Plan at a glance
Location, ticket and opening hours
Haimen Lotus Peak is at the mouth of the Lianjiang River in Haimen Town, Chaoyang District, with the sea on three sides. Enter from the main gate near the Wen Tianxiang statue, or use the rear gate near the beach and car park; adult entry is CNY 20, students and older visitors pay half price, children below 1.2 m and Haimen residents enter free, reservations are normally unnecessary, and reference hours are 08:00–19:00 with last entry at 18:30.
How much time to allow
Allow around 2 hours for the Wen Tianxiang statue, the ancient Lotus Peak, Guanhai Tower and the shore rocks; add the stone inscriptions, ancestral hall, battery, boardwalk and beach for 3–4 hours. This works well as a half-day combining sea-eroded rocks, cliff inscriptions, coastal-defence remains and a meal in Haimen Town.
Ready to book?
Use the standard admission package for the core shuttle route; confirm the visit date and current opening hours before checkout.
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Around 2 hours: shore rocks and sea-view highlights
Enter from the main gate, see the Wen Tianxiang statue, inscriptions at the ancient Lotus Peak and Guanhai Tower, then walk to the shore-rock area before leaving. The route includes slopes and walking on rocks, so do not wear slippers or ordinary leather shoes even when time is short.
3–4 hours: a first half-day visit
Start at Sunrise Pavilion, continue through the cliff-inscription group, Zhongxian Shrine, the old battery and the coastal boardwalk, then finish at East Beach for sea views or sunset. If you include sunrise on the same morning, leave time to rest and avoid the midday sun rather than putting all coastal walking at noon.
A Haimen day combination
After Lotus Peak, continue to Yangzhi Temple and then eat in Haimen Town for a temple, coast and seafood combination. Choose a restaurant with clear prices in town, and only plan sunset once you have confirmed the return time.
Build your day
Morning: inscriptions, shrine and coastal-defence remains
Start with the weathered rocks and cliff inscriptions of ancient Lotus Peak, then go to Zhongxian Shrine and the Wen Tianxiang statue, and continue to the Mass Grave and old battery if time allows. Each historic site has a different atmosphere, so keep quiet and do not treat memorial places only as photo backdrops.
Afternoon: boardwalk, beach and sunset
In the afternoon, move from Guanhai Tower or the coastal boardwalk towards the east and west beaches; the western rocks are better for the coastline, while the eastern beach is better for wading at the water’s edge. At low tide, view the rocks and intertidal zone only from safe areas; light after 16:00 is better for the coast and sunset photographs.
Get there
Bus and taxi
From the city centre, take bus 121, 122, 307 or 309 to Haimen Lotus Peak stop; a taxi from central Shantou takes about an hour and is listed at around CNY 100. The scenic area is better suited to self-driving, with parking at the gate listed at CNY 5 per visit; the rear gate and roadside also have parking options in the quieter season.
Plan from your entrance
The main gate is close to the Wen Tianxiang statue and suits an entry sequence centred on history and Guanhai Tower; the rear gate is close to the beach and parking and suits saving the coast for the final part of the route. Do not accept temporary guides outside the scenic area who claim to offer shortcuts, as this can disrupt the route and create unexpected charges.
Know before you go
Coastal safety and restrictions
Sea wind, UV exposure and slippery rocks are the main conditions, so bring sun protection, sunglasses, a light outer layer and non-slip trainers. The area includes coastal-defence remains and sensitive zones, so do not use a drone; do not cross safety boundaries during low-tide exploration either.
Crowds and food
On public holidays, arrive before 10:00 to reduce parking and photography congestion; sunrise is possible in the morning, while the western beach is better for sunset after 16:00. For seafood, choose clearly priced restaurants in Haimen Town and confirm the price before ordering or having food prepared, rather than deciding at the last minute near the scenic area.
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