Top sight
Top sight
City guide · Updated June 2026
AsiaChina23.4° · 116.7°
Shantou,China.
A historic coastal city blending Hakka culture with modern development and seafood heritage.
Shantou · CN
ShantouChina
★
Shantou International Airport (SWA)NEAREST AIRPORT
Population
1,308,215.4
Total residents
Global rank
#717
Wanderlust index
Best time
October to November and March to…
Peak window
Time zone
Asia/Shanghai
Local time
Currency
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
Money in use
Language
Mandarin Chinese, Chaoshan dialect
Spoken locally
01 · Overview
About Shantou
A historic coastal city blending Hakka culture with modern development and seafood heritage.
Shantou is a vibrant coastal city in Guangdong Province known for its rich maritime history, Hakka cultural traditions, and thriving seafood markets. As a major port city, it offers authentic Chinese experiences with less tourism than larger metros, making it ideal for cultural exploration and affordable living. The city is rapidly modernizing while maintaining strong local character and traditional craftsmanship.
02 · Wanderlust scorecard
How Shantou scores
Ratings run 0 to 5 unless marked. They come from our AI-assisted research and are refreshed on a rolling basis.
5
/ 5
Cost of living
Affordability, 0–5. Higher means cheaper.
3.2
/ 5
Leisure
Leisure rating, 0–5.
50
Mbps
Connectivity
Median internet speed.
4.6
/ 5
Safety
Safety rating, 0–5. Higher is safer.
3.5
/ 5
Overall livability
Overall rating, 0–5.
3
/ 5
Air quality
Air-quality rating, 0–5. Higher is cleaner.
6.6
index
Index score
Wanderlust ranking, 0–10: overall, safety, internet, cost, leisure and air quality, weighted.
03 · Weather & when to go
Best time to visit Shantou
Current weather and the forecast, and the months our research rates best for a visit.
Month by month
Best months Either side Other months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Sweet spot: October to November and March to April offer pleasant temperatures and lower humidity..
More cities for these months: Where to go in March · Where to go in April · Where to go in October · Where to go in November
04 · Things to do
Things to do in Shantou
Top sights from our AI-assisted research, and other places we have photos of.
Top sight
Top sight
Chaoshan Hakka Old Street
Top sight
Top sight
Longhu Lake Park
Top sight
Top sight
Nanxi Lake
Top sight
Top sight
Ma Xi Temple
05 · Monthly cost of living
Cost of living in Shantou
Estimated monthly totals in USD from our AI-assisted research, one per profile. Treat them as a starting point for a budget, not a quote.
$1,500
estimated monthly spend · USDProfileExpat
Price references — vs. profile benchmarks
Nomadmonthly spend · USD
$1,200
-20%
Expatmonthly spend · USD
$1,500
baseline
Familymonthly spend · USD
$1,667.1
+11%
Localmonthly spend · USD
$363.2
-76%
Median fiber speeddownload · Mbps
50
Mbps
06 · Neighborhoods
Where to stay in Shantou
Neighborhoods our AI-assisted research lists as popular with visitors.
Longhu District
Jinping District
Xiaolanxi
Chaoshan
07 · Insider tips
Sights and neighbourhoods, with a tip each.
Practical tips on places from this Shantou guide, written with AI. One is free; Pro members see the rest. Double-check details before you go.
Insider tips · Wanderlust Pro
Practical tips on the sights and neighbourhoods in this Shantouguide — when to go, what most visitors miss. Written with AI about the guide's own places; double-check details before you go. Pro members see every tip.
08 · Practical notes
Practical information for Shantou
The essentials from this guide's data, in one place.
01
Getting there
- Nearest airport — Shantou International Airport (SWA)
02
Money
- Currency — Chinese Yuan (CNY)
- Affordability — 5/5 on the Wanderlust index (higher is cheaper)
03
Internet
- Median speed — 50 Mbps
- Internet score — 0/5
04
Safety
- Safety score — 4.6/5 from our AI-assisted research
05
Language
- Primary language — Mandarin Chinese, Chaoshan dialect
06
Timing
- Best window — October to November and March to April offer pleasant temperatures and lower humidity.
- Time zone — Asia/Shanghai
Questions
Frequently asked, plainly answered.
The quick answers travelers want before they commit to flights, neighborhoods, and how long to stay.
Is Shantou safe for travelers?+
Shantou has a safety rating of 4.6 out of 5.
What is the best time to visit Shantou?+
The best time to visit Shantou is October to November and March to April offer pleasant temperatures and lower humidity..
How expensive is Shantou?+
Shantou has an affordability score of 5 out of 5, where 5 is most affordable.
What is the internet speed in Shantou?+
Shantou has an average internet speed of 50 Mbps.
What currency does Shantou use?+
The currency used in Shantou is Chinese Yuan (CNY).
What language is spoken in Shantou?+
The primary language spoken in Shantou is Mandarin Chinese, Chaoshan dialect.
Work-ready layer
Coworking spots and laptop-friendly anchors.
Real coworking spaces, laptop-friendly cafés, and libraries mapped near the center of the city — the closest, best-rated desks first.
Spots surfaced0
Categories—
Mapped0
No coworking-ready spots surfaced for this city yet.
Map pending
No mapped workspace points yet.
Pick a different category or check back once we’ve indexed more desks for this city.
Concierge
Ask the Shantou concierge.
Share your travel style, must-see spots, or work schedule and the concierge will help turn this guide into something personal.
Personal trip brief
Tell it what kind of trip you're trying to have, and it will tighten the plan.
01
Travel style
Ask for cafés, quiet neighborhoods, date-night spots, or a first 48-hour plan.
02
Work constraints
Mention calls, Wi-Fi needs, or how much of the day has to stay laptop-friendly.
03
Real tradeoffs
Get faster answers on where to stay, when to move neighborhoods, and what to skip.
Traveler reviews
Reviews of Shantou
Written by signed-in Wanderlust members. We don't check that a reviewer has visited.
No reviews of Shantou yet.
Plan a trip to Shantou.
Tell the planner your dates, who's coming, your budget and pace, and it drafts a day-by-day itinerary you can edit.
Wanderlust Pro
Insider tips for Shantou, unlimited AI-built itineraries, and travel companions you can invite to plan a trip together. From $5.00/month, billed annually.