Shantou, known as Swatow in the local dialect is a coastal city and Special Economic Zone in Guangdong Province in China. It is located in the East of the province near the border with Fujian. It has a population of around 5,500,000 as of 2015 and a booming economy. The city came to prominence during the 19th century when it was established as one of the treaty ports for trading with the West. In the 1980s it was designated as one of China's Special Economic Zones with tax breaks and other government measures to encourage development.

Airports in Shantou

1. Shantou Waisha Airport

You will depart from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Malaysia and will land at the Shantou Waisha Airport. The flight takes around 4 hours and 15 minutes. There are few Airlines to choose from. They are Malaysia Airlines (MAS), Shanghai Airlines, China Eastern and Air Asia.

How to Get Cheap Flights in Shantou?

Traveloka is a travel search engine that makes it easy for travellers to find the cheapest flights to Shantou. All you need to do is key in the information in the search box, and the application will recommend the best trip according to your budget. It compares flight prices across some trusted airlines to help you to get the best possible deal. Use Traveloka’s price alert feature to be notified of flights in your desired price range to get the best flight price to Shantou.

When is the Best Time to Fly to Shantou?

Average temperatures in Shantou vary greatly. Considering humidity, temperatures feel nice most of the year. The warmest time of year is generally early August where highs are regularly around 92.3°F (33.5°C) with temperatures rarely dropping below 78.9°F (26.1°C) at night. If dry weather is what you are after, the months with the lowest chance of significant precipitation in Shantou are October, January, and then December. The lowest chance of rain or snow occurs around mid-October. For example, on the week of October 15th, there are no days of precipitation on average. By contrast, it’s most likely to rain or snow in early to mid-June with an average of 4 days of significant precipitation the week of June 11th. The busiest month for tourism in Shantou, China is July, followed by February and March. Prices for hotels and flights will be most expensive during these months, though you can save if you purchase well in advance. Tourists are unlikely to visit Shantou in May. Those willing to visit at these times will likely find it the least expensive month. Spring occurs from March to May and is fairly slow for tourism, which makes it a good time for those looking for deals. Humidity and temperatures combine to make this season feel warm.

What are the Top 3 Things to Do in Shantou?

1. Nan’ao Island - Nan’ao is one of China’s best island destinations, not to mention one of its best-kept secrets. The beaches are of course beautiful, some of the most pristine in Guangdong Province, but Nan’ao offers much more than sand and surf. 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. There are also wide protected areas for scenic hiking and cycling. You can get here by a short ferry ride or by a bus along the recently-constructed bridge from the mainland.

2. Beishanwan - Beishanwan is one of the most popular beaches in Shantou and is frequently packed with cheerful crowds picnicking on the sand. Unfortunately, many of those picnickers leave behind their wrappers and leftovers, leading to some unsightly piles of trash. Nevertheless, the beach offers lovely views of the blue South China Sea, especially at purple-tinged sunrise. The area is especially popular for watersports such as parasailing, jet skiing, or puttering about in single-person sailboats. You can hire someone to shuttle you around or try your hand at sailing yourself by renting equipment from one of the nearby shops on the shore.

3. Shantou Museum - Though the architectural style of this provincial museum is vaguely Art Deco, it opened in the 21st century making it one of the newest and freshest-looking buildings in the historic but often decrepit Old Town district. The interior of the building is equally clean and modern, with over ten thousand pieces of artwork displayed in a state-of-the-art, climate-controlled environment. Some of the pieces on display could fairly be considered national treasures, including the scroll painting “Wild Geese and Magpies Flying in Reeds” by the famous Cantonese artist Lin Liang. There are even some far older pieces dating to the Stone Ages.