3 Days in Xiamen — The Perfect First-Timer Itinerary: Gulangyu Island, a Seaside Campus & the Over-Sea Metro to Jimei 2026

Why 3 days

A city that slows down enough to breathe — and still has it all

If you have done the big mainland cities, Xiamen lands differently the moment you arrive: a seaside island city with clean air, plenty of greenery and a slower rhythm. Locals rate it one of the most liveable cities in China and a favourite for honeymoons. At the heart of any trip are the UNESCO-listed island of Gulangyu, a seaside university often called the prettiest campus in China, and a Metro Line 1 that runs out over the sea on an elevated viaduct — all in one city.

This plan is built for a first visit to Xiamen, with each day grouped by zone so you don't waste hours doubling back: Day 1 is all on Gulangyu, a car-free island you walk on foot for old villas, a viewpoint hill and a seafront garden; Day 2 stays on the south of Xiamen Island for the university, an old temple, a coastal fort and a seafront road; Day 3 heads off the island to Jimei School Village by the over-sea metro, then loops back for harbour-side coffee and local food. Every leg runs on the ferry, metro and your own two feet — you barely need a taxi.

Want a shorter or longer trip? See the 2-day plan for a weekend, the 4-day plan that adds a trip out of the city like the Fujian tulou, or browse all Xiamen attractions first.

Day one

Gulangyu Island — car-free, UNESCO-listed

A morning ferry across · lanes of old European villas · the island's highest viewpoint · a seafront garden and the sound of pianos to finish — a day done entirely on foot, and worth every step.

Day 1

Gulangyu Island · Sunlight Rock · Shuzhuang Garden · old lanes

Gulangyu Island, Xiamen — a car-free island of colonial-era European villas and lush greenery by the sea

Morning · ~3–4 hours

The ferry across to Gulangyu (鼓浪屿) + Sunlight Rock

Start the trip with the ferry across to Gulangyu Island, the tiny UNESCO-listed isle that is the heart of any Xiamen trip. The whole island is car-free — just pedestrians and a few electric carts — which makes wandering a pleasure. Once ashore, head for Sunlight Rock (日光岩), the island's highest point; it is a short climb to a 360-degree view over the island, the city skyline across the water and the sea all around — the best photo spot on Gulangyu. For routes and opening hours see the Sunlight Rock guide, and for the bigger picture the Gulangyu Island guide.

Going early is best — the sun is gentler and the crowds are thinner. The island is small but its lanes are a maze made for getting lost in, so let yourself drift, stop at a pretty villa for a photo, and don't rush.

Ferry: tourists board at the Cruise Terminal (邮轮中心厦鼓码头) to the north · book a timed ticket with your passport · return ~¥35–50 (~฿175–250) · crossing ~5–8 min

Sunlight Rock: ticket ~¥50–60 (~฿250–300) · open ~07:00–17:30

Book the ferry ahead: reserve online via Klook so you don't find it sold out

Afternoon · ~3 hours

Shuzhuang Garden (菽庄花园) + the old lanes and island cafés

In the afternoon walk over to Shuzhuang Garden (Shuzhuang Garden), a seafront garden in a Chinese-meets-European style built out over the water back in 1913 — with a zigzag bridge across the sea, viewing pavilions and a Piano Museum holding dozens of antique pianos (Gulangyu is nicknamed "Piano Island" for having the highest number of pianos per head in China). Sit by the water and listen to the waves; it is the most romantic corner of the island. See the Shuzhuang Garden guide for details.

Spend the rest of the afternoon wandering the lanes, taking in the colonial villas once built by consuls and overseas-Chinese merchants, stopping at a stylish café or trying island snacks — ice cream and local sweets alike. Browse our pick of Xiamen cafés.

