Queshi Scenic Area, Shantou: Granite Hills Across the River

Queshi is the green half of the view from Shantou's waterfront — a mass of granite hills on the far bank of a branch of the Rong River, ten minutes by ferry from the old town, with boulder mazes, cliff inscriptions and a summit pavilion looking back at the whole city. It asks for half a day, sturdy shoes and very little money; entry to the mountain has been free in recent years, and the ferry across costs one yuan. It is the easiest contrast to the arcades of Small Park, and every Shantou itinerary that runs more than a day should hold space for it.

What the mountain is

Queshi became one of Guangdong's first provincial-level scenic areas in 1989, and its material is granite: domes and slabs of it, stacked into hills the old guidebooks read as "rocks answering the sea." The name of the "Queshi Mountain Light" entry in Shantou's traditional Eight Scenes is still earned from the water — the hill meets the harbour head-on, with no beach in between.

The scenic area spreads over several sections on more than one hill — Tashan, Yanfeng, Bijia and Xianglu among them — but visitors funnel into two: Tashan, the one with the caves, inscriptions and cable car, directly opposite the ferry pier, and Yanfeng, the quieter neighbour to the west. For a first visit, Tashan is the half-day.

Getting there: the ferry is part of the pleasure

The classic approach is the Guangchang Pier ferry from the foot of the old town. It crosses to Queshi Pier in about ten minutes, the fare is one yuan, and the deck view — the customs clock tower, the skyline, then the green wall of the hill growing closer — is the best-value boat ride in Guangdong. Timetables run through the day; confirm the last sailing home with the noticeboard, since schedules adjust by season.

Drivers cross on the Queshi Bridge or the larger bay bridge, and a taxi or ride-hail from the old town does the trip in twenty minutes or so depending on traffic. The ferry remains the way to arrive for anyone able to walk a pier.

Walking Tashan

The paths start near the pier and climb through boulder country almost immediately. The signature sight is Chuihong Cave, a stack of granite slabs leaning together into linked chambers and passages — tight, cool, lit in slivers, with steps squeezed between the rocks. Beyond it the trail threads One-Line Sky and a chain of carved characters on the stone faces, some old enough that the paint in them has been refreshed for generations.

The climb tops out at the Piaoran Pavilion, the viewing stand on the ridge: the whole harbour below, the old town's arcades on the far bank, the port cranes to the east. Most of the circuit takes two to three hours at a steady pace, longer if the boulder passages draw you in. Steps can be slick after rain; summer midday is punishing; a cable car runs up Tashan's flank for anyone who wants the summit without the climb, charged separately.

Tickets, the cable car and what is free

The money has changed over the years, so check the day's noticeboard rather than an old blog. Recent reports describe the mountain as free to enter, with only the cable car charged; earlier listings — still circulating — had tickets of around 10 to 15 yuan for Tashan and Yanfeng, with the cable car at a similar price and cheaper on weekdays. Both versions agree on one thing: whatever is charged, it is small, and the ferry, the inscriptions and the view cost the same either way.

How to fit it into a Shantou day

The shape of a good day is: ferry across in the morning while the air is still cool, two to three hours on Tashan, ferry back by early afternoon, then the arcades and museums of Small Park with a beef hotpot to close. With a second day, the hills come before the Nan'ao Island drive — the ferry pier and the bridgehead both sit east of the old town, so the sequence runs cleanly.

Things to confirm before you go

• Entry fees: free in recent years per current reports, but older 10 to 15 yuan listings persist; the noticeboard at the pier is the authority for the day.
• Cable car operation is seasonal and weather-dependent, charged separately from entry.
• Ferry frequency and the last sailing shift between seasons; photograph the timetable on the pier.
• Typhoon days close the hill and the ferry together; check the forecast in late summer.
• Path steps are granite and smooth — proper shoes, especially after rain.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Queshi from Shantou old town?

Take the Guangchang Pier ferry across the branch of the Rong River — about ten minutes, one yuan — or cross by the Queshi Bridge on the road, roughly twenty minutes by taxi.

Is Queshi Scenic Area free?

Entry has been free in recent years according to current reports and reviews, with the cable car charged separately. Older listings show 10 to 15 yuan tickets; treat anything you read, including this page, as a prompt to check the official notice for the day.

How long does Queshi take?

Two to three hours for the Tashan circuit — the caves, the inscriptions and the summit pavilion. Half a day with the ferry and a slow lunch.

Do I need the cable car?

No. The paths are the point of the place, and the cable car only shortens the climb. It is worth knowing about for heat, rain or knees, and it is a separate charge when it runs.