Shantou Travel Guide
Location:Shantou, a coastal city and Special Economic Zone in Guangdong Province, is situated in the southeastern corner of East Asia, on the west coast of the Pacific Ocean.
History:
Shantou was a fishing village part of Tuojiang City, Jieyang District during the Song Dynasty. It came to be Xialing during the Yuan Dynasty.
In 1563, Shantou was a part of Chenghai District in Chao Prefecture (Chaozhou). As early as 1574, Shantou had been called Shashan Ping.
In the seventeenth century, a cannon platform called Shashan Toupaotai was made here, and the placename later was shortened to "Shantou".
Shantou became a city in 1919, and was separated from Chenghai in 1921. 1922 saw the devastating Swatow Typhoon, which killed 50,000 out of the 65,000 people then inhabiting the city.
In the 1930s, Shantou Port was a transport hub and merchandise distribution centre for Southeast China; its cargo throughput ranked third in the nation.
Transportation:
The airport which serves Shantou is Shantou Waisha Airport, which has domestic connections with most of the major Chinese cities. It also serves international flights to Hong Kong and Bangkok as well as to Singapore on Jetstar Asia.
Shantou Railway Station is one of the most important transport centers of Guangdong Province. You can get there from many cities, including Guangzhou, Jiujiang, Maoming, Shenzhen, Wuchang and Nanchang.
There are six long distance bus stations, of which the most important is the Shantou Central Long Distance Bus Station。
Shantou Port is the most important one where you can go to Hong Kong, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tianjin, etc.
Hotels:
Shantou has various hotels from luxury ones to budget ones to meet for different visitors. You can choose a proper hotel.
Dining:
Chao cuisine is very popular in Shantou. Many famous snacks are in Shantou, including Steamed Abalone in Condensed Soup, Beef Pellet, Baked Oyster, Stewed Goose, etc.
Nightlife:
When night falls and the lights begin to shine, various parts of Shantou gradually become lively: stroll in small parks and experience the unique charm of traditional culture; enter the Zhujiang Road Food Street to taste the most authentic Chaoshan delicacies; walk by the riverside of Haibin Road, you can glimpse the urban landscape of Inner Bay; join the trunk market and find novel trendy experiences......
Weather:
Shantou has long, hot, stuffy, uncomfortable, humid, and cloudy summers, while winter is cool, windy, and mostly sunny. During the year, the temperature usually varies between 11 ° C and 32 ° C.
The best time to visit Shantou for warm weather activities is from early October to early December.
Attractions:
Nan Ao Island
Nan Ao is situated on the border of Guangdong and Fujiang Provinces, covers a total area of 109 square kilometers, and is a huge eco-tourist zone of thousands different plants and numerous migration birds.
The area is composed of the main island and then another 22 smaller surrounding islands, all covering an area of approximately 130 square kilometers (32,000 acres). Nan Ao Island has much to offer tourists: blue skies, white waves, sandy beaches, beautiful mountain scenery, historic temples and parks rich in wildlife.
The climate is warm in the winter yet cool in the summer in Nan Ao Island.
Queshi Scenic Area
As the first of Shantou's Eight Sights, Queshi Scenery Area is one of the tourist resorts first listed as provincial tourist resorts in Guangdong and first ranked as national AAAA attractions in Chaoshan region.
Queshi Scenery Area is located between the south and north sections of urban Shantou, leaning against the south section and separated from the north section by the sea. There are 43 mountains, big or small, wandering continuously in this area.
Climbing up and standing on the top of the hills, you can have a bird's-eye view of the entire gulf and will be captivated by the picturesque marine beauty.
In Queshi Scenery Area, all the caves, rocks and steps are quiet and peaceful, and in the Rainbow Cave of Mount Tashan and the Pine Valley of Mount Yanfeng, you can best savor the quietness.
The Former Residence of Chen Cihong
Chen Cihong was a wealthy overseas Chinese who once managed rice selling in Hong Kong and Thailand during the 19th century. Chen Cihong Former Residence was first built in 1910.
The residence consists of houses like: Lang Zhong Di, Shou Kang Li, Shan Ju Shi and Sn Lu. It occupies an area of 25,400 m2, within which there are 506 halls and rooms altogether. The most typical house Shan Ju Shi was first built in 1930 and was under construction for 9 years till the time the Japanese captured Shantou. With an area of 6,861m2, the house includes 202 halls and rooms.
The building of Chen Cihong Former Residence is a good combination of Chinese and western element. Your tour to Chen Cihong Former Residence will uncover the mystery of Chaoshan people and their culture.
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