Lotus Mountain is one of the best spots near Shantou to get some fresh air. Haimen Lotus Mountain Source: en. Haimen Lotus Mountain It’s a nice, relatively peaceful place to stop while you’re exploring the surrounding attractions in Shantou’s Old Town. Locals also stop by this temple to pray before they have to take any journey, by boat or otherwise. Like Mary, Mazhou is often referred to as the “Star of the Sea” and is said to watch over fishermen – an especially important role in this coastal city. This little temple is dedicated to Mazhou, the local iteration of the protective mother goddess that can be seen in almost every religion in the world, from the bodhisattva Guanyin to the Catholic Virgin Mary. The rooms are outfitted with authentic period furniture and informational placards about Chen Cihong’s life. The biggest of these mansions, his own home base, is looking a little worse for wear, but it still offers an interesting peek into an older way of life. He amassed his fortune in the busier towns of Hong Kong and Bangkok, but came back to Shantou to build mansions for all of his family and to inject some much-needed stimulus into the local economy. This opulent complex once belonged to the Shantou-born, 19th-century business magnate Chen Cihong, who is something of a local legend in his home city. Chen Cihong Mansion Source: Chen Cihong Mansion There is a pond with an attached drinking tap that supposedly cures all manner of ills, but we wouldn’t suggest taking the risk. Most visitors to the temple come here to pray, but the paths and trails around the temple also attract many people looking for a scenic hike. The temple features an appropriately fearsome plaster replica of the legendary dragon, poised as though ready to breathe fire right on his guests. The hills themselves are so foreboding-looking that it’s no wonder local legend says that dragons live within their caves. Longquan Temple is set against the smooth, gray rock hills that dominate the backdrop of Shantou. Longquan (Dragon Rock) Temple Source: Longquan Temple You can get here by a short ferry ride or by a bus along the recently-constructed bridge from the mainland.ĥ. There are also wide protected areas for scenic hiking and cycling. It’s home to an active fishing community and an oyster farm, so you can guarantee that everything the seafood restaurants serve is fresh and delicious. The beaches are of course beautiful, some of the most pristine in Guangdong Province, but Nan’ao offers much more than sand and surf. Nan’ao is one of China’s best island destinations – not to mention one of its best-kept secrets. Nan’ao Island Source: Li Chang CQ / Flickr Nan’ao Island Let’s explore the best things to do in Shantou: 1. The city can yield great rewards – beautiful island beaches, unique food and theater – to those willing to peel away that tough outer layer. Over the course of the following turbulent centuries, Shantou fell behind other ports such as its nearby neighbor Shenzhen, but it retains some of the style of that 19th-century city – if hidden behind a layer of grit. In the 19th century, Shantou was a bustling, cosmopolitan port town with a large foreign community. Thanks to its wide, accessible port, Shantou was once one of most economically important cities in China, doing brisk business with traders from across the world.
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