--- title: "Top 10 Things To Do in Xiamen, China | Wimup" description: "The 10 best things to do in Xiamen, ranked. How to reach car-free Gulangyu, book Xiamen University and Nanputuo, ride the coast road and see the Fujian tulou." url: https://wimup.com/city/xiamen type: City guide updated: 2026-10-23 publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com) --- # Top 10 Things To Do in Xiamen Xiamen, China · Asia · By Wimup Editorial, 12 min read Xiamen is an island city on China's south-east coast, the old treaty port the West called Amoy. Its draw is a car-free island of colonial villas, a temple and campus side by side, and a seafront road that circles half the island. Eat on the street and keep a day for the tulou. ## Quick answer Xiamen is a coastal city in Fujian province, built on an island and facing Taiwan's Kinmen across the strait. Spend a day and a night on car-free Gulangyu, see Nanputuo Temple and Xiamen University next door, ride the coast road to Hulishan Fortress and eat along Zhongshan Road. Give it three or four days, one of them for the Fujian tulou. ## Quick facts - **Best months:** Oct · Nov · Mar · Apr - **Ideal length:** 3–4 days - **Budget per day:** ¥400–950 - **Language:** Mandarin and Minnan - **Getting around:** Metro, BRT, taxi and ferry - **Tourism board:** [Official site](https://www.xm.gov.cn/english/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## The 10 best things to do in Xiamen ### 1. Spend a day and a night on car-free Gulangyu Island · Gulangyu, Siming District Kulangsu, a short ferry ride off the city, became a UNESCO site in 2017 for the consulates, churches and villas built after Xiamen opened as a treaty port. There are no cars on its lanes. Sleep over: the island is a different place once the last day-trippers leave. - **Time:** Full day, ideally a night - **Cost:** ¥35 standard return ferry - **Best at:** Weekday mornings - **Tip:** Visitors sail from the Dongdu cruise terminal, not the downtown pier, which is for residents. Tickets are named, so bring your passport. Links: [UNESCO](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1541/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 2. Climb Sunlight Rock for the view over the island Viewpoint · Sunlight Rock, Gulangyu The highest point on Gulangyu, a granite crown about 93 metres above the sea, with the island's red roofs below and the city skyline across the channel. It is the best orientation on the island, and the busiest spot by midmorning. - **Time:** 1–2 hours - **Cost:** ¥50 - **Best at:** At opening - **Tip:** Walk up first thing, then drift down through the lanes to Shuzhuang Garden on the south shore. ### 3. Visit Nanputuo Temple at the foot of Wulao Peak Temple · Nanputuo Temple, Siming South Road Xiamen's main Buddhist temple, dedicated to Guanyin, its halls stepping up the slope beside Xiamen University. The current buildings are largely modern rebuilds of a much older foundation. Entry is free, but a WeChat reservation may be required. - **Time:** 1–2 hours - **Cost:** Free, reservation may apply - **Best at:** Early morning - **Tip:** Check that the trail behind the temple is open, then climb toward Wulao Peak for the view over the campus and the sea. ### 4. Walk the Xiamen University campus Campus · Xiamen University, Siming South Road Founded in 1921 by the overseas Chinese merchant Tan Kah Kee, the campus pairs Western building bodies with sweeping Chinese roofs around a lake. It is one of China's most visited universities, and visits run on a booking system. - **Time:** 2 hours - **Cost:** Free with a reservation - **Best at:** Weekends, when quotas are larger - **Tip:** Book through the university's official WeChat visitor system one to three days ahead, with your passport. Links: [Xiamen University](https://en.xmu.edu.cn/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 5. Tour Shuzhuang Garden and its piano museum Garden · Shuzhuang Garden, Gangzaihou Road, Gulangyu A Taiwanese merchant family's seaside garden of 1913, with a zigzag bridge over the water and rockeries borrowed from classical Suzhou design. The piano museum in its grounds explains why Gulangyu