Nan'ao Island
Lying on the sea where Guangdong and Fujian meet, Nan’ao is made up of 23 islands, large and small, known as “the guardian of Chaoshan and the throat of Fujian and Guangdong”.…
Nan'ao Island, Chaoshan · 燕难飞 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Key facts
- Admission
- Zongbingfu (Garrison Commander’s Office) ¥10; Qing’ao Bay free; Gold and Silver Island ¥5; Song Well ¥5
- Time needed
- 1–2 days
- Getting there
- From Shantou Railway Station, take bus 161A or 161K directly to the visitor centre on Nan’ao Island. From Chenghai District in Shantou, take bus 203K from Chenghai Bus Station directly to the visitor centre on Nan’ao Island.
- Guidebook rating
- 4 / 5
From China Self Guided Travel 2025, page 2386. Open in Google Maps
About Nan'ao Island
Lying on the sea where Guangdong and Fujian meet, Nan’ao is made up of 23 islands, large and small, known as “the guardian of Chaoshan and the throat of Fujian and Guangdong”. Besides historic sites such as Changshanwei Battery, Zongbingfu and Xiongzhen Pass, the island also has Huanghua Mountain National Forest Park and the Qing’ao Bay tourist area.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Nan'ao Island cost?
Admission to Nan'ao Island is Zongbingfu (Garrison Commander’s Office) ¥10; Qing’ao Bay free; Gold and Silver Island ¥5; Song Well ¥5, as listed in the 2025 guidebook. Prices can change; check the official channel before you go.
How do I get to Nan'ao Island?
From Shantou Railway Station, take bus 161A or 161K directly to the visitor centre on Nan’ao Island. From Chenghai District in Shantou, take bus 203K from Chenghai Bus Station directly to the visitor centre on Nan’ao Island.
How long should I spend at Nan'ao Island?
Plan on 1–2 days for Nan'ao Island.
Where is Nan'ao Island?
Nan'ao Island is in Chaoshan, Guangdong Province, in the South China of China.
More places in Chaoshan
Queshi Scenic Area
Foremost of the Eight Scenic Views of Shantou and one of Guangdong’s first provincial-level scenic and historic sites, Queshi lies on the southern side of Shantou Bay. It consists of coastal terraces and 43 peaks, and combines sea, mountains, rocks, caves and human heritage. Uniquely blending grandeur, strangeness, elegance and seclusion, it has long been the first choice for visitors to Shantou, filled with rich subtropical scenery and distinctive Chaoshan charm.
Tashan Scenic Area ¥10; Yanfeng Scenic Area ¥10; combined ticket for both areas ¥15; Longquan Cave ¥6; cable car ¥50 · 1 day
Longhu Ancient Village
The village still preserves hundreds of ancestral halls and mansions from successive dynasties, along with inscriptions, calligraphy and stone tablets left by notable scholars. Its depth of history, scale and distinctive layout are rare in Chaoshan and across eastern Guangdong.
2 hours
Han Wengong Shrine
Han Yu served as prefect of Chaozhou, where he suppressed evil practices, supported farming and sericulture, freed enslaved people and promoted education, making outstanding contributions to the region’s development. To commemorate him, the Han Wengong Shrine was built. The most worthwhile feature of the shrine is its historical stele inscriptions: 40 stone steles from different dynasties are preserved here. The most notable include the Ming-dynasty “Record of the Expanded Han Shrine” and “Merit Not Inferior to Yu”, the Qing-dynasty seal-script carving “Transmitting the Dao and Initiating Literature”, and the re-carved “Stele of the Han Wengong Temple of Changli Count in Chaozhou”. There are also plaques written by many modern celebrities.
Free admission with ID card · 1–2 hours
Gate of Nature
Gate of Nature sits at Qing’ao Bay and is the 11th Tropic of Cancer marker tower built in China to date. When the sun is directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer, the shadow passes through the central tube of the sphere above and falls on the centre of the platform below. It is one of Nan’ao’s newer attractions.
Free · 1–2 hours
Daoyun Tulou
One of the largest Hakka tulou (earthen round houses) discovered in China so far, its defining feature is a layout based on the Bagua (eight trigrams) diagram. Daoyun Tulou is still home to local residents, adding lively local character to the ancient earthen walls. Its unique architecture attracts many ancient-architecture experts and visitors from China and abroad to study and sightsee. It is also a paradise for photography enthusiasts.
1 hour
Paifang Street
Many arcade-style (qilou) buildings line the street, and 22 memorial archways (paifang) stand along it, giving it a lingering sense of antiquity. Beyond the historic sights, the street’s local food is also very tempting.
1–2 hours