# Fuzhou travel guide (福州) Fujian Province · East China, China · 11 places Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/fujian/fuzhou ## Quick itinerary - **Day 1:** Gushan Mountain → Sanfang Qixiang (lunch) → Lin Zexu Memorial Hall → West Lake Park - **Day 2:** Shangxiahang → Xichan Temple → Jinshan Temple ## The feel of the place - **Banyan Trees:** Banyan trees are probably the most common plant you'll see in Fuzhou. Walking along the street, you'll often come across a large banyan standing in the middle of the road, fenced off with railings. - **Sanfang Qixiang:** Every city with a bit of history has a few things worth looking back on, especially in today's era. Sanfang Qixiang has thus gradually become a symbol of Fuzhou and may even rival the Twin Pagodas in fame. Visitors from all directions make a point of admiring these old buildings, although they hold greater significance for architects and scholars of the humanities. Some prefer to stroll through the old streets and lanes on a rainy day. It may be a little sentimental, but its location in the city centre certainly makes nostalgia easy to indulge in. ## The feel of the place ### Fuzhou People Who Value Courtesy Fuzhou people are very welcoming and nothing like the xenophobic reputation of some other dialect-speaking cities. If you ask a local for directions on the street, they will explain every detail with great care, especially the elderly, which is truly touching. Always be polite to Fuzhou people, as they place great importance on courtesy. ### Preparation and Advice ### Language Speaking Mandarin is enough to get around without any trouble. ### Climate and Travel Seasons March to April is Fuzhou's rainy season, so dress warmly and remember to bring an umbrella. October to November is the most comfortable time of year, when a single layer or a light sweater is usually enough. From December to February, be sure to pack warm winter clothing. ### Avoiding Typhoons May to August often brings thunderstorms and typhoons, and June, July and August are typhoon season. Typhoons are always followed by heavy or torrential rain. It is therefore best to keep an eye on the weather forecast during this period when visiting Fuzhou. ## Getting there & around ### Getting There Fuzhou's external transport forms a network of sea, land and air, while road travel is the most convenient within the province. ### Air Fuzhou Changle International Airport is about 39 km from the city centre and has flights to more than 70 domestic cities. Several airport bus routes run from the airport to the city; a taxi costs about ¥150. ### Rail Fuzhou is connected to the national rail network, with trains to all parts of the country. Most passenger trains bound for Xiamen, and some bound for Wenzhou, depart from Fuzhou South Railway Station. The high-speed train from Fuzhou South to Xiamen takes about 1.5 hours. The opening of the Fuzhou–Longyan bullet train has also turned the former “two-day Fuzhou and Longyan trip” into a day trip. ### Road Fuzhou city has more than 300 long-distance bus departures daily to Wenzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and over 30 counties and cities in the province. Coach services between Xiamen and Quanzhou make travel between Fuzhou and these two major cities even more convenient. ### Water The Min River route from Fuzhou port runs upstream to Nanping and downstream to Mawei, and passenger ferries from Mawei Port can reach Putuoshan, Ningbo and other destinations. ### City Transport Within Fuzhou, buses and taxis are the main means of getting around. ### Metro There are currently five lines: Lines 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6. Line 1 links Fuzhou Railway Station and Fuzhou South Railway Station. ### Bus The bus network is extensive, with dozens of routes connecting every corner of Fuzhou, including air-conditioned buses and special tourist lines. Buses use unmanned fare collection (¥1, ¥2, ¥3, ¥5) and distance-based pricing (¥3, ¥5, ¥6, ¥8). ### Taxi Fuzhou taxis start at ¥10 for the first 3 km, then ¥2 per km thereafter. After 23:00, a 20% surcharge applies per km. Service is attentive both day and night. - **Changle International Airport** — (Zhanggang Subdistrict, Changdong District, Fuzhou City, 0591-28013368) - **Airport Shuttle Bus** — Fuzhou Airport currently has 15 city airport bus routes. Airport long-distance bus station - **Fuzhou Railway Station** — (Hualin Road, Jin'an District, Fuzhou City) - **Fuzhou South Railway Station** — (East of Luolei Village, Chengmen Town, Cangshan District, Fuzhou City) - **Fuzhou North Bus Station (near the railway station)** — (371 Hualin Road) - **Fuzhou West Bus Station (near Hongshan Bridge)** — (5 Guangxian Road) ## Eat & drink When it comes to Fuzhou's famous dishes, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, lychee pork and drunken spare ribs are must-mentions. Jiuchunyuan's Buddha Jumps Over the Wall is the most traditional. River seafood from the Min River is also worth trying. However, Fuzhou's light flavours can be a real test for the palates of people from southwest China or Hunan, where food is much spicier. For Cantonese diners, though, the