Shuzhuang Garden: ticket ~¥30 (~฿150) · open ~07:30–17:30 · the Piano Museum is inside the garden

Getting around the island: all on foot · electric carts run on some routes

Lunch: ¥40–120 per person · island spots range from snacks to one-plate meals

Tip: Gulangyu sells a combo ticket covering several of the main sights — Sunlight Rock, Shuzhuang Garden and others — for less than buying each separately. If you plan to see a few sights on the island, compare the combo price before you buy.

Evening · ~2 hours

Ferry back + dinner around Zhongshan Road

Before dusk, take the ferry back to Xiamen (check the time of the last sailing carefully so you don't miss it). Once ashore, walk over to Zhongshan Road (中山路), the city's oldest pedestrian shopping street, just by the ferry. It is a strip of qilou arcades (covered colonnaded walkways) that light up beautifully at night, packed with food stalls, local sweets and souvenirs — an easy place to round off the first day with dinner.

There is plenty to try here: satay noodles (沙茶面), Xiamen's signature bowl, oyster omelette and Minnan snacks of every kind. Read more in the Zhongshan Road guide, the Xiamen food guide and our piece on satay noodles.

Ferry back: arrives at the Xiamen-side pier · check the last sailing in advance (limited late-evening runs)

Zhongshan Road: free · walkable from the pier · most shops open until ~22:00

Dinner: ¥50–150 per person · local restaurants and street food along the street

Day two

The south of the island — campus, temple and sea

The prettiest campus in China in the morning · a thousand-year-old temple on the hillside · a historic coastal fort · and a seafront road at sunset to finish — several sides of Xiamen in one walkable zone.

Day 2

Xiamen University · Nanputuo Temple · Hulishan Fortress · Huandao Road

Xiamen University — a seaside campus with Chinese-Western architecture and a lake at its centre

Morning · ~2.5–3 hours

Xiamen University (厦门大学) + the Furong Tunnel

Start the second day at Xiamen University, the seaside campus many call the prettiest in China. Founded in 1921 by Tan Kah Kee, an overseas-Chinese businessman, its buildings blend Chinese and Western architecture, with a lake at the centre and mountains behind. The one thing not to miss is the Furong Tunnel (芙蓉隧道), a long pedestrian tunnel where students have covered the walls in colourful graffiti — a great photo stop. For how to get in and where to shoot, see the Xiamen University guide.

An important note: the university admits only a limited number of visitors per day and you must register or book ahead (usually via the university's WeChat account), and it is especially busy during the holidays and term breaks. Check the latest rules and reserve a slot before you go.

Metro/bus: Metro Line 1 to a nearby station then a short bus, or one of several buses straight to the university or Nanputuo Temple gate

Entry: free · but registration/booking required · capped numbers per day

Visiting hours: often limited to the lunch and evening breaks on teaching days · check the latest rules

Afternoon · ~3 hours

Nanputuo Temple (南普陀寺) + Hulishan Fortress (胡里山炮台)

Right next to the university is Nanputuo Temple, a Buddhist temple over a thousand years old at the foot of Wulao Peak — Xiamen's most revered and most beautiful. Halls climb the hillside in tiers, and you can keep walking up the hill behind for a lovely view back over the temple and the sea. The temple also has a well-known vegetarian restaurant, a good spot for a meat-free lunch. Read more in the Nanputuo Temple guide.

In the late afternoon, walk along the coast to Hulishan Fortress, a Qing-dynasty coastal gun battery (built in 1894) that still keeps a giant Krupp cannon from Germany. There are mock cannon-firing demonstrations at certain times, and sea views out to the small islands offshore. For show times and highlights see the Hulishan Fortress guide.

