Shantou travel guide

Shantou, alternately romanized as Swatow and sometimes known as Santow, is a prefecture-level city on the eastern coast of Guangdong, China, with a total population of 5,502,031 as of the 2020 census (5,391,028 in 2010) and an administrative area of 2,248.39 square kilometres (868.11 sq mi).

The city came to prominence during the 19th century when it was established as a treaty port for trading with the West. Foreign trade boomed aftermath, and migrants from Chaozhou and Shantou established their presence overseas. In the 1980s parts of Shantou was designated as one of China's special economic zones with tax breaks and other incentives to encourage foreign investment. The city's economic development lagged behind other special economic zones like Shenzhen, though Shantou has started to brand itself as a tourist attraction recently.

Home Inn business hotels are a good choice for short and long term visitors. Rooms are new and clean and prices are around USD 30 per night. Many hotels will aggressively increase their price during holidays, especially the Golden Weeks, to over ¥4,000 per night.

Getting around

Shantou public buses can be unpunctual, particularly during evening festivals. Recorded announcements are announced in Mandarin and Teochew, but noise may cover announcement. On many services, one needs to notify the bus driver if they would like to alight as the buzzers are inoperable.

Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.