# Xiamen travel guide (厦门) Fujian Province · East China, China · 12 places Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/fujian/xiamen ## Quick itinerary - **Day 1:** Jimei School Village → Ao Garden → Former Residence of Tan Kah Kee - **Day 2:** Xiamen University → Nanputuo Temple → Xiamen Botanical Garden → Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street - **Day 3:** Gulangyu (visit Sunlight Rock, Shuzhuang Garden, Haoyue Garden, Xiamen Underwater World, Gulangyu Organ Museum, Trinity Church, Gang'zihou Houhai Beach, and other attractions) - **Day 4:** Gulangyu Island → Hulishan Fortress → Huandao Road → Zengcuo'an ## The feel of the place - **Sunny Palm Trees:** Palm trees are everywhere, the sunshine is generous, the air carries a hint of the sea, and the streets are clean and tidy. As soon as you set foot in Xiamen, you will find that this is a seaside city very well suited to living in. - **Diǎ (soft, sweet accent):** The vast majority of Xiamen people speak Mandarin with a strong Minnan accent, which sounds gentle and a little bit sweet. Xiamen people who speak this way, whether men or women, give an impression of gentleness and contentment with the status quo, yet they all have very clear goals they are working toward. It should also be specially noted that young people and children under 20 in Xiamen generally give up their seats on buses to people older than them, which is a truly touching habit. - **Romance:** For an island city like Xiamen, a road running around the island is only natural. Huandao Road has become a signature attraction of Xiamen. Anyone who has visited Xiamen will certainly have driven or cycled along the island ring road, and will certainly remember it. Young people pedalling tandem bicycles along Huandao Road add even more romance to this beautiful seaside city. ## The feel of the place ### Best Time to Visit Early summer is the best time to go. Around August each year is typhoon season, so keep a close eye on the weather. ### Transport from the Airport to the City 1. Take the airport shuttle bus to the railway station (¥10), Wutong Pier (¥6), Huaxiangyuan Ferry Terminal (¥10), Minnan Hotel (¥10), Zhangzhou CTS Bus Station (¥20), or Jinjiang (¥36). After exiting the arrivals hall, walk west for 3–5 minutes to reach the shuttle bus stop. 2. Take bus routes 27, 37, or 81 into the city, though it is still a fair walk from the terminal building to the bus stop. 3. Take a taxi: the flag-fall fare is ¥10 for the first 3 km, then ¥2 per additional km. 4. Take BRT Express Bus Route 6: fares start at ¥1, operating hours 6:30–22:10. ### Preparation and Information ### Language Xiamen people all have a Minnan accent, but their Mandarin is not difficult to understand, and they will naturally understand your Mandarin too. ### Climate and Travel Season Being a seaside city with abundant rainfall, Xiamen feels especially humid from May to July. July and August bring temperatures above 30°C that can be hard to bear, and in winter temperatures often drop below 10°C. Xiamen enjoys very long hours of sunshine, which is why its flowers and trees are lush all year round. April to November is Xiamen's golden travel season. ### Festivals ### Xiamen Marathon - hours: Saturday afternoon of the first week of January each year ### Flame Tree Tourism Festival - hours: Held during the flame tree blooming season (May–June) once every two years, alternating with the ### Ocean Culture Tourism Festival ## Shopping - hours: Opens every August and lasts for more than a month ### Float Parade ### During National Day in October ### Held in alternate years Xiamen's main shopping streets include Zhongshan Road, Longtou Road on Gulangyu, Xiahe Road, Bailuzhou, and Hubin Middle Road. ### Recommended Shopping - **Ocean Culture Tourism Festival** — - **Zhongshan Road** — Not far from the ferry pier. When you look ahead from the pier and see the Paris Spring department store chain, you know you have arrived. - **Xiaxi Road** — The best place in Xiamen to buy dried seafood. Besides food, there are also many craft products with local character. - **Bashi Market** — 'The market is the soul of a city' — for Xiamen, Bashi is exactly that. It is one of the seafood markets locals love most. It still has a strong old-fashioned flavour and holds countless Xiamen memories. - **Longtou Road, Gulangyu** — Offers local crafts such as pearl embroidery, lacquer-thread carving, painted sculptures, and colourful porcelain, as well as antiques, jade, and calligraphy and paintings