Routes / Guangdong / Chaoshan
Chaoshan food route: 3 days in Shantou & Chaozhou
A three-day private route through the two cities that arguably eat better than anywhere else in China. You'll spend most of it at tables: beef hotpot cut to order, oyster omelette fried in front of you, braised goose, rice-porridge suppers at midnight, and tea poured the way it's meant to be. One English-speaking guide throughout, private car, no shopping stops. Suits couples, small groups of friends, and anyone who plans trips around meals.
Why this route exists
Chaoshan cuisine is the parent of most of what the world calls Chinese food — the dim sum, the braises, the obsession with texture. It's also almost invisible in English. The guidebooks give Shantou two paragraphs and send you to a pedestrian street. Meanwhile there are families here who have run the same noodle stall for three generations and will never appear in a listing you can read.
We built this route because our own guides eat like this on their days off, and guests kept asking to come along.
At a glance
| Best for | Food-led travellers, couples, friends travelling together, parents who are past temple-hopping |
| Not for | Anyone who needs a famous monument every afternoon. The scenery here is streets, markets and kitchens. |
| Pace | Relaxed mornings, long lunches, a rest, then eating again after dark. About 2–4 hours of walking a day. |
| Group | Private departure. Small-group dates capped at 8 when scheduled. |
| Price | Quoted per group on your dates, hotels included. We send the number with the itinerary. |
Day by day
Day 1 — Shantou: the old quarter, then beef
Arrive at Chaoshan railway station or Jieyang airport and transfer into Shantou. The afternoon is a slow walk through the old quarter around the small park — arcaded streets built by overseas Chinese in the 1930s, most of them still in daily use rather than restored for visitors.
Dinner is the reason you came: beef hotpot. Cuts arrive separately and go in for seconds, not minutes. Your guide orders, explains what you're eating, and will tell you honestly if you're about to overcook something expensive. Late evening, a bowl of rice porridge with pickles and shellfish, eaten where locals eat it — outdoors, after 11pm.
Day 2 — Chaozhou: tea, bridges and goose
Morning drive to Chaozhou. The old town is walkable and genuinely lived-in: the memorial arch street, the river wall, and the Song-dynasty bridge with its floating section. We go early, before the domestic tour groups arrive around 10am.
Lunch is braised goose — a Chaoshan speciality that rarely leaves the region. Then a proper tea session with a local family or tea house, where someone pours for you and explains why the first infusion is thrown away. This is not a performance with costumes; it's someone's afternoon.
Evening back in the old town for oyster omelette, rice rolls, and whatever the stalls are doing that night. Your guide negotiates, orders, and keeps track of what you liked.
Day 3 — Market morning, then out
Early market walk: wet market, dried seafood stalls, and the breakfast counters that only exist before 9am — noodles in broth, fried dough, soy milk. This is the part guests photograph most and talk about longest.
Then transfer to the station or airport. If your flight is late, we add a stop at a ceramics kiln or the old docks, depending on what you've enjoyed most so far.
What's included
| Included | Not included |
|---|---|
| Private air-conditioned car and driver throughout | International and domestic flights |
| English-speaking guide for all three days | Train tickets into Shantou / out of Chaozhou (we book them for you at cost) |
| Two nights in a boutique hotel in the old quarter | Alcohol beyond what's served with meals |
| All meals listed in the itinerary, including street food | Travel insurance (required) |
| Tea session, market visits, bridge and old-town entries | Personal shopping, tips |
Where you sleep
A small hotel in the old quarter of Shantou, walking distance from the evening food streets, and one night in Chaozhou if you'd rather not drive back late. Rooms are comfortable rather than luxurious — this region's strength is food, not five-star inventory, and we'd rather put the budget into the table.
Getting here
High-speed rail connects Shantou and Chaozhou to Shenzhen (about 2 hours), Guangzhou (about 3), and Xiamen (about 1.5). Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport serves both cities. If you're combining this with Guangzhou or Xiamen, the rail connection is easy and cheap — we'll build it into the itinerary.
FAQ
I don't eat pork or shellfish. Can this still work?
Yes, with notice. Chaoshan cooking leans heavily on both, but the region also does exceptional fish, chicken, vegetables and rice dishes. Tell us at booking and we'll rebuild the meal list rather than just removing courses.
Is the food very spicy?
No. This is not Sichuan or Hunan. Chaoshan food is built on freshness, salt and texture — chilli appears as a dip, never as the point.
Can you run this for a family with children?
Yes. We shorten the walking, add a rest in the middle of the day, and pick stalls with seating. Children usually end up eating more than their parents.
Can this be extended?
Most guests add two days on Nan'ao Island, or continue to Guangzhou for the Cantonese side of the story. Both connect easily by rail.
Ask for the itinerary
Tell us your dates and how many of you there are. You'll get a day-by-day plan and a price within two working days, with no deposit and no obligation.