Xiamen

Highlights

• Gulangyu Island (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
• Nanputuo Temple and Xiamen University campus
• Huandao Road coastal cycling route
• Zhangzhou Tulou earthen roundhouses (day trip)
• Zhongshan Road pedestrian shopping street
• Egret Island (Heron Island) nature reserve
• Taiwanese cultural influence and Min Nan heritage

Getting Around

Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport (XMN) has direct flights from all major Chinese cities and several Southeast Asian destinations. High-speed rail at Xiamen North station connects to Fuzhou in approximately 1 hour, Shanghai in approximately 4 hours, and Shenzhen in approximately 3.5 hours. The city's ferry terminal for Gulangyu Island is a 10-minute ride from the railway station by metro Line 2.

Food

Xiamen specialises in Min Nan (Hokkien) cuisine, characterised by fresh seafood, light seasoning, and a heavy influence on Taiwanese cooking. Oyster omelette (蚵仔煎), stuffed sticky rice (八宝饭), and peanut soup (花生汤) with glutinous rice balls are the signature street foods around Zhongshan Road. The seafood night market on Zengcuoan Street near the university offers everything from grilled razor clams to fresh crab at very reasonable prices.

Stay

Staying on Gulangyu Island provides the most atmospheric experience — the island has dozens of boutique guesthouses in colonial buildings — but demand is high and advance booking is essential. On the main island, the area around Zhongshan Road in the old town offers mid-range hotels with easy ferry access. Lujiang Harbour near the ferry terminal has business hotels with harbour views. Budget options cluster near Xiamen North station and the university districts.

Budget