from all over China. There are also quite a few shops selling southern dried goods. - **Xiamen Pearl Embroidery** — Xiamen pearl embroidery has a history of over 100 years, mainly producing pearl-embroidered slippers, pearl hanging pictures, and pearl-embroidered bags. Its defining feature is its strong decorative quality. - **Lacquer-thread Carving** — Folk lacquer line carving (民间工艺漆线雕) is another time-honoured craft of Xiamen, featuring motifs such as dragons, phoenixes and qilin. It makes an excellent souvenir or gift for friends and family. ## Getting there & around ### Getting In and Out Xiamen has well-developed land, sea and air connections, so there are many ways to reach the city. ### By Air Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport is the fourth-largest international air gateway in China, after Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. It has flights to many major cities on the mainland as well as Hong Kong and Macau. International routes serve destinations including Bangkok, Singapore, Manila, Osaka, Seoul and Kuala Lumpur. ### By Rail Xiamen was once connected to the outside world by only one railway, the Yingtan–Xiamen Line. Later, the Fuzhou–Xiamen, Longyan–Xiamen, Xiamen–Shenzhen and Hefei–Fuzhou high-speed lines opened one after another, making Xiamen an important transport hub on the southeast coast. Passenger trains depart for Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Hefei, Nanchang, Yingtan, Xi'an, Chongqing, Fuzhou and other cities. ### By Road Xiamen's road network is extensive. Long-distance coaches run not only to destinations across Fujian Province but also north to Hunan, Hubei, Anhui and Zhejiang, and south to Hong Kong and to Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Shantou in Guangdong. Xiamen's three long-distance bus stations, Songbai, Binhu and Jimei, all operate direct coaches to Shanghai, Nanjing, Hefei, Nanchang, Yingtan, Fuzhou and other cities. Xiamen Port's domestic routes run south to Shantou, Guangzhou and Hainan Island, and north to Dalian, Tianjin, Qingdao, Yantai, Nanjing, Zhenjiang and Shanghai. International routes reach 167 countries and regions, including North Korea, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Pakistan, Turkey, Kuwait and Morocco. Passenger ferries sail between Xiamen and Hong Kong every week. ### Xiamen–Kinmen Ferry Ferries run daily between Xiamen and Kinmen, but at present they are open only to Taiwan compatriots and Taiwan businesspeople, who must present a travel permit for Taiwan (赴台证) or other relevant documents. - phone: 0592-6012573 ### Getting Around the City Xiamen's city transport relies mainly on buses, double-decker buses, feeder minibuses, taxis and ferries. Urban buses and double-decker buses are pay-on-board with no conductor. The fare is ¥1 when boarding, charged by distance up to a maximum of ¥3. Feeder minibuses start at ¥1, can be flagged down anywhere, and the fare increases by distance. Air-conditioned buses and buses on the island-loop route cost ¥2. The Xiamen BRT starts at ¥1 and is fast and convenient. Xiamen Metro Lines 1, 2 and 3 are now open. ### Keep an Eye on the Weather Typhoon season in Xiamen is around August each year, so if you visit at this time, check weather updates closely. Typhoons can cause flight cancellations and the closure of some coastal attractions, and the heavy rain they bring can even trigger mudslides in mountain areas. ### Renting Bicycles Bicycle rental in Xiamen is concentrated near the Baicheng (White City) area of Xiamen University and along the stretch from Hulishan to Zhenzhu Bay. A deposit of about ¥100 is usually required. Single bikes generally cost ¥10 per hour and tandem bikes ¥15 per hour. On the Xiamen Island Ring Road, there are toll stations charging ¥5 for cyclists. Keep your ticket stub, as tickets are checked along the way. Walking does not incur the toll. ### Confusing Bus Stops Apart from major stations, bus stops on the same route in Xiamen do not always correspond between the two directions, so when returning, be sure to ask where your stop is. ### How to Avoid Being Taken the Long Way Taxis in Xiamen rarely take unnecessary detours, possibly because complaints are easy to lodge (0592-5615610). In addition, every taxi in Xiamen is fitted with satellite positioning, so afterwards you can present your receipt and ask the traffic authority to look up the vehicle's route and confirm whether it took a detour. To help prevent detours, tell the driver at the start of the journey that you want a receipt. ### Airport Shuttle from the High-Speed Rail Station After exiting the high-speed rail station, you can take a Jinlong coach directly to the airport. The journey takes only 20 minutes and costs ¥10, which is very convenient. ### Types of Transport in Xiamen 1. Feeder minibuses are sky blue and will stop wherever you flag them down. 2. Xiamen has plenty of taxis in six colours (blue, green, yellow, purple, rose red and orange), each representing one of the city's six taxi companies. Taxis start at ¥10 for the first 3 km, then ¥2 per km. For the portion of a single trip beyond 8 km, a 50% empty-return surcharge is added. 