Nanputuo Temple: free · open ~05:00–18:00 · walkable from the university

Hulishan Fortress: ticket ~¥25 (~฿125) · open ~07:30–17:30 · check the cannon-show times on site

Lunch: the vegetarian restaurant at Nanputuo Temple, or eateries around the university · ¥40–100 per person

Evening · ~2 hours

The seafront Huandao Road (环岛路) at sunset

Round off the second day on Huandao Road, the seafront road running for kilometres along the south and east of Xiamen Island, with stretches of beach, a cycle lane and a coastal promenade to stroll. The sky is gorgeous at sunset; locals come out to run, cycle and take photos, and it is the most relaxing free spot in the city. Hiring a shared bike for a seafront ride is a lovely way to do it. For routes and stops see the Huandao Road guide.

Nearby is Zengcuoan (曾厝垵), a former fishing village turned food-and-guesthouse quarter — an easy place to graze on snacks and street food for dinner. See our Xiamen street food and oyster omelette guides.

Getting there: several buses run along Huandao Road · or hire a shared bike for a seafront ride (Hellobike/Meituan, ~¥1.5 per 30 min)

Huandao Road: free · open all hours · best at sunset

Dinner: ¥50–150 per person · Zengcuoan village has plenty to eat

Day three

Off the island · a metro ride over the sea, then coffee by the water

A morning ride on the over-sea Metro Line 1 out to Jimei School Village · an afternoon at Wuyuan Bay or the Shapowei café quarter · a final evening of local food on Zhongshan Road.

Day 3

Jimei School Village · Wuyuan Bay / Shapowei cafés · Zhongshan Road

Jimei School Village, Xiamen — a riverside cluster of school buildings in a Chinese-Western style founded by Tan Kah Kee

Morning · ~3 hours

Jimei School Village (集美学村) — by the over-sea Metro Line 1

On the last morning, ride Metro Line 1 from the island out to Jimei — part of Line 1 runs on an elevated viaduct over the sea (跨海段), a stretch tourists love to ride and photograph, so grab a window seat and enjoy the water on both sides. The end point is Jimei School Village, a cluster of schools and colleges built by Tan Kah Kee, the overseas-Chinese businessman who also founded Xiamen University. The riverside Chinese-meets-Western architecture is lovely, and there is the Ao Yuan (鳌园) memorial garden by the water and a museum to explore. For highlights and how to get there, see the Jimei School Village guide.

Jimei is off the island, and the metro makes it both easy and great value. Allow about three hours there and back, including time to wander; it is quieter than the city centre and made for an easy morning stroll.

Metro: Line 1 north from the island, get off on the Jimei side (e.g. Jimei Xuecun 集美学村) · the over-sea stretch comes before that · fare ¥2–7

Jimei School Village: most of it is free to walk · a few sights (Ao Yuan/museum) charge a small fee

Tip: take a window seat for the over-sea stretch to photograph the view

Tip: if you want the full over-sea metro view, check the Line 1 map for which section runs elevated above the water, and have your phone or camera ready before you reach it — it is the very moment a lot of people ride this line for.

Afternoon · ~3 hours

Wuyuan Bay (五缘湾) + the Shapowei café quarter (沙坡尾)

In the afternoon, head back onto the island and take your pick. For a nature-and-family mood, stop at Wuyuan Bay (Wuyuan Bay), a bay on the north-east of the island with open parkland, a cycle lane, a yacht marina and wetlands — airy and relaxed, ideal for lounging by the water (reachable on Metro Line 2/3).

For a café-and-art mood, make for Shapowei (Shapowei), an old fishing harbour in the middle of the city turned into Xiamen's hipster quarter — old fishing boats moored in the basin, ringed by indie cafés, craft shops, art studios and little bars. It is where Xiamen's younger crowd hangs out; sit with a coffee by the water to rest your legs. Browse our pick of Xiamen cafés, and for snacks see the Minnan snacks guide.

