A relaxed island-and-seaside city in Fujian province — the headline sight is Gulangyu Island (鼓浪屿), a car-free UNESCO World Heritage island full of old colonial villas, narrow lanes and drifting piano music, which is why it's called the "piano island"; you reach it by a short ferry from the city · wander Xiamen University (厦门大学), one of China's prettiest seaside campuses, right next to Nanputuo Temple (南普陀寺) · cycle or stroll the Huandao coastal road (环岛路) past the beaches · shop and eat along Zhongshan Road (中山路) in the old town · and it's a city of Minnan (闽南) Hokkien culture, Fujian oolong tea and fresh seafood · get around on the metro — Line 1 runs scenically along the coast — and the Gulangyu ferry, and Thai passport holders enter visa-free
Xiamen (厦门) sits on the coast of southern Fujian province and is a relaxed island-and-seaside city — at its heart is Gulangyu Island (鼓浪屿), a car-free UNESCO World Heritage island packed with old colonial villas, tiny lanes and piano music drifting on the breeze, which earned it the nickname the "piano island"; a short ferry from the city gets you there · another local favourite is Xiamen University (厦门大学), one of the prettiest seaside campuses in China, right beside Nanputuo Temple (南普陀寺), an old Buddhist temple at the foot of Wulao Peak · for a slow day, cycle or walk the Huandao coastal road (环岛路) that runs along the sea past the beaches · for shopping and street food, head to Zhongshan Road (中山路), the old-town pedestrian street by the harbour · Xiamen is also a city of Minnan (闽南) Hokkien culture, Fujian oolong tea and fresh seafood — and getting around is easy thanks to the metro, with Thai passport holders entering visa-free
From car-free Gulangyu Island and its old colonial villas, seaside Xiamen University, Nanputuo Temple and the Huandao coastal road, to Hulishan Fortress, the Zhongshan Road old town and the skyline over the bay — this is the scenery you'll actually meet in Xiamen
The full Xiamen guide is being added piece by piece · the Stay tab is ready now, while Eat and See are in the works, and for Plan and Prep there are China guides you can read first — just pick a tab below
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9.0Gulangyu Island · Xiamen University · Nanputuo Temple · Zhongshan Road · Hulishan Fortress · Wuyuan Bay · Huandao Road and Baicheng Beach — see where each one sits (most sights are on the west and south of Xiamen island, while Gulangyu is a short ferry across) so you can plan your route · Xiamen has a metro, with Line 1 running scenically along the coast plus Lines 2 and 3, alongside the Gulangyu ferry, taxi / DiDi and high-speed rail
Pick by budget and where you want to be — by the harbour near Gulangyu and Zhongshan Road, on the seafront near Xiamen University, or in a newer bayside district · compare prices across 3 sites in one click before you book · Trip.com has the most China hotels
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🏆💎💎🛍️🏝️🌊🏖️🏙️🌆✈️🏝️🎒A good trip isn't just one spot — 3 destinations around Xiamen you can reach easily by ferry, road or high-speed rail, as a day trip or an overnight
Xiamen (厦门) sits on the coast of southern Fujian province and is a relaxed island-and-seaside city — at its heart is Gulangyu Island (鼓浪屿), a car-free UNESCO World Heritage island full of old colonial villas and piano music, the "piano island", with Sunlight Rock (日光岩) as its highest viewpoint and the seaside Shuzhuang Garden (菽庄花园) · on the main island are Xiamen University (厦门大学), a seaside campus, next to Nanputuo Temple (南普陀寺), an old Buddhist temple at the foot of Wulao Peak · along the coast run the Huandao coastal road (环岛路) and Baicheng Beach · for the old town, walk Zhongshan Road (中山路) with its qilou arcades by the harbour, and Hulishan Fortress (胡里山炮台), a coastal gun fort · plus the newer Wuyuan Bay (五缘湾) district and the old village of Zengcuo'an (曾厝垵)
Xiamen works on any budget — backpacker ฿1,000-2,200/day · mid-range ฿2,800-5,500/day (excluding flights) · there are a few areas to stay — by the harbour near Zhongshan Road, handy for the Gulangyu ferry · the south near Xiamen University and the coastal road, close to the sea and beaches · and the newer Wuyuan Bay district near the airport · get around the city on the metro, with Line 1 running scenically along the coast plus Lines 2 and 3, alongside the Gulangyu ferry, taxi and DiDi · arrive by high-speed rail to Xiamen North station, or fly into Xiamen Gaoqi Airport (XMN) · the best windows are Mar–May and Sep–Nov (pleasant weather with a cool sea breeze · summer is hot, humid and sees the odd typhoon), and avoid Chinese New Year and the long national holidays · Thai passport holders enter visa-free · don't forget to set up a VPN · eSIM · Alipay/WeChat Pay before you go
The Wherebest team is steadily adding deeper hotel reviews and Xiamen guides — neighbourhoods to stay in, sights, food, and trips out to Gulangyu and Minnan cuisine. Start planning your trip with the complete China travel guide →
Start planning from the China travel guide, then pick off Xiamen one sight at a time