Xiamen Solo
Safe, Walkable & Easier to Eat Alone Than You Think

Xiamen's headline, and the most enjoyable thing of all to do solo, is Gulangyu (鼓浪屿) — a World Heritage island that is car-free, with only footpaths and small electric carts. You can explore its colonial-era lanes, old churches, the seaside Shuzhuang Garden and its cafés in old houses all day, with no traffic to worry about. Because there are no cars, you set your own pace, get pleasantly lost in the little lanes, and stumble on pretty corners on your own. It is one of the most relaxing places in China to wander alone. The trick is to go early or stay into the evening after the tour groups leave, when the island goes quiet and prettier.

The dish to try most in Xiamen is shacha noodles (沙茶面) — a noodle soup in a fragrant, savoury shacha broth made from peanuts, dried shrimp and spices, topped with prawns, squid, fish balls or offal as you like. It comes in a single bowl, and most shacha shops are small places with counters and little tables, full of people eating alone — nobody looks twice. It is one of the most satisfying, comforting meals you can have on your own. Ordering is easy: just point at the toppings you want in the front cabinet, tap Alipay, done.

To feel the real Xiamen on your own, go and wander Bashi market (八市, the "Eighth Market") — an old wet market in central Siming near Zhongshan Road. It is the city's seafood heart, with fish, prawns and shellfish laid out fresh along the lanes, threaded with stalls selling single-bite food like oyster omelette, local snacks, soy milk and Hokkien bites. Grazing through it alone is great fun, taking in the produce and the morning-market rhythm. Just watch the wet floors and check prices before you buy.

Travelling alone and worried about feeling lonely, or about paying a full room rate solo? The best fix in Xiamen is a hostel like Koala International Youth Hostel (考拉国际青年旅舍·中山路轮渡店), in central Siming at 110 Zhongshan Road, on Xiamen's oldest pedestrian street. Its standout is the walk-everywhere location — a few minutes on foot to the Gulangyu ferry and to metro Line 1 (Zhenhai Lu station). It has both budget dorm beds and private rooms and a common area for chatting with other travellers, so you get good value and travel company in one.

Xiamen is known for its café culture, and the best place to sit alone is Shapowei (沙坡尾) — an old fishing harbour turned waterfront quarter of cafés, design shops and art studios, with old wooden boats moored in the little inlet for a view. You can wander and photograph it and stop for a coffee watching the boats all afternoon. It is a young, creative area where sitting alone feels completely natural, many places have Wi-Fi and sockets, and it suits working, reading or resting your feet after a day of walking. The Xiamen University area is right next door to walk on to.

Xiamen University (厦门大学) is reckoned one of the prettiest campuses in China — Sino-Western buildings by the sea, lotus ponds, leafy trees and a student-painted tunnel, all very peaceful to wander alone. Right next to it is Nanputuo Temple (南普陀寺), an old Buddhist temple on the hillside with a pagoda and a pavilion by a pond, calm and made for a slow solo walk. The two sit side by side, easily done together in a half-day. Note: the university caps visitor numbers and usually needs an advance booking and your passport, so check the rules before you go.

For a seaside mood done solo, Huandao Road (环岛路) is the spot that is most enjoyable to walk and cycle alone — a long seafront road with a waterfront promenade and cycle path, beaches in stretches, views of the strait and small islands, and a separate, safe bike lane. Locals come to run, cycle and stroll morning and evening. Hire a shared bike (Hellobike/Meituan) and ride along the sea on your own, easily and safely. The sunrise along the beach here is lovely. It is the outdoor activity that feels most relaxing of all to do alone.

Once you have ferried over to Gulangyu, do not miss Sunlight Rock (日光岩) — a big rock that is the island's highest point. A short climb up the steps brings you to a viewpoint with a 360-degree view over the island's old rooftops, the strait and the Xiamen skyline opposite. It is an easy thing to do alone — you do not need a photo partner to capture the view. There are gardens and pavilions to pause at on the way up. Best in the morning, when the air is cool and clear and you can see a long way.

Hulishan Fortress (胡里山炮台) is an old late-Qing coastal gun fort on the island's south shore, home to one of the largest surviving Krupp cannons from Germany. You can wander the history, the stone ramparts and the sea views over Gulangyu and the small islands at your own pace, alone. It is quieter than Gulangyu and less crowded, which suits anyone who likes history and wants a calm corner. There are mock cannon-firing shows at certain times, and you can walk on to it from Huandao Road.

If you are in Xiamen for a few days and fancy a change of scene, a day trip to Quanzhou (泉州) is easy and very doable alone — Quanzhou is a World Heritage port city, once the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road, with old temples, an ancient mosque and an old town to wander. From Xiamen North Station (厦门北站), the high-speed train reaches Quanzhou in about 30 minutes, with frequent departures all day, so it is an easy out-and-back. Book tickets through Trip.com or the 12306 app (passport needed). It is a day trip that solo travellers can pull off very smoothly.