Chaoshan 5D4N Heritage Tour | Film Locations, Qiaopi Culture & Local Food
Follow the lens of the film "A Love Letter to Grandma" across Shantou, Jieyang and Chaozhou: stone bridges, old banyan trees, century-old overseas-Chinese mansions and the Qiaopi museum, paired with authentic Chaoshan food and a private van — no shopping stops.
Itinerary details
Day 1: Arrive at Jieyang Chaoshan Airport → Denggang, Jieyang — where the film begins After the airport pickup we drive straight to Denggang Township beside the airport. The stone slab bridge in Xiqi Village is where the film's leads first meet and the postman falls into the water, while the striking old banyan in Yangqi Village is where Shurou reads the letters. In the late afternoon we transfer to downtown Shantou. Day 2: Shantou's port district — a Nanyang dream in the arcades Morning in the Xiaogongyuan port district: the century-old arcade house at 77 Haiping Road becomes the "Xiannan Cinema" in the film, and the former Taofang Restaurant at 3 Wan'an Street plays the "Yufeng Remittance Office" (a qiaopi agency), while the arcades around the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Pavilion appear repeatedly on screen. In the afternoon we visit the Shantou Qiaopi Museum to understand what "one letter of qiaopi, bridging mountains and seas" really meant. The evening is set aside for beef hotpot and old-town street food. Day 3: Chenghai's Dongli Town — century-old overseas-Chinese mansions + Zhanglin Ancient Port Morning in Tangxi Village, Dongli Town, Chenghai: Qifeng Chen Ancestral Hall was the home of Xie Nanzhi's family in the film and the setting where the grandmother and Aunt Nanzhi are reunited in old age; Zhangcuocheng Old Residence is the home of the elderly Ye Shurou, its classic Teochew "four-dot-gold" layout fully preserved. We then stop at Zhanglin Ancient Port, standing before the red-headed boat of the film's closing "sailing to Nanyang" scene. In the afternoon we visit Qianmei Village and the Chen Cihong Residence, the "first overseas-Chinese mansion in Lingnan" (old Digong's home in the film). Day 4: Chaoyang olive grove → Mianhu, Jieyang → Jieyang old town, the Siamese Chinatown Morning in Xialiao Village, Jinzao Town, Chaoyang District, where a 520-year-old olive tree is the very spot the grandmother picks olives — you can try harvesting olives and taste olive preserves. In the afternoon we move on to the ancient town of Mianhu in Jiexi: Datie Street, Datong Street and the "Xie Ji Rice Cake" stall recreate the bustle of a 1960s Siamese Chinatown. Towards evening we return to West Road in downtown Jieyang, which stands in for a Nanyang-flavoured Bangkok Chinatown in the film. Overnight in Jieyang. Day 5: Chaozhou — Longhu Ancient Village and the Thai-style temple → airport transfer Morning at Longhu Ancient Village in Chao'an, where the film's Xiaowei searches for relatives in Thailand and hurries through ancestral halls. We then visit the Thai-style hall of Kaiyuan Temple in Xiangqiao District — a garden pavilion modelled on Bangkok's Marble Temple that "plays" a Thai temple on screen. After a stroll along the memorial archway street, transfer to Jieyang Chaoshan Airport.
Trip highlights
实景跟拍：潮汕美食探源之旅
Service reference
What's included
- • Private business van, fuel and tolls
- • 4 nights of hotel accommodation with breakfast
- • Professional Chinese/Teochew-speaking guide
- • First-entry tickets for the attractions listed in the itinerary
- • Personal travel accident insurance
- • Jieyang Chaoshan Airport transfers
What's not included
- • Long-distance travel to Chaoshan (flights / high-speed rail)
- • Personal expenses and meals not mentioned in the itinerary
- • Extra costs caused by weather, traffic or flight delays
Important notes
- • Most locations are old villages and overseas-Chinese residences; some require advance booking or are subject to village management rules, so the itinerary may be adjusted slightly.
- • Peak-season capacity is tight; please book and confirm your dates at least 1-2 months in advance.
- • The film-related spots are currently very popular and crowded at weekends, so off-peak visits are recommended.
FAQ
Q: Is this route suitable if I haven't seen the film?
A: Yes. These locations are landmarks of Chaoshan's overseas-Chinese culture and architecture in their own right — having seen the film helps you "match the scenes", but the story of qiaopi letters and the voyages to Nanyang comes through either way.
Q: Are the locations far apart? Will we spend long hours in the car?
A: They are concentrated across the three cities of Shantou, Jieyang and Chaozhou, with a private van throughout; most single legs take between half an hour and an hour, and the pace can be adjusted to your family's needs.
Q: Can we visit only one or two of the cities?
A: Yes. The route can be trimmed to a 3-day or 4-day version — for example, a shorter Shantou + Jieyang "core film locations" itinerary.
Q: Is olive picking seasonal?
A: Olives mostly ripen in autumn and winter, so the picking experience depends on the season; outside the season we can arrange olive-preserve making or gongfu tea in an old mansion instead.
Q: How is payment handled?
A: A deposit confirms the itinerary, with the balance settled before arrival. Exact terms are stated on your confirmation sheet.