Wuyuan Bay: free · reachable on Metro Line 2/3 · good for cycling and lounging

Shapowei: free · near the university / Daxue Road · cafés open ~11:00–22:00

Pick one: short on time, choose Shapowei for cafés or Wuyuan Bay for the outdoors

Evening · trip's end

Zhongshan Road (中山路) for a last local feast (八市 / Bashi)

Close out your last night in Xiamen with a big local feast around Zhongshan Road. Nearby is the Bashi market (八市), an old morning-to-evening market where Xiamen people actually buy fresh seafood and eat. Several places in the lanes cook proper local dishes — satay noodles, oyster omelette, fresh seafood and the full range of Minnan snacks — a fitting way to end the trip on the city's real flavours.

Xiamen eats well and stays affordable, so order what you fancy — figure on ¥50–200 per person. See the Xiamen food guide, the Xiamen seafood guide and the Zhongshan Road guide.

Mid-range dinner: ¥50–200 per person · around Zhongshan Road / Bashi market

To the airport (XMN Gaoqi): the airport is on the island, ~10 km from the centre · take the BRT, an airport bus, a taxi or DiDi (~¥40–60, about 15–25 min) — the metro does not yet reach Gaoqi directly

Practical info

Where to stay · getting around · budget

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Where to stay

For this trip, base yourself in Siming (思明) district, especially around Zhongshan Road (中山路) — by the Gulangyu ferry and within walking distance of the food streets and local shops. The alternatives are the university / Zengcuoan (曾厝垵) area in the south, close to the beach and Nanputuo Temple, or — if you use the high-speed rail often — somewhere near Xiamen North Station on Line 1. See the top 10 hotels or the 6 luxury hotels.

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Getting around

Xiamen has three metro lines covering the main sights — Line 1 (with the over-sea stretch out to Jimei and the north station), Line 2 (onto the island and out to Wuyuan Bay) and Line 3, at ¥2–7 a trip. Pay via Alipay/WeChat Pay (scan a QR) or a transit card (交通卡). Back them up with the BRT, buses, shared bikes (~¥1.5 per 30 min) and DiDi. Signs are bilingual; use Amap or Apple Maps for routing (Google Maps is unreliable). Gulangyu Island is reached by ferry only.

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Paying for things

Link a Visa or Mastercard to Alipay (via its international mode) before you travel. Most places in Xiamen take Alipay/WeChat Pay first, and some no longer take cash — see the Alipay & WeChat Pay guide to set it up beforehand, and check entry rules for your passport in the China visa-free guide.

Budget

Approximate cost per person per day

Item	Budget	Mid-range	Comfort
Hotel (per night)	¥120–250 (~฿600–1,250)	¥280–550 (~฿1,400–2,750)	¥700–1,500+ (~฿3,500–7,500+)
Three meals	¥60–110 (~฿300–550)	¥90–230 (~฿450–1,150)	¥280–550 (~฿1,400–2,750)
Metro / bus / bike	¥10–25 (~฿50–125)	¥15–35 (~฿75–175)	¥40–90 (~฿200–450)
Ferry + entry tickets	¥35–90 (Gulangyu ferry + free sights)	¥90–250 (ferry + Sunlight Rock / Shuzhuang / Hulishan)	¥250–450 (island combo + several sights)
Total per day (approx.)	¥225–475 (~฿1,125–2,375)	¥475–1,065 (~฿2,375–5,325)	¥1,270–2,590+ (~฿6,350–12,950+)

Exchange rate used: ¥1 ≈ ฿5 · prices are approximate and vary by season (they spike over Chinese New Year and Golden Week).

Frequently asked

FAQ · 3-day Xiamen itinerary

Is 3 days enough for Xiamen?

Three days comfortably covers all the main highlights: Gulangyu Island, Sunlight Rock, Shuzhuang Garden, Xiamen University, Nanputuo Temple, Hulishan Fortress, Huandao Road and Jimei School Village. The trick is to give Gulangyu a full first day, spend the second on the south of Xiamen Island, and use the third for Jimei and the café districts off the island. What you have to skip is a day trip out to the Fujian tulou earth buildings (around 2–3 hours each way) or the old city of Quanzhou. If you want either, extend to four or five days for a more relaxed pace — see the 4-day plan.

