Travel
24 Hours In… Xiamen
Slide Nr 1Among domestic Chinese tourists, Xiamen is renowned for its beautiful architecture and laid-back beach town vibes, but thanks to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the city has garnered international interest in recent years. On an island on the coast of Fujian Province, Xiamen overlooks the Taiwan Strait and has a rich cultural and political history within China. Come for the historic sites and stay for the food streets and coffee shops sprawled between perfectly preserved colonial buildings.
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24 Hours In… Xiamen.
Slide Nr 28am, Pastries And Panoramas – Always opt for breakfast with a view, if possible. While there’s the option to grab a pastry and coffee to go at French Kiss at Conrad Xiamen, if you take it on the run, you’ll miss out on sunrise over the Taiwan Strait and Gulangyu. Plus, the Conrad is located in one of Xiamen’s most iconic buildings, the twin sail-shaped towers in the Siming Business District.
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24 Hours In… Xiamen.
Slide Nr 39am, Take In The Temple – One of the most renowned Buddhist temples in the Fujian Province, Nanputuo Temple is a must-see attraction in Xiamen. While a Buddhist temple has been on this site since the Tang dynasty, the current temple dates back to the 1600s, with most of the pavilions constructed in the 1920s and ‘30s. As you move through the worship halls, take the stairs up the back into the hill. It’s about a 45-minute climb, but the birds-eye view of the temple and city are well worth it. [Photo: Wikimedia Commons]
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24 Hours In… Xiamen.
Slide Nr 410:30am, Stroll Through The University – Xiamen is famous for beautiful architecture, and one of the most renowned buildings is Xiamen University, founded by Tan Kah Kee in 1921 and designed by his son-in-law. The scenic situation of the campus, overlooking the coast and surrounded by Xiamen’s Botanical Gardens, make it ideal to wander around. You’ll need a passport ID to get in, but then you’ll be free to explore. [Photo: xiquinhosilva/Flickr]
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24 Hours In… Xiamen.
Slide Nr 511am, An Artistic Tunnel – Just beside the university is a one-kilometre tunnel under the Botanical Gardens filled with wall murals from the university students. The paintings range from funny to personal to political and give visitors a little insight into student life. On the east side of the tunnel, on Zengcuo’an North 2nd Road as you exit the tunnel, you’ll find a couple of very cute coffee shops if you’re in need of a caffeine kick.
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24 Hours In… Xiamen.
Slide Nr 611:30am, Have A Blast At Hulishan Fort – Hulishan Fort, a defensive military outpost facing the Strait of Taiwan, offers a fascinating look into Xiamen’s historical relevance as both a trading port and military base. The highlight attraction here is the huge German Krupp cannon, a 13-metre-long, 50-tonne weapon that has a shooting range of 16 kilometres. [Photo: Wikimedia Commons]
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24 Hours In… Xiamen.
Slide Nr 712:30pm, Shop And Snack On Zhongshan Road – Xiamen’s central shopping street is bustling with all the Chinese souvenirs and snacks you could dream of: stop for tea, grab an ice cream, or pick up mementoes like fresh oyster pearls, all while admiring the 19th-century colonial architecture.
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24 Hours In… Xiamen.
Slide Nr 81:30pm, Refuel – Take a break for lunch at one of the many establishments around Zhongshan Road. For some of Xiamen’s famous seafood, head to Youlai Seafood Restaurant where you can choose your fresh seafood and pick how it’s cooked: deep-fried salt and garlic shrimp, steamed ginger and scallion crab, and stir-fried squid are just some of the options. Another local favourite is Restaurant 1980, which serves up local bites like the famous Sha Cha Mian, a rich and hearty peanut-satay noodle soup with a variety of toppings from shrimp to tofu and offal.
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24 Hours In… Xiamen.
Slide Nr 92:30pm, Explore Gulangyu Island – Gulangyu Island (also called Kulangsu) was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017, although its cultural and heritage significance has long been recognised. One of the few international settlements on Chinese soil, Gulangyu is a mix of beautifully preserved 19th- and 20th-century colonial architecture from 13 different countries, including the UK, the Netherlands and France, who all had consulates on the now-pedestrianised island for diplomatic and trading purposes. Today, it’s a popular attraction for its tropical beaches and quirky museums. International tourists must take the ferry from Dongdu International Ferry Terminal, which costs CNY35 and takes around 20 minutes – don’t forget your passport! [Photo: Wikimedia Commons]
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24 Hours In… Xiamen.
Slide Nr 103:30pm, Key Into Music History – One of Gulangyu’s nicknames is “The Piano Island”, with good reason: there are over 200 pianos on the island, and a dedicated piano museum in Shuzhuang Garden which houses around 100 of them. Music nerds will enjoy the quirky collection, including the world’s tallest upright piano, the oldest four-corner piano in the world, and an unusual gold-plated piano. With so much musical inspiration on the island, it’s hardly surprising that there’s plenty of homegrown talent from Gulangyu, including renowned pianist and composer Yin Chengzong who still has a home on the island.
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24 Hours In… Xiamen.
Slide Nr 115pm, Sunset At Sunlight Rock – The walk up to Sunlight Rock certainly isn’t a long one, but it’s a little steep and on the south of the island. Go through the grounds of the 400-year-old Sunlight Rock Temple and up the stairs – under the giant boulder or around the terraced gardens – to the peak. It can be a little crowded, but it’s worth it for the panoramic views, especially at sunset. [Photo: Wikimedia Commons]
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24 Hours In… Xiamen.
Slide Nr 139pm, Sip Some Suds – Take the ferry to Xiamen Ferry Terminal (this is a much shorter 5-minute journey) and head to Fat Fat Beer Horse in the Shapowei Art Zone for a little taste of Chinese beer from their micro-brewery. Started in 2013 as a speakeasy, it now occupies two storeys in this arts and culture hub – which, if you fancy extending your trip, is well worth exploring. [Photo via Facebook]
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24 Hours In… Xiamen.
Slide Nr 14Read Before You Go: Get into the spirit of Chinese culture with the tales of Lu Xun. Born in Zhenjiang, Lu Xun studied in Beijing before teaching at Xiamen University, where he wrote his last collection of short stories, The Real Story of Ah-Q and Other Tales of China. Considered one of the pioneers of modern Chinese literature, his stories give insight into the Chinese traditions and culture you’ll encounter around Xiamen.
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Travel
24 Hours In… Xiamen.
Slide Nr 16Prepare Before You Go: China can be a tricky place to navigate if you don’t speak the language, so even if you don’t have the time to brush up your Mandarin, downloading the offline Google Translate Simplified Mandarin dictionary is a good idea. It’s an invaluable tool – especially with its photo-scanning function, which can help you translate local menus.
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24 Hours In… Xiamen.
Slide Nr 17Working in digital media since 2014, Rebecca Cairns is a writer, editor and content creator with a passion for travel and wellness. Her work has appeared online and in print internationally in Travel+Leisure, Fodor’s Travel Guide, The Culture Trip, Time Out, Crave Magazine, Home Journal, Hong Kong Tatler and Compare Retreats, where she is currently the editor. [Photo by Vishal Nanda]
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