3. Ferries run between the city and Gulangyu. Buy your ticket when you depart. The resident fare is ¥8, while tourists pay ¥35 or ¥50 depending on the pier. Tickets are checked on the return trip. 4. You can also rent a car in Xiamen, with options for long-term or short-term rental, with or without a driver. - **Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport** — (On Lu Island (鹭岛), by the sea in Xiamen, 0592-96363) - **Xiamen Railway Station** — (Intersection of Xiahe Road and Hudong Road, Siming District) - **Xiamen North Railway Station** — (Near Zhongpu Road, Houxi Town, Jimei District) - **Xiamen Lunzong Sea Passenger Tourism Co., Ltd.** — (No. 33 Lujiang Road, Xiamen Tourism Passenger Terminal, 0592-2125187/2137611) - **Xiamen Port Group Heping Tourism Passenger Transport Co., Ltd.** — (No. 3 Lujiang Road, Xiamen, 0592-2022516) ## Eat & drink Fujian cuisine is one of China's Eight Major Cuisines, and Xiamen cuisine is of course a leading representative of it. Fujian dishes are mainly steamed, pan-fried, stir-fried, quick-fried, deep-fried or braised. The flavours are light, fresh and crisp, with a slight touch of spice. Seafood, medicinal herbal dishes and vegetarian food are must-tries in Xiamen. ### Zhonggu Cable Car The Zhonggu Cable Car runs for more than 1,000 metres and offers the only true moving viewing platform in the air over Xiamen. From above, you can look down on the beauty of the Botanical Garden, take in panoramic views of Gulangyu, and gaze into the distance at the Taiwanese islets known as Sandan, Sidan and Wudan. ### Delicious Vegetarian Dishes Among the vegetarian dishes of Putuo, the most famous is “Half-Moon Sinking Fragrance” (半月沉香). It is said the dish was originally called “Angelica and Gluten Soup.” After tasting it, the renowned writer Guo Moruo composed a poem on the spot: “Half a moon sinks to the bottom of the river; a thousand peaks enter the eye's hollow.” People then renamed the dish “Half-Moon Sinking Fragrance.” ### Xiamen Specialities Xiamen's signature specialties include Ajizai pie (many varieties), golden meat floss, seafood, dried fruit, and tea (oolong). It's best to compare several shops before buying. ### Xiamen Breakfast Duck congee for ¥2 a bowl, with a youtiao (fried dough stick) or a marinated egg on the side. Cheap, delicious, and the most common breakfast in Xiamen. ### How to Eat Tusun Jelly Condiments matter a great deal when eating tusun jelly. Soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, sweet sauce or chili sauce are essential, and you can add wasabi, satay chili sauce or minced garlic to taste. ### Rules for Buying Xiamen Specialties 1. When buying dried seafood, bargaining is key. Open at around half the asking price and don't be soft-hearted. A final price of about 60% of the asking price is typical. 2. The best dried shrimp is "golden hook" (jin gou). Some shops pass off big-head shrimp as golden hook. If you can't tell the difference, taste a sample before buying. Golden hook has a very fresh, rich flavour; if it doesn't, it isn't the real thing. Your own taste won't lie to you. 3. Gulangyu pies are another good buy, and Wangji Pies are the best. Vegetarian cakes from Nanputuo Temple are also very famous. ### Experience Haiyun Xiamen is one of the cities best suited to independent travel, and a visit should include experiencing Haiyun (the sea's rhythm). Consider staying on Gulangyu or at a hotel near the sea. Hotels range from two to four stars, priced from ¥120 to ¥3,000. National Day and Chinese New Year are peak seasons when rooms are scarce, so it's advisable to book in advance. ### Signature Cuisine ### Local Snacks Xiamen has a huge variety of snacks. Among the most representative are peanut soup, satay noodles, stir-fried thread noodles, braised pork zongzi, tusun jelly, oyster omelette, mianxian hu (rice noodle soup), chive boxes, fried five-spice