What is the best time of year to visit Xiamen?

October to December and March to May are the best windows: drier, clear and breezy, ideal for island walking and photos. Winter (January to February) stays mild at around 10–18 degrees Celsius but can bring a cold wind. Summer (June to September) is hot and very humid, with rain and a typhoon risk from July to September, when the Gulangyu ferry can suspend service for a day or two — check before you go. Plum rain falls around May to June. Avoid Chinese New Year and Golden Week (1–7 October), when Gulangyu and the university pack out and hotel prices spike — see more in the best time to visit China.

Where do you catch the Gulangyu ferry, and do I need to book ahead?

Tourists board at the Cruise Terminal (邮轮中心厦鼓码头) to the north, not the old Lundu pier (轮渡码头) in the city centre, which is reserved for residents. A return ferry costs around ¥35–50 and you book a timed ticket in advance with your passport. Tickets sell out fast on holidays and in high season, so book online 1–7 days ahead. The crossing itself is only about 5–8 minutes. Gulangyu is car-free — you get around on foot or by electric cart. Read more in the Gulangyu Island guide.

How do you get around Xiamen — is the metro easy?

Very easy. Xiamen has three metro lines: Line 1 (which runs on an elevated over-sea stretch from the island out to Jimei and the north station — the leg tourists love to ride), Line 2 (from Haicang onto the island and out to Wuyuan Bay) and Line 3. Fares run ¥2–7 per trip, signs are bilingual, and you pay by scanning a QR code in Alipay or WeChat Pay at the turnstile, or buy a transit card (交通卡) at a station machine. Back them up with the BRT (an elevated bus rapid transit), city buses, shared bikes (Hellobike/Meituan, around ¥1.5 per 30 minutes) and taxis or DiDi. Use Amap or Apple Maps for routing — Google Maps is unreliable inside China.

What is a realistic budget for 3 days in Xiamen?

A mid-range budget runs roughly ¥500–850 per person per day, covering a 3-star or 4-star hotel (¥280–550 per night), three meals (¥90–230), metro, bus and bike fares (¥15–35), the Gulangyu return ferry (¥35–50) and entry tickets (¥50–200 — Sunlight Rock around ¥50–60, plus small fees for Shuzhuang Garden and Hulishan Fortress). Xiamen eats well and stays affordable. Budget travellers in hostels who lean on free sights like Nanputuo Temple, Huandao Road and Jimei can get by on ¥300–450 per day — see the China budget guide.

Which neighbourhood should a first-time visitor stay in?

Siming (思明) district on Xiamen Island is the most practical base for a first trip, especially around Zhongshan Road (中山路) near the Gulangyu ferry, within walking distance of the food streets and local shops. The other options are the university and Zengcuoan (曾厝垵) area in the south, close to the beach, Nanputuo Temple and Huandao Road, or — if you fly in and out often or use the high-speed rail — somewhere near Xiamen North Station (厦门北站) on Line 1. See the top 10 Xiamen hotels for options at every price.

Do I need a VPN in Xiamen?

Yes, if you want to use Google Maps, Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook or Gmail. Download and activate your VPN before you leave home — most VPN websites are themselves blocked inside China. Apps that work without a VPN include Alipay (payments), Amap or Baidu Maps (navigation), WeChat and DiDi (taxis). A working Alipay account linked to a foreign Visa or Mastercard is the single most useful thing to set up before arrival.

Xiamen travel guide

Hotels, sights, Gulangyu · the university · Nanputuo Temple · getting around

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Things to see in Xiamen

Gulangyu · Sunlight Rock · the university · Nanputuo Temple · Huandao Road

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What to eat in Xiamen

Satay noodles, oyster omelette, seafood, Minnan snacks

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Top 10 hotels in Xiamen

Siming · Zhongshan Road · near the university — every budget

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