汕尾市

Why this place

Shanwei is a coastal prefecture in eastern Guangdong, and its Honghai Bay is where Chinese fishermen have worked for centuries — the fishing villages, the temples to Mazu and the salt pans are all still there. It is far less developed than the rest of the Guangdong coast.

What to see

• Honghai Bay and the fishing villages along it
• The Fengshan Mazu temple and the local sea-goddess shrines
• The coastal hills and the old salt pans

What to eat

• Shanwei seafood — the coastal catch is the point
• The local 'cai cha' and the Hakka-influenced cooking tradition

Best time

October–December and March–April