Xiamen is a prosperous island city on the Fujian coast, mild for most of the year, walkable in the parts that matter, and built around a harbour that has been trading with the outside world for centuries. It is the counterpart to Quanzhou an hour up the coast: Quanzhou was the great port of the Song and Yuan, Xiamen the one that mattered under the Ming and Qing and after the treaty ports opened. Seeing one without the other tells you half the story.
Most of what visitors come for sits in the Siming district in the island's south, and two of those things need booking before you arrive.
Gulangyu, and which pier you sail from#
Gulangyu (鼓浪屿) is the small car-free island off the western shore, covered in the villas, consulates and churches left by the international settlement that occupied it from the 1840s. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List on 8 July 2017, at the 41st session in Kraków, as China's fifty-second World Heritage property.
Once you are on it, Gulangyu is genuinely lovely and genuinely crowded. The lanes away from the main drag empty out quickly.
Nanputuo, and the university next door#
Nanputuo Temple (南普陀寺) on Siming South Road is one of the major Buddhist temples of southern Fujian, active, free to enter, and built up the hillside so the climb behind it gives you the best free view in the city. It sits immediately beside Xiamen University, and the two are usually done together.
The sights#
| Site | Chinese | Address | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulangyu | 鼓浪屿 | Off the western shore, Siming district | Ferry from the Cruise Centre pier |
| Nanputuo Temple | 南普陀寺 | 厦门市思明区思明南路515号 | Bus to 厦大(南普陀) stop; no metro |
| Xiamen University | 厦门大学 | Siming campus, beside Nanputuo | Bus or taxi; book ahead |
| Zhongshan Road | 中山路步行街 | 厦门市思明区中山路 | Metro line 1 to Zhenhailu station |
| Huandao Road | 环岛路 | Along the island's south-east shore | Taxi or bike |
Zhongshan Road (中山路步行街) is the old commercial spine, running about 1.2 kilometres from the waterfront inland, arcaded in the southern Fujian style and busy every evening. The metro's line 1 terminus at Zhenhailu station (镇海路站) is a couple of hundred metres away.
Huandao Road (环岛路) is the coast road round the island's south-east side, with a separated cycle and running path along the sea. It is the pleasantest hour Xiamen offers and costs nothing.
Food#
Xiamen eats like the coast it is on. 沙茶面, satay noodle soup, is the local dish and reflects the city's long traffic with Southeast Asia — a peanut-and-spice broth that arrived back with returning migrants. 海蛎煎, oyster omelette, is the street standard; 土笋冻, a savoury jelly set from marine worms, is the one locals watch you try.
Fujian tea culture is serious here, and being handed small cups of oolong in a shop you have wandered into is normal rather than a sales tactic.
Getting there and around#
Xiamen has a metro — lines 1, 2 and 3 in operation, around 98 kilometres between them — and it is useful for the city centre and for reaching Xiamen North railway station. Line 1's terminus serves Zhongshan Road.
It does not currently reach Nanputuo Temple or Xiamen University. A line 3 extension towards the university's south gate is under construction but not open, so use buses or a taxi for those two, whatever a map application suggests.
The Fuzhou–Xiamen high-speed line opened in September 2023 and runs up the coast through Quanzhou, putting Quanzhou around an hour away or less depending on the service. Quanzhou has more than one station, so check which one your ticket names before you book.
Frequently asked questions#
Which pier do I take the Gulangyu ferry from?#
During the day, tourists sail from the Cruise Centre pier (邮轮中心厦鼓码头) on Donggang Road. The central Lundu terminal opposite Zhongshan Road is for residents by day and only carries tourist sailings at night. Book online in advance — tourists can book up to ten days ahead.
Is Gulangyu the same as Kulangsu?#
Yes. UNESCO inscribed the island in 2017 as "Kulangsu, a Historic International Settlement", using the older romanisation. Gulangyu is the Mandarin pinyin spelling used by nearly all travel writing. One island, two spellings.
Do I need to book to visit Xiamen University?#
Yes. Entry to the Siming campus must be booked in advance through the university's official channel, one to three days ahead, in timed slots. On normal working days visitors are admitted only between 12:30 and 14:00. The rules change, so check the university's own channel before relying on them.
Does Xiamen have a metro?#
Yes, lines 1 to 3. It does not yet serve Nanputuo Temple or Xiamen University — the line 3 extension towards the university is still under construction — so reach those by bus or taxi.
How far is Quanzhou from Xiamen?#
Around an hour or less by high-speed rail on the Fuzhou–Xiamen line, which opened in September 2023. Quanzhou has several stations, so confirm which one your ticket names.
How many days do you need in Xiamen?#
Two to three nights: a day for Gulangyu, a half day for Nanputuo and the university, and time for the coast road. Add two more nights if you continue to Quanzhou, which most visitors should.
For Quanzhou's older and stranger maritime history, see the Quanzhou travel guide; for what to expect inside an active Buddhist temple, see religion and philosophy in China.