Xiamen Travel Guide
From Wikitravel
Xiamen (厦门) is a coastal city in Fujian Province, China.
While not a "must see" destination, it has a number of attractions, an interesting history and is tourist friendly.
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Understand
Until 1840, Western "barbarians" were allowed to trade only in Guangzhou, and only under strict controls. After China lost the First Opium War, Britain took Hong Kong and China was forced to open five "Treaty Ports": Guangzhou, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Ningbo and Shanghai.
In Xiamen, the island Gulang Yu became a foreign enclave with consulates and luxurious homes. Today it is a quiet area (no cars or motorcycles) and five minutes by ferry from downtown, and still quite scenic.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Fujian was a focus of missionary activity. There are still many historic churches in the region.
In the 1970s, Xiamen was made a Special Economic Zone to encourage development. This has worked. Xiamen has more Taiwan investment than any other mainland city, partly because the Minnan dialect spoken around Xiamen is nearly identical to Taiwanese. There is also a major influx of other foreign investment.
It is not Shanghai or Hong Kong, but compared to many other cities in China, Xiamen is definitely a very vibrant, affluent and modern place.
Get in
Xiamen has an international airport as well as the expected train and bus services. The airport is conveniently close to downtown, 30 RMB and 20 minutes by taxi.
You may come across references to a ferry service with Hong Kong. It no longer operates (as of November