CN · Guangdong · 23.66°N 116.62°E

chaozhou

Teochew roots trip: old town lanes, Guangji Bridge and beef hotpot of your dreams.

Best time
October to December is mild and fairly dry. Summer is hot and humid with the odd typhoon, and Chinese New Year and the early-October Golden Week bring big domestic crowds.
How long
2 days, 1 night
Getting there
Fly from KL to Jieyang Chaoshan Airport (about 4 hours, direct or via another Chinese city), then about 40 minutes by road to Chaozhou. Or fly to Shenzhen or Guangzhou and take the high-speed train to Chaoshan station, about 2–3 hours, then a short taxi ride into the old town.
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CN · Guangdongchaozhou23.66°N 116.62°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Teochew roots trip: old town lanes, Guangji Bridge and beef hotpot of your dreams.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingChaozhouCN, Guangdong
KLchaozhou
≈ 2,789 km from KL, as the crow flies
Paifang Street of Chaozhou

Photo: Sgnpkd · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Chaozhou is the old heart of Teochew culture in eastern Guangdong, and the ancestral hometown of a lot of Malaysian Teochews. The walled old town by the Han River is a compact grid of lanes, temples and memorial arches, and much of the food will taste a lot like home.

Makan

  1. Chaoshan beef hotpotFresh-cut beef dipped for a few seconds in clear broth, with bouncy beef balls on the side.Map ↗
  2. Braised gooseGoose braised in a dark, spiced soy stock, sliced and served with garlic vinegar.Map ↗
  3. Teochew porridgeWatery rice porridge with a spread of salted, braised and pickled side dishes.Map ↗
  4. Gongfu teaTiny cups of strong oolong, often dancong from the Phoenix Mountain nearby, poured all day long.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Guangji BridgeAn ancient bridge across the Han River, with a middle section made of wooden boats linked together.Map ↗
  2. Paifang StreetThe old town's main street, lined with stone memorial arches and snack shops.Map ↗
  3. Kaiyuan TempleA Buddhist temple founded in the Tang dynasty, still busy with worshippers, right in the old town.Map ↗
  4. Han Wengong TempleA hillside temple across the river honouring Han Yu, the Tang scholar-official who was sent to govern Chaozhou.Map ↗
  5. The old city wallWalk the restored wall along the river for views of the bridge, especially when it's lit up at night.Map ↗

Good to know

  • China runs on Alipay and WeChat Pay. Link one to your card before you go.
  • Google, WhatsApp and Instagram are blocked in China. A roaming plan or travel eSIM from home gets around it.
  • Locals speak Teochew as well as Mandarin, so Teochew Malaysians may find they can get by in dialect.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.