rolls, scallion oil cakes, and thin pancakes. ### Recommended Food Streets - **Buddha Jumps Over the Wall** — Buddha Jumps Over the Wall is the signature dish of Fujian cuisine, bringing together the finest mountain and sea delicacies. Its main ingredients include shark's fin, sea cucumber, chicken breast, duck, pig tendon, shiitake mushrooms, abalone and pigeon eggs, along with a range of seasonings. The quality of the dish depends on the choice of ingredients, knife work, careful blending and the cooking sequence. Its aroma is so rich that it gave rise to the saying: "When the lid lifts, the savoury fragrance drifts to the neighbours; the Buddha, smelling it, abandons his meditation and leaps over the wall." That is the origin of the name. - **Putuo Vegetarian Dishes** — The vegetarian dishes at the vegetarian restaurant of Nanputuo Temple use vegetable oil, noodles, beans, vegetables and fruit as ingredients. Following Buddhist dietary tradition, they are vegetarian in every sense: in name, in ingredients and in preparation, all the way through. - **Live Seafood** — Xiamen's famous dishes are led by live seafood. Seafood dishes made with grouper, yellow croaker, red crab and local squid, all sourced in Xiamen, were already regarded as authentic signature dishes in the Qing dynasty. Ingredients are chosen for freshness and are ideally bought and cooked on the same day. Diners can pick lively seafood from the tanks in the restaurant, have it weighed, and hand it to the chef. - **Medicinal Cuisine** — Medicinal cuisine has a long history in China. The antique-style medicinal dishes at Lujiang Hotel in Xiamen are distinctive for their innovation. First, although Chinese herbs are the main seasoning, the dishes do not carry an off-putting medicinal taste. Second, the menu changes with the seasons to make the most of food as nourishment: summer dishes focus on nourishing yin, while winter dishes focus on replenishing vital energy. Third, the ingredients are carefully selected, highlighting seafood-based medicinal dishes. Fourth, the knife work is refined and the tableware is beautiful, with dishes shaped in countless ways that are a pleasure to the eye. - **Tusun Jelly** — This snack is covered in detail in the Local Snacks section of the Quanzhou chapter, but the way it is eaten in Xiamen is a little different. - **Duck Congee** — Although it isn't among the eleven famous snacks, it deserves special recommendation. Datong Duck and Fuyu Duck Congee are the top picks. - **Shark Balls** — A local delicacy you must try in Xiamen, made from boneless shark meat. The most recommended place is Longtou Fish Ball Shop. It's an unassuming little shop, but it delivers an extraordinary texture. - **Wutang Satay Noodles** — Satay noodle shops are everywhere in Xiamen, and nearly every snack shop sells them. Two of the best known are Wutang Satay Noodles and Hubin Sili Satay Noodles. - **Shrimp Noodles** — Wu Zaitian's snack shop serves authentic shrimp noodles and is a signature Xiamen snack. - **Oyster Omelette** — Most street food stalls serve it, seasoned with minced garlic, satay sauce and the like, for a crispier, more fragrant flavour. Before eating, however, it's best to check that the oysters are fresh. - **Huang Zehe Peanut Soup (Datong Branch)** — As the name suggests, this shop's specialty is peanut soup, but its oyster pancakes, pies and mianxian hu are also worth trying. (No. 276 Datong Road, Siming District) - **Zhangsanfeng Milk Tea Shop** — Hyped online as the top milk tea shop on Gulangyu, its tea has a slightly British flavour and is worth the ¥25 price per cup. (1st Floor, No. 8 Longtou Road, Siming District) - **Miss Zhao's Shop (Gulangyu Branch)** — Miss Zhao's grass jelly dessert, like the shop's advertising, tastes of the home cooking of her grandmother from her childhood, with that same familiar flavour. (No. 115, No. 8 Longtou Road, Siming District) - **Kale Food Court, Shimao Shopping Mall** — This five-storey food court offers dozens of regional specialties from across China. - **Huahui Food Street, Zhongshan Road** — Home to more than 20 food outlets, mainly serving a variety of local snacks. - **Hubin North Road Food Street** — Located in the middle section of Hubin North Road, it is dominated by hot pot restaurants. - **Xiamen City Plaza Food Court** — Gathering delicacies from across the country, it offers a full range of snacks. - **Xiamen Taiwan Snack Street** — The first Taiwan-style snack street set up inland. Its lanes bring together the delicious