calls itself the island of music. - **Time:** 1–2 hours - **Cost:** Around ¥30 - **Best at:** Late afternoon - **Tip:** Combination tickets cover several island sights; compare the bundle with the two or three you actually want. ### 6. Ride the Huandao Road coast Coast · Huandao Road, Siming District The seafront road wraps the island's south and east shore, with a bike path beside it past beaches, sculptures and views to Kinmen. It is the route of the Xiamen Marathon. Ride it east from Baicheng Beach in the late afternoon. - **Time:** 2–4 hours - **Cost:** Free, bike hire extra - **Best at:** Late afternoon, October to April - **Tip:** Shared bikes are everywhere but unlock through Alipay or WeChat; set one up before you arrive. ### 7. See the Krupp gun at Hulishan Fortress Fortress · Hulishan Fortress, Siming District A Qing coastal battery of the 1890s on a headland over the strait, built to guard Xiamen's harbour. Its German Krupp gun, one of the largest 19th-century coastal guns to survive, still points out to sea. Kinmen is in view on a clear day. - **Time:** 1 hour - **Cost:** About ¥25 - **Best at:** Clear afternoons - **Tip:** Pair it with Baicheng Beach just below, and the start of the coast road. ### 8. Eat your way along Zhongshan Road Food · Zhongshan Road, Siming District The old town's pedestrian spine, lined with 1920s arcaded shophouses that run to the Lujiang waterfront. Order peanut soup at Huang Zehe, then shacha noodles in the side lanes. The street is a show; the food is in the alleys off it. - **Time:** 2–3 hours - **Cost:** ¥10–40 a dish - **Best at:** Evening - **Tip:** Walk to Datong Road for the old snack shops, where you still order with paper tickets. ### 9. Take a day trip to the Fujian tulou Day trip · Tianluokeng, Nanjing County, Zhangzhou The round and square earthen houses of the Hakka and Minnan, some built to hold whole clans, are a UNESCO site since 2008. Tianluokeng, about 150 km west, is the famous cluster: four round houses around a square one, best seen from the ridge above. - **Time:** Full day - **Cost:** Scenic-area ticket, plus transport - **Best at:** Clear days in spring or autumn - **Tip:** Public transport takes about 3.5 hours each way. Hire a driver or join a small group, and check what the price includes. Links: [UNESCO](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1113/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 10. Visit Jimei, the school town Tan Kah Kee built District · Jimei School Village, Jimei District Across the causeway on the mainland, Tan Kah Kee funded a whole town of schools with flared-roof buildings around a dragon boat pond. Aoyuan, the seaside garden he designed, holds his tomb and a granite wall of carved history. - **Time:** Half day - **Cost:** Mostly free - **Best at:** Weekday mornings - **Tip:** Metro Line 1 runs to Jimei School Village station, a short walk from the pond. ## Best of Gulangyu Five stops beyond the Top 10, all walkable from the ferry piers in a day. 1. **Haoyue Garden** (East shore · Gulangyu): A rocky headland with the giant statue of Koxinga facing the sea. 2. **Kulangsu Gallery of Foreign Artefacts** (About ¥25 · Gulangyu): Palace Museum pieces from abroad, shown in a former hospital. 3. **Bagua Lou** (Landmark · Gulangyu): The red-domed villa that anchors the island skyline. 4. **Trinity Church** (Church · Gulangyu): A 1930s church on a cross-shaped plan, among the villas. 5. **Longtou Road** (Street · Gulangyu): The island's main shopping lane, for snacks and pastries. ## Best sights and museums in Xiamen Four stops that fill in the city behind the headline sights. 1. **Overseas Chinese Museum** (Museum · Siming): Founded by Tan Kah Kee on the story of Chinese emigration. 2. **Wulao Peaks** (Hike · Siming): The hills behind Nanputuo, with views to the sea. 3. **Furong Tunnel** (Campus · Siming): A university tunnel painted floor to ceiling by students. 4. **Zhongshan Park** (Park · Siming): The old-town park named for Sun Yat-sen. ## Best of Jimei Three stops in Tan Kah Kee's home town, one metro ride from the island. 