taste is just right. Other celebrated dishes include chicken soup with sea clams, phoenix fish maw, wine-lees eel, Swallows Return to Nest, Plum Blossoms Bloom Twice and snow mountain prawns. They are pricey, but genuinely worth it. ### Local Snacks Fuzhou's snacks are also distinctive, most representatively fish balls, guobian hu (wok-edge paste), scallion meat cakes, yan si, rou yan and spring rolls. ### Min River Night Cruise Set off from Taijiang Wharf on Jiangbin Road in Taijiang District, passing Taijiang Golden Bund and the North and South Riversides, all the way to Hongshan Bridge. As the lights come on, the clear waters of the Min River shimmer and the scenery is enchanting, with dazzling light shows along both banks. Take a sightseeing boat along the Min River and savour Fuzhou's progress and charm under the night sky. (Ticket ¥100) ### Fuzhou Vegetarian Dishes Fuzhou's vegetarian cuisine is also renowned. Made from wheat gluten, tofu skin, tofu sinew, winter bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms and wood ear fungus, these dishes are skilfully prepared and cooked with care, and they taste very good. Many temples and restaurants in Fuzhou serve vegetarian food, and the vegetarian dishes at Yongquan Temple on Gushan are the most famous. Over 30 named dishes include 'Golden Lotus of the South Sea', 'Half Moon Sinking into the River', 'Three Delicacies of Shigu' and 'Three Shreds of Yongquan'. ### River Seafood and Shrimp Oil 1. Fuzhou is not famous for its seafood; what's worth eating here is the river seafood. 2. Fuzhou people like to add shrimp oil when cooking. Those unaccustomed to this flavour should say so in advance. ### Where to Eat Authentic Fish Balls For fish balls, try Taxiangkou Fish Ball Shop on Ta Lane, one of Fuzhou's seven lanes, a long-established name. Also, a nondescript alley near Dongjiekou has several fish ball shops. One of them displays its founding date on its sign: a small shop with over 60 years of history, and it is widely considered the best of the bunch. - **Juchunyuan (Dongjiekou Branch)** — A renowned Min cuisine restaurant and century-old establishment. Originally run by Zheng Chunfa, a cook from Fuqing who worked in the kitchen of the Qing dynasty Fujian provincial administration office, it was founded in 1877. It uses local mountain and sea delicacies, emphasising freshness, knife work and heat control, with dishes that look, smell and taste excellent. The cuisine generally leans towards sweet, mild and sour flavours. (No. 2 East Gulou Street, opposite Haixia Cinema, 0591-87533604) - **Fish Balls** — The outer skin is made of fish meat and starch, with pork inside, somewhat like Hangzhou's xiaolongbao. - **Guobian Hu (Wok-Edge Paste)** — In the Fuzhou dialect, the name is pronounced 'dingbian hu', and it tastes very good. - **Yan Si** — Yan skin wrappers cut into fine strips, with a fresh and delicious flavour. - **Bian Rou** — It looks similar to wontons but takes a lot of work. The meat comes from the part of the pork hind leg that gets the most use; it is pounded into a paste with a mallet, then seasoned with salt for the filling. You would never guess it's pork: it is chewy, sweetly flavoured and tastes like fresh shrimp. - **Weizhongwei** — The name of a snack shop where many of Fuzhou's traditional snack specialities are gathered under one roof. - **Shaxian Snacks** — The most common snack outlets on Fuzhou's streets, serving mainly mixed noodles, stewed pots, fish balls, wontons and assorted braised meats. These snack shops are tiny, yet they are a must-visit for anyone travelling to Fuzhou. - **Fuzhou Food City** — Located on the bank of the Min River, it brings together almost every local delicacy from across Rongcheng (Fuzhou). Food lovers should not miss it. ## Shopping ### Recommended Local Specialities ### Where to Shop in Fuzhou Fuzhou's main commercial streets include Wusi Road (known for brand clothing and tourist products), Wuyi Road (home to large department stores and shopping centres), Taijiang Road (small goods and specialty second-hand markets), Dongjiekou (Fuzhou's traditional commercial street), Bayiqi Road (Fuzhou's oldest and most bustling shopping street), Aofeng Road (the largest wholesale market area in Fuzhou), as well as Zhongting Street (East Asia's first indoor pedestrian street) and Zhongzhou Island (the first pedestrian shopping island). ### Local Specialities Fuzhou gathers the local specialities of Fujian: Oolong tea, Jian lotus seeds, longan and lychee, as well as the famous 'Eight Great Dried Goods', namely Liancheng sweet potato strips, Wuping pig gall dried meat, Shanghang dried radish, Mingxi dried pork, Ninghua dried chilli and Changting dried tofu, plus the 'Four Shellfish': razor clams, oysters, clams and ark shells. Beyond these, you can buy Pien Tze Huang, narcissus, Fuzhou mandarin oranges, olives, dried meat floss and Qingyuan tea cakes as gifts to take home. ### Eating Guobian Many restaurants serve it. Sit down and order 'a bowl of guobian', and the staff will understand. The preparation is said to be very distinctive, but for most food lovers, deliciousness is what matters, so there is no need to ask