If you happen to be traveling to Shanwei a small nondescript town in Guangdong province then you will probably end up at Coffee Castle – the number one tourist attraction.
There is though little to nothing online about it and you may well end up going there with almost no clue as to what the hell the whole bloody thing is about. Well feat not, we have the Coffee Castle Shanwei Guide.
What the Coffee Castle?
Coffee Castle in Shanwei is one of the city’s more peculiar landmarks and a popular stop for domestic tourists. It’s essentially a European-style castle plopped incongruously in coastal Guangdong, and it doubles as a coffee shop and tourist attraction. The castle’s architecture—complete with turrets and stone walls—looks like it was pulled straight out of a medieval fairy tale, albeit one with a Chinese twist.
While the name might suggest a coffee haven, the focus seems to be less on the coffee and more on the novelty of the setting. Visitors can enjoy a cup of coffee or tea while taking in the quirky, castle-like ambiance. It’s a favorite spot for selfies, with its unusual aesthetic standing out against the more mundane surroundings of Shanwei.
The Coffee Castle is also a prime example of the city’s attempts to cater to a future domestic tourism market. Tour buses often stop here, and while it might not be the pinnacle of coffee culture, it’s certainly one of Shanwei’s more memorable attractions. Whether you’re a caffeine enthusiast or just want to say you’ve visited a “castle” in Guangdong, it’s worth a look.
Around Coffee Castle
Much like the who attraction itself they seem to be trying to do a field of dreams in that “if you build it they shall come” with there being lots of building work going on. There are though at least some things though that are completed.
These include the area itself which has cofeee shops and restaurants. One of these is the “Come on BBQ” which I found very amusing. There’s also a bunch of street food style restaurants that are overpriced, but decent enough just at the entrance.
And while it is a kind of countryside area there are also hotels about, such as the Vienna, as well as apartments to rent as part of the wider Red Bay Resort area which this is near to.
Getting to Coffee Castle
The only buses that go here are tourist ones, seemingly carrying domestic watchers and some Vietnamese folk. Otherwise you will need to get a taxi. On DiDi the Chinese version of Grab it was ranging from $7-12 from the Railway Station, with it being about half that from downtown.
So, is it worth the money and time to get to Coffee Castle? Well what can I say other than it is by far the best thing to do in Shanwei and you cannot say fairer than that….