1. **Aoyuan** (Garden · Jimei): Seaside garden with granite carvings and Tan Kah Kee's tomb. 2. **Tan Kah Kee Memorial Museum** (Museum · Jimei): The life of the rubber magnate who paid for the town's schools. 3. **Dragon Boat Pond** (Waterfront · Jimei): The school buildings reflected in the pond at their feet. ## Where to eat in Xiamen Four places to eat like a local, from century-old snack shops to the fish market. 1. **Huang Zehe Peanut Soup** (Snack · Zhongshan Road): The best-known bowl of peanut soup, on Zhongshan Road. 2. **Jiawei Zaitian Snack Shop** (Snack · Datong Road): Old-town snacks on Datong Road, ordered with paper tickets. 3. **Eighth Market** (Market · Siming): The old town's seafood market, best in the morning. 4. **Zengcuo'an lanes** (Street food · Zengcuo'an): Street snacks and cafes in the former fishing village. ## Best coast and parks in Xiamen Four places to get out of the streets, all on the island. 1. **Baicheng Beach** (Beach · Siming): The city beach below Hulishan, at the start of the coast road. 2. **Xiamen Botanical Garden** (Garden · Siming): Hillside garden on Wanshi Mountain, with a rainforest section. 3. **Yundang Lake** (Lake · Siming): The lagoon in the middle of the city, ringed by a walking path. 4. **Huangcuo Beach** (Beach · Siming): A quieter stretch of sand on the east coast. ## Best neighbourhoods in Xiamen Three quarters with a character of their own, all on the island. 1. **Zhongshan Road** (Old town · Siming): Arcaded shophouses from the 1920s, down to the waterfront. 2. **Shapowei** (Art district · Siming): An old fishing harbour turned art district, liveliest at night. 3. **Zengcuo'an** (Village · Siming): A former fishing village of guesthouses, cafes and murals. ## Best day trips from Xiamen Four runs from Xiamen by rail or road, from half an hour to a long day. 1. **Tianluokeng and Taxia** (150 km · Nanjing County): The tulou cluster and the canal village below it. [UNESCO](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1113/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 2. **Hongkeng Tulou Village** (Long day · Yongding): Yongding's tulou village, Zhencheng Lou among them. [UNESCO](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1113/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 3. **Quanzhou** (30 min by train · Quanzhou): A Song and Yuan dynasty port, on the UNESCO list since 2021. [UNESCO](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1561/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 4. **Zhangzhou Ancient City** (Half day · Zhangzhou): The old streets of Xiamen's neighbour across the bay. ## Festivals & annual events in Xiamen (2026) - **Xiamen Marathon** (Jan): A World Athletics label race along the coast road, held in early January. - **Spring Festival** (Jan / Feb): Chinese New Year, on the lunar calendar. Gulangyu ferries and trains sell out. - **Qingming** (Apr): Tomb-sweeping day, when Xiamen families roll popiah at home. - **Dragon Boat Festival** (May / Jun): Boat races and zongzi on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. - **CIFIT trade fair** (Sep): The big investment fair opens on 8 September. Hotel prices climb that week. - **Mid-Autumn Bobing** (Sep / Oct): Families roll six dice in a bowl for mooncake prizes, Xiamen's own Mid-Autumn game. - **Golden Week** (Oct): The 1 to 7 October national holiday. Book the Gulangyu ferry well ahead. - **Golden Rooster Awards** (Nov): China's top film awards, held in Xiamen with a week of screenings. ## Must-try dishes in Xiamen, China - **Shacha noodles**: Noodles in a rich satay-style broth, with toppings you pick yourself. - **Peanut soup**: Sweet soup of peanuts simmered until they melt, eaten as a snack. - **Tusun dong**: Sea worm jelly, set cold and served with vinegar, garlic and chilli. - **Oyster omelette**: Small oysters fried in egg and sweet potato starch, with sweet sauce. - **Popiah**: Thin spring roll wrappers filled with stir-fried vegetables and seafood. - **Shaorou zong**: Minnan rice dumpling packed with pork, mushroom and chestnut. - **Mianxian hu**: Fine rice vermicelli in a thick seafood broth, a breakfast staple. - **Tieguanyin tea**: Oolong from nearby Anxi, brewed small and strong, gongfu style. ## Xiamen transport & airports - **Xiamen Gaoqi Airport** (XMN): On the north of the island, about 30 minutes by taxi from the old town. The new Xiang'an airport is due to open by the end of 2026, so check which one your flight uses. - **High-speed rail** (Rail): Most fast trains use Xiamen North in Jimei, on Metro Line 1; some stop at Xiamen station on the island. Book on 12306 with your passport. [China Railway 12306](https://www.12306.cn/en/index.