Xiamen Travel Guide

With a population of over one million people, Xiamen is a busy southern coastal city overlooking Taiwan in Fujian Province. Like many of China’s cities in the east, Xiamen has been taken by numerous foreign invaders in the past two centuries, although not much is left in evidence of the colonial days. Nowadays, the city features a bustling harbor and is well-known for its seafood and idyllic nearby island of Gulang Yu.

This coastal city is actually on an island that is connected to the mainland by a large bridge. Most tourists head to two well-worn places in the city; the wonderful Wanshi Botanical Gardens and the Nanputuo Temple. Situated in the western area of the city which features numerous examples of traditional architecture and parks, both these attractions are worth seeing with the latter being 1,000 years old.

The most popular destination is the nearby island of Gulang Yu, a short 10-minute boat trip from the main harbor, itself an area of the city worth exploring. This island is a sleepy little corner of China with impressive houses, a lighthouse and numerous seafood restaurants serving fish straight out of the sea. Gulang Yu also features some of the premier attractions in the area, with Xiamen Sea World sporting penguins, sharks and seals.

Xiamen Attractions

Nanputuo Temple: built during the Tang Dynasty more than 1,000 years ago, this temple features a laughing Buddha and numerous hallways to explore.

Wanshi Botanical Gardens: a large expanse of green to the northwest of the city center.

Sea World: the enclosures are a little small, but there are plenty of sea animals on show here including penguins and sharks.

Sunlight Rock: the highest point on Gulang Yu at nearly 100 meters above sea level with great views of the surrounding bays.

Koxinga Memorial Hall: a colonial building and museum on Gulang Yu that traces the Dutch settlement in the area and the colonists’ eventual expulsion.