.; Taxis and DiDi: No tip.; Tour guides and drivers: Expected on organised tours: about ¥100–200 a day for a guide, ¥50–100 for a driver.; Hotel porters: Not expected; ¥10–20 in luxury hotels.
- Water
- Not for drinking from the tap; bottled water ¥2–5, and kettles and free bottles in hotel rooms. Restaurants serve hot water or tea.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are frequent and free; squat toilets outside hotels and malls. Carry tissues — many have no paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Street‑food snack (e.g., oyster omelette) | ¥15–¥30 |
| Bowl of beef noodle soup | ¥25–¥45 |
| Bottle of local beer | ¥12–¥20 |
| Bus ride | ¥2–¥3 |
| Taxi (first 3 km (1.9 mi))Taxi (first 1.9 mi (3 km)) | ¥10–¥15 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SWA · Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport
- 30 km (19 mi) north; bus to Shantou Railway Station costs ¥20‑25, 45‑60 min19 mi (30 km) north; bus to Shantou Railway Station costs ¥20‑25, 45‑60 min
Typical fares
- Airport bus to Shantou city
- ¥20–¥25, 45‑60 min (check schedule)
- Ride‑hailing short trip
- ≈¥12–¥15, 5‑10 min
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
City buses (¥2‑¥3, cash or QR code), ride‑hailing apps (≈¥10‑¥15 for short trips), and public bike rentals. Buses can be unpunctual; tell the driver when you wish to alight.
See and do
Known for
- Treaty‑port heritage
- Seafood night markets
- Nan'ao Island
- Pagoda Mountain
- Chaoshan cuisine
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Nan'ao Island | Bus 105/161 series to Nan'ao bridge, then local bus or taxi; total travel ≈2 h each way | ≈5 h round‑trip |
| Pagoda Mountain (Tashan Scenic Area) | Bus 101/102/207/209 to Tashan Intersection, then walk | ≈2 h total |
| Queshi Scenic Area | Ferry from People's Square or bus 11/37/49 to Queshi; cable car optional | ≈3 h total |
Sleep
- Jinping District (city centre)
- Close to old town, bus hub and many eateries; good for walking tours.
- Longhu District (coastal)
- Near east‑coast park and ferry to Nan'ao; quieter evenings.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | 对不起duìbuqǐ |
| Thank you | 谢谢xièxiè |
| How much is this? | 这个多少钱？zhè ge duōshǎo qián? |
| Can I pay by card? | 可以刷卡吗？kěyǐ shuākǎ ma? |
| Where is the bathroom? | 洗手间在哪里？xǐshǒujiān zài nǎlǐ? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and a nod; use surnames with a title; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses
- Face: Disagree privately and indirectly; avoid: Correcting or embarrassing someone in front of others
- Gifts: Give with two hands; expect the gift to be refused once or twice and opened later; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, white flowers, sets of four
- Business cards: Present and receive with both hands, read it, keep it on the table; avoid: Writing on it or pocketing it at once
- Queues and crowds: Hold your ground politely in scrums at buses and lifts; avoid: Taking pushing personally
- Temples: Walk clockwise around Tibetan stupas and prayer wheels; remove hats; avoid: Touching statues or photographing where signs forbid
- Politics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Raising Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, 1989 or the party leadership
- Numbers and colour: Red and 8 are lucky; red envelopes carry money gifts; avoid: Writing names in red; the number 4
Scams and watch-outs
- Traffic can be chaotic; motorbikes often run red lights.
- Bus announcements may be drowned out by noise; have change ready for cash fares.
- English signage is limited outside major hotels.
Shantou is generally safe for tourists; petty theft is rare, but traffic is chaotic and motorbikes may run red lights. Keep valuables secure and stay alert on busy streets.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Shantou yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Treaty‑port heritage
- Seafood night markets
- Nan'ao Island
- Pagoda Mountain
- Chaoshan cuisine
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Shantou official website: www.shantou.gov.cn/
- Wikidata – Shantou: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q219021
- Wikivoyage: Shantou, revision 5338773 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5338773
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/shantou). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.