too many questions about the details. - **Shoushan Stone Carving** — Shoushan stone carving has a history of more than 1,500 years. A distinctive feature of Shoushan stone is that a single block can contain several colours, including red, black, yellow and green, interwoven into natural patterns, and the stone is particularly well suited to carving. Shoushan stone seals and knob carvings form an important part of the art of Shoushan stone carving. - **Fuzhou Dry Lacquerware (Tuotai)** — With over 200 years of production history, it is ranked alongside Beijing's cloisonné and Jingdezhen porcelain from Jiangxi as one of the 'Three Treasures' of China's traditional crafts. - **Oolong Tea** — Fuzhou's oolong tea also holds a respected place among China's famous teas. - **Fuzhou Mandarin Orange** — The municipal fruit of Fuzhou. It is one of the finest of China's mandarin orange varieties, with thin skin and abundant juice, and has long enjoyed a fine reputation. - **Malin Grass Weaving** — A famous Fuzhou speciality, woven from triangular, slender and soft malin grass. - **Cork Painting** — Fuzhou cork paintings are world-famous, known as 'silent poetry' and 'three-dimensional paintings'. ## Where to stay Hotel prices in Fuzhou are higher than in comparable cities. Wusi Road has a relatively high concentration of guesthouses and hotels, and discounts are available in the off-season. If you stay at a guesthouse run by a county-level office in Fuzhou, rooms are cheaper and the location is quite good. For hot-spring hotels, prices vary widely, so it is best to check in advance. ### Fuzhou's Festivals Aojiu Festival: the 29th day of the first lunar month, also known as Filial Piety Festival or Sending-Off-Poverty Festival. Zuoxia: the first day of summer on the lunar calendar. Dongjie Cuowan (Winter Solstice Dumpling Rolling): the winter solstice on the lunar calendar. ### Fuzhou Bianrou and Shaxian Bianrou Authentic Fuzhou bianrou and the bianrou in Shaxian snacks differ greatly in preparation, and the term usually refers to the Shaxian version. Fuzhou bianrou puts more emphasis on the broth, made from a stock simmered from pure bones with relatively little meat, and it is now quite rare. Pudu Festival: the 9th day of the 12th lunar month each year. Sacrifice to the Kitchen God (Jizao): the 23rd and 24th days of the 12th lunar month. - **Fuzhou Dazhong Zhixing Hotel (Fuzhou Railway Station Branch)** — Not far from either the railway station or the long-distance bus station, it is well suited to budget family trips. (346 Hualin Road, Jin'an District, 0591-87571836) ## Things to see - **Three Lanes and Seven Alleys (Sanfang Qixiang)** (★★★★): Admission Advance reservation is required for entry. Some interior sights charge separate fees: Former Residence of Yan Fu ¥15, Xiaohuang Building ¥20, Shuixie Opera Stage ¥20. A combined ticket for these three sights costs ¥55.; Time needed 2–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/three-lanes-and-seven-alleys-sanfang-qixiang - **Gushan Mountain** (★★★★): Admission ¥40 (includes Gushan Scenic Area and Yongquan Temple; hiking Gushan alone requires no ticket). Gushan cable car: ¥50 one way, ¥70 return, going directly to the viewing platform with panoramic views of Fuzhou. The Eighteen Caves (十八洞) scenic spot beside the viewing platform requires an extra ¥10 ticket.; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/gushan-mountain - **West Lake Park** (★★★): Admission Free; Time needed 1–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/west-lake-park - **Fuzhou National Forest Park** (★★★★): Admission Free — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/fuzhou-national-forest-park ## Day trips & beyond - **Qingyunshan Mountain** (★★★★): Admission Qinglong Waterfall Scenic Area ¥35; Jiutian Waterfall & Shuilian Palace Scenic Area ¥32; Baima Gorge Scenic Area ¥32; Yunshi Stone Corridor Scenic Area ¥25; Thorny Cyathea Divine Valley Scenic Area ¥27.; Opening hours 8：00—18：00; Time needed 1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/qingyunshan-mountain - **Mawei** (★★★★): Time needed 1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/mawei - **Baishuiyang** (★★★★): Admission Entrance + sightseeing shuttle ticket ¥70; Baishuiyang & Yuanyang Stream combo ticket ¥90 (includes the Baishuiyang sightseeing shuttle).; Opening hours 8：00—17：00; Time needed 1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/baishuiyang - **Meizhou Island** (★★★★): Admission Island entry ¥65; passenger boat ¥10; yacht ¥14. — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/meizhou-island - **Taimushan Scenic Area** (★★★★): Admission ¥140 (includes round-trip scenic shuttle ticket).; Opening hours 7：00—17：00; Time needed 1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/taimushan-scenic-area - **Xiapu** (★★★★): Time needed 1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/xiapu - **Minyue Water Town** (★★★★): Admission ¥98; Opening hours 11：00—20：00; Time needed 3–6 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/minyue-water-town --- Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 1499–1518. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.