snacks of well-known night markets: Taipei's Shilin Night Market, Taichung's Fengjia Night Market and Kaohsiung's Liuhe Night Market. ## Nightlife Watching the twinkling lights of fishing boats moored in the bay, seen from Gulangyu, Haicang Bridge or the White Castle beach at Xiamen University, is one of the city's favourite night-time pastimes. Strolling along Huandao Road is also wonderfully romantic. You can also take a night cruise on the Lujiang River, with a route linking Yanwu Bridge, Haicang Bridge and the Xinglin Road-and-Rail Bridge. It offers a fresh perspective on Xiamen's dazzling night views, and you'll be captivated by their enchanting brilliance. ### Bar Hopping Binlang Road has the highest concentration of bars, with well-known spots such as Bujian Bar. Hexiang West Road also has several, and some are along Xidi. The old Laofan bar street at the Convention and Exhibition Center has hardly any crowds; 13K or Heitang are recommended for their excellent atmosphere. In addition, the open-air Eden Bar on Bailuzhou has a musical fountain in the evenings. ### Distinctive Bars on Nanhua Road Nanhua Road in Xiamen is home to several distinctive bars. The bars and cafés in this area have a rich cultural atmosphere, each with its own character: some are themed around travel, others around humanities and the arts. They are well worth exploring one by one. ## Where to stay There are two main options for staying in Xiamen. The first is the main island, which is well connected, serves as a key transport hub for entering and leaving Fujian, and is home to the city's main shopping districts and most of its sights. The second is Gulangyu, where rooms typically cost around ¥160. It has beautiful scenery and the freshest seafood. - **Move Yanhai · Seaview Guesthouse** — (Zengcuo'an Branch) A few minutes' walk takes you to the beach, and you can take in the sea from your window. Nearby sights include Xiamen University, Nanputuo Temple, Hulishan Fortress and Wanshi Botanical Garden. (No. 508 Tianquan Road, Zengcuo'an, 18159291101) - **Gulangyu Luka International Youth Hostel** — Sunlight Rock, the Koxinga Museum, Qin Garden and Sanyi Hall are each a 5–7 minute walk from here, and other attractions are 10–15 minutes away. (No. 14 Gongping Road, Gulangyu, 0592-2520980) ## Things to see - **Gulangyu Island** (★★★★★): Admission Free admission to the island; the five-attraction combo ticket is ¥110 (includes Sunlight Rock, Haoyue Garden, Shuzhuang Garden, Organ Museum and International Engraving Museum); Time needed 1–2 days — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/gulangyu-island - **Shuzhuang Garden** (★★★★): Admission ¥30; Opening hours 7：30—17：30 — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/shuzhuang-garden - **Underwater World** (★★★★): Admission ¥117; Opening hours 8:00–20:00 (April–October); 8:00–17:30 (November–March); Time needed 1–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/underwater-world - **Xiamen Botanical Garden** (★★★★): Admission ¥30; Opening hours 6：30—18：00; Time needed 2–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/xiamen-botanical-garden - **Xiamen University** (★★★★): Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/xiamen-university - **Nanputuo Temple** (★★★★): Opening hours 8：00—17：00; Time needed 1–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/nanputuo-temple - **Hulishan Fortress** (★★★★): Admission ¥25; Opening hours 8:00–18:00 (June–September); 8:00–17:30 (October–May); Time needed 1–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/hulishan-fortress - **Huandao Road** (★★★★): — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/huandao-road - **Huangcuo Beach** (★★★): Time needed 1–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/huangcuo-beach - **Jimei School Village** (★★★★): Admission Free; Time needed 2–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/jimei-school-village - **Zengcuo'an** (★★★★): Time needed 1–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/zengcuo-an - **Yunshang Xiamen** (★★★★): Admission ¥180; sailing experience ticket ¥198; main hall + children's hall + Flying Cinema/Dream Theatre ¥110; main hall + children's hall ¥70; main hall / Flying Cinema / 720 Rider Cinema / Dream Theatre ¥30; free; Opening hours 55th-floor observation deck 10:00–20:00; Time needed 1–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/yunshang-xiamen --- Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 1536–1563. 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.