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - **Metro and BRT** (Local): Lines 1 to 3 cross the island and the mainland; Lines 4 and 6 began trial service in September 2026. Elevated BRT buses fill the gaps. - **Ferry to Gulangyu** (Ferry): Visitors sail from the Dongdu International Cruise Center to Sanqiutian or Neicuo'ao, about 20 minutes. Book a named ticket ahead in peak season. ## Xiamen at a glance - **Country:** China - **Region:** Fujian province, south-east coast - **Population:** About 5.35 million in the municipality (end of 2024) - **Old name:** Amoy, from the Hokkien name - **Nickname:** Egret Island - **Language:** Mandarin, with Minnan (Hokkien) - **Currency:** Chinese yuan (¥, CNY) - **Time zone:** China Standard Time · UTC+8 - **Calling code:** +86 - **Airports:** XMN Gaoqi, on the island; Xiang'an due by end of 2026 - **Power:** 220V · Type A/C/I - **Emergency:** 110 police / 120 ambulance / 119 fire ## Interesting facts - Xiamen was one of the four original Special Economic Zones China opened in 1980. - The old English name, Amoy, comes from the local Hokkien pronunciation of the city. - Gulangyu bans cars and bicycles, so everything on the island moves on foot or by cart. - Kinmen, governed from Taipei, lies within sight of Xiamen's east shore. - Bobing, the Mid-Autumn dice game, is on China's national intangible heritage list. ## Xiamen travel FAQ ### How many days do you need in Xiamen? Three or four. One for Gulangyu with a night on the island, one for Nanputuo, the university and the coast road, and one for the tulou. A fourth adds Jimei or Quanzhou. ### How do you get to Gulangyu? Visitors take the ferry from the Dongdu International Cruise Center, about 20 minutes; the downtown pier is for residents. Tickets carry your name, so bring your passport, and book ahead on holidays. ### Can visitors go into Xiamen University? Yes, with a reservation. Book through the university's official WeChat visitor system one to three days ahead, and bring the passport you booked with. Weekend quotas are larger than weekday ones. ### How do you visit the Fujian tulou from Xiamen? Tianluokeng is about 150 km west. Public transport takes around 3.5 hours each way, so most visitors hire a driver or join a small group. Check whether the price includes the scenic-area ticket. ### When is the best time to visit Xiamen? October to November and March to April are mild and drier. Summer is hot and humid with typhoon risk, and Golden Week in early October fills the ferries and hotels. ## Nearby guides - [Taichung](https://wimup.com/city/taichung.md): Taiwan · 10 picks - [Tainan](https://wimup.com/city/tainan.md): Taiwan · 10 picks - [Taipei](https://wimup.com/city/taipei.md): Taiwan · 10 picks - [All of Asia →](https://wimup.com/asia): 100 cities Part of the [China guide](https://wimup.com/country/china.md) · [Asia](https://wimup.com/asia.md) ## Sources - [Xiamen tourism board](https://www.xm.gov.cn/english/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Spend a day and a night on car-free Gulangyu: UNESCO](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1541/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Walk the Xiamen University campus: Xiamen University](https://en.xmu.edu.cn/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Take a day trip to the Fujian tulou: UNESCO](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1113/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Quanzhou: UNESCO](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1561/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [High-speed rail: China Railway 12306](https://www.12306.cn/en/index.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.