Bespoke Chaoshan tours for visitors from Singapore & Malaysia
简体繁體EN
ChaoshanTravel.
New Ways to Explore the Old Town: Shantou Small Park's Latest Artistic Check-in Spots and Coffee Map
Chaoshan Travel Guide

New Ways to Explore the Old Town: Shantou Small Park's Latest Artistic Check-in Spots and Coffee Map

2026-05-12 Chaoshan Local Expert

📸 Expert-Level Photo and Practical Tips

The streets in the Small Park area radiate outward from Zhongshan Memorial Pavilion like a maze, making it easy to get lost on a first visit. It is highly recommended that women wear vintage cheongsam, Nanyang Nyonya costumes, or new Chinese-style clothing, which match the louvered windows, patterned tiles, and mottled walls 100%! Additionally, parking in the old town is extremely difficult. It is recommended to take a ride-hailing car to the periphery, or directly book our Chaoshan Private Car Customized Tour, where the driver will pick you up and drop you off at designated points, saving you the trouble of finding a parking spot under the scorching sun.

#Shantou Small Park#Shantou Coffee Map#Chaoshan Cultural Creative Products#Citywalk#Photo Spots

"In a specialty drink blending Chaozhou Yashixiang and Ethiopian coffee beans, drink in the vicissitudes and new trends of a century-old commercial port. The Small Park is not only a reflection of history but also a showcase of Shantou's youthful vitality."

When mentioning Shantou's Small Park, many people's first impression might be the mottled century-old arcade buildings and the heavy history of the port opening. But entering 2026, this century-old commercial port has quietly transformed into a favorite "photo spot" for young tourists from Singapore and Malaysia. Independent cafes specializing in "Chaoshan flavor specialties" have opened in traditional arcade buildings, and old streets hide cultural creative souvenir shops with strong design. This article compiles the latest artistic check-in spots and coffee map of the Small Park, taking you to rediscover this old city over a cup of coffee.

Key highlights

  • Perfect Photo Spots: Unlock the best vintage photography spots at Nansheng Department Store, the old post office, and Zhongshan Memorial Pavilion.
  • Local Specialties: Explore local independent cafes that perfectly blend old kumquat, olive, wampee, and specialty coffee.
  • Stamp Culture: Check out cultural creative shops along Guoping Road and Shengping Road, and collect travel stamps exclusive to Shantou.
  • Day and Night Scenery: Master the golden four-hour tour route from 4 PM to 8 PM, and witness the stunning moment when the old town lights up.
  • East-West Fusion: Experience the perfect blend of Baroque arcade architecture and Nanyang style, resonating emotionally with travelers from Singapore and Malaysia.
For many older-generation Chinese from Singapore and Malaysia returning to Chaoshan to trace their roots, Shantou's Small Park is the bustling "Four Yongs and One Shengping" in their memories; for the younger generation (third and fourth generation Chinese) following their elders back home, it is an excellent destination to experience China's trendiest "Citywalk" and "Cafe Hopping."
When the mottled walls of century-old arcade buildings meet the rich aroma of espresso, Shantou's old town bursts with new artistic vitality. Below is our carefully curated latest guide to exploring the Small Park:
  1. Stunning Photo Spots: Three Must-Visit Check-in Locations
Don't just stand in the middle of the street taking crowded tourist photos. Try these advanced spots:
Nansheng Department Store (Department Store旧址): As the most iconic building in the Small Park, this seven-story arcade building features a magnificent Baroque facade. Best spot: Go to the second floor of the arcade building across the street (usually a tea house or restaurant), and use the balcony with carved wooden windows as a foreground to capture a cinematic vintage masterpiece.
Shantou General Post Office Building: This two-story European-style building has witnessed countless overseas remittance letters. Best spot: Stand at the traffic light diagonally across from the building, use a telephoto lens to compress the background, perfectly blending the post office's Roman columns with the old street behind.
Alleys around Dasanyuan Inn: Avoid the crowds on the main street and venture into the side alleys of Guoping Road or Shengping Road. Here, the most original Chaoshan street life atmosphere is preserved. Sunlight filters through narrow alleys onto moss-covered stone walls, making it a street photography paradise full of storytelling.
  1. Local Flavor Specialties: Small Park Coffee Map
Shantou's independent coffee makers are very skilled at combining local Chaoshan ingredients with Western coffee. Under the arcades of the Small Park, you can taste "local flavors" absolutely not found in Singapore or Malaysia:
Dancong Tea Coffee (Yashixiang Latte/Americano): Using the "Yashixiang" oolong tea from Fenghuang Mountain in Chaozhou as a base, combined with lightly roasted espresso, the tea aroma and fruity acidity intertwine, refreshing and cleansing the palate—perfect for a summer city walk.
Chaoshan Fruit Specialties (Wampee/Olive/Kumquat Coffee): Chaoshan is rich in olives and wampee. Juiced and blended into American coffee, it tastes slightly astringent at first but quickly sweetens; the specialty made with aged "old kumquat (bergamot)" has a unique herbal aged fragrance and is very stomach-friendly.
How to find them: Stroll along the arcade corridors of Guoping Road and Shengping Road, and look for small shops with unassuming facades but warm yellow lights. Many cafes retain century-old wooden stairs and patterned tile floors. Sitting on the second-floor balcony overlooking the bustling crowd below is the best way to spend an afternoon tea time.
  1. Treasure Hunt for Cultural Creative Products: Pack Chaoshan Culture into Your Backpack
"Travel stamping" is currently the most popular activity among China's younger generation. Many cultural creative shops run by local designers have opened in the Small Park.
Fridge Magnets and Postcards: You can buy three-dimensional fridge magnets shaped like red peach cakes, beef balls, and Shantou ferries, with strong design appeal—perfect souvenirs for friends in Singapore and Malaysia.
Stamp Collection Book: Buy a blank passport-style book at a cultural creative shop, then go from one old street shop to another, stamping seals representing various historical buildings and foods—full of ceremony.
  1. Recommended Golden Four-Hour Tour Route
For the best experience, we recommend arriving at the Small Park around 4:00 PM:
16:00 - 17:30: The sunlight is soft and the temperature pleasant. First, visit cultural creative shops and take daytime photos of historical buildings.
17:30 - 18:30: Find a second-floor arcade cafe, order a tea coffee, and sit by the window to watch the sunset and the old town's lights gradually come on.
18:30 - 20:00: The night lighting project of the Small Park is stunning. Golden lights shine on the arcade facades, as if returning to the 1930s. After taking night photos, head directly to the nearby old street night market for local snacks (see our Chaoshan Three-Day Two-Night Food List).
After years of weathering, Shantou's Small Park now opens its arms in its youngest and most artistic form. Get your camera and appetite ready for a century-spanning Citywalk!

Further reading