Xiamen is on the southeast coast of China, with beautiful beach and island scenery. The city has two popular islands: Gulangyu and Xiamen Island. Xiamen is a leisurely city and popular for tourism.
In 2006 a survey named it China's second most livable city. It has one of China's cleanest and most enjoyable living environments.
Top Attractions Around Xiamen
Nanputuo Temple is a big temple and popular among pilgrims, and it's free to visit. You can also climb up the hill behind the temple to get a great view of Xiamen city. See more things to do in Xiamen.
Gulangyu is a vehicle-free island, 10 minutes by ferry from Xiamen city, with colonial buildings and museums - a great place to spend weekend time.
Tulou (earthen buildings): Fujian Tulou are Hakka minority communal castles that you can't see in other places. The round or square buildings have hundreds of years of history and the Hakka still live there now.
The Wuyi Mountains: This well-protected national park has clear, fresh air and interesting rocks and wildlife. Choose Wuyishan for a Fujian nature escape.
More About Xiamen City
Zhongshan Road Walking StreetMany Foreign-Style Buildings
Xiamen was a foreign enclave in the late 19th century, after the British forced the Chinese to open it as a treaty port in 1843. This gave Xiamen Island and Gulangyu lots of foreign-styled buildings built by residents from around the world.
Hometown of Many Overseas Chinese
Not only have foreigners been coming to Xiamen, but people from the Xiamen area have been moving to other countries for hundreds of years. It is said that 400,000 Chinese living overseas are of Xiamen descent. The construction and development of Xiamen is supported greatly by overseas Xiamenese.
Port City and Convenient Transport
Gulangyu IslandXiamen had long been an important port city for both Chinese and foreign empires because its natural harbor is well-protected and very deep. Though it isn't a big city in China, both its sea port and airport are among China's top twelve.
It has a global transportation network and an internationalized financial system, with foreign banks and investment playing an important role in the economy. The relative prosperity makes for comfortable city travel.
See more about Xiamen Transport.
Xiamen is 6-Day Visa-Free for Transit!
Foreign travelers from 51 countries are allowed to stay for 6 days without a visa on international transit via Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport and its cruise ports. See more on Xiamen 144-Hour Visa-Free Travel.
Recommended Xiamen Tours
Earthen buildingsIf you are planning a tour of Xiamen, see how to plan a Xiamen tour for inspiration, or check our popular Xiamen tours below:
- 3-Day Xiamen Essence and In-Depth Fujian Tulou Tour - Relaxed Weekend Tour
- 5-Day Xiamen, Tulou, and Wuyi Mountains Tour - Cultural and Scenic Tour
Not interested in the above tours? Just tell us your interests and requirements to have us tailor-make a tour of Xiamen for you.