Shantou Founding Museum

Most of the lovely historic buildings are so dilapidated that it seems like a European city that has been bombed, although the city has invested to keep the ground floor operating. They are slowly being torn down and replaced with ugly modern buildings, so see it while you can! The one section that is marked for preservation is the part that is next to the renovated post office and the Shantou Founding Museum (see below).

Shantou small park is a key historic cultural district in the old urban area, featuring early commercial streets and arcade-style buildings. The district centers on Shengping road and Anping road, forming a fan-shaped layout with many preserved early twentieth-century arcades and commercial structures. It combines traditional Chaoshan commercial culture with modern dining businesses and is a representative area for experiencing the city’s historic streetscape.

This museum has the space for an impressive collection, but not all the exhibit halls are open. There are exhibits on Buddhist figurines and sculptures, paintings and calligraphy, ceramic wares, and relics recovered from a Ming Dynasty commercial vessel that was discovered in 2007 just a little way southeast of Shantou. Past temporary exhibits include photos of Shanghai of a bygone era.

Longyan South Road is an urban street known for its high concentration of food vendors and small restaurants. Most eateries and night-time stalls operate in the evening, forming one of the commonly visited night-dining zones in the district. The street hosts a mix of traditional snacks and more contemporary casual food options, reflecting a diverse local food scene. Hygiene is poor on the street, where litter and vermin as ubiquitous as the food stalls.

A fort by the sea, with replica cannons. You may be able to smell some interesting strains of mold inside, admire the moat and bridges, or go rollerskating in the middle of the fort (with Chinese techno music of course).

A large hilly park on the south bank of the Rong River, just opposite the city centre.