Plan at a glance
The village and the residence
Qianmei Ancient Village is in Longdu Town, Chenghai District, around a 30–40 minute drive from central Shantou; enter from the main entrance of the Overseas-Chinese Culture Tourism Area or the area around Qianmei Village Committee. The village is free to enter on foot throughout the day, while Chen Cihong Residence is a separately ticketed area: adult entry is CNY 58, students and older visitors pay half price, reference hours are 08:30–17:30, and entry stops at 16:30.
How much time to allow
Allow 1.5–2 hours for the key parts of Chen Cihong Residence, the village committee study and the old banyan at the village entrance; a first visit is better with 3–4 hours. It works best as a slow walk combining overseas-Chinese houses, the old stockade, studies and the village’s everyday lanes, instead of reducing the visit to photographs of the residence.
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Use the standard admission package for the core shuttle route; confirm the visit date and current opening hours before checkout.
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1.5–2 hours: village highlights
Start inside Chen Cihong Residence with Shanju Hall and its second-floor covered corridor, continue to the former Sanlu Study at Qianmei Village Committee, then finish at the Eighteen Banyan Trees by the village entrance. When time is limited, put the residence’s last-admission time first in your planning.
3–4 hours: complete ancient-village route
Continue from Chen Cihong Residence to Yongning Ancient Stockade, Wenyuan Xiaozhu, the village lotus pond and old lanes. This route combines the Chinese-Western overseas-Chinese residence, a square fortress village and small-scale village life; allow time for cobbled paths and steps.
Chenghai combined route
After Qianmei Ancient Village, continue to Zhanglin Ancient Port, eat in town and then head to Laiwu Peninsula in the evening. This is principally a driving route, so do not stay in the residence too late and then compress the whole coastal section into the period before sunset.
Build your day
Start with the overseas-Chinese residence and corridors
Enter Chen Cihong Residence in the morning or another early period, focusing on Shanju Hall’s covered corridors, courtyards and coloured glass, then understand its spatial relationship with the old village. The residence requires a ticket, while the village can be walked freely before or after entry; do not treat unopened courtyards as accessible parts of the route.
Continue through the stockade, study and village lanes
After leaving the residence, walk to Yongning Ancient Stockade to see its walls, Bagua Well and square-fortress layout, then continue to Wenyuan Xiaozhu, the lotus pond and the Eighteen Banyan Trees. If Wenyuan Xiaozhu is being used as a private home, greet the owner first, keep quiet and mainly view it from outside.
Get there
Bus, taxi and self-drive
Drive to Qianmei Ancient Village or Chen Cihong Residence; there is a free car park on the south side of the village, and arriving before 08:30 is advisable on public holidays. Bus 103 reaches Qianmei Village stop or Chen Cihong Residence stop, followed by about 1 km on foot; a taxi from Shantou Railway Station takes around 30–40 minutes, and a return car can be arranged in advance.
Moving around the village
Walk within the village: there is no need to repeatedly drive between Chen Cihong Residence, the stockade, lotus pond and banyan trees. If you are also visiting Zhanglin Ancient Port or Laiwu Peninsula, build where you leave the car and your departure time into the plan so you are not driving in a rush at dusk.
Know before you go
Tickets, crowds and physical effort
The ancient village is free, but Chen Cihong Residence requires a separate ticket; an electronic guide or guided explanation can help if you want to understand the residential complex. There is substantial walking on village steps, cobbled paths and around the lotus pond, so flat non-slip shoes, sun protection and insect repellent matter more than photographic outfits.
Photography and community etiquette
There are fewer people in the morning, while 15:00–17:00 is good for architectural light and shadow; tour groups are more common on weekend and public-holiday afternoons. Do not enter private spaces such as Wenyuan Xiaozhu, and avoid blocking residents or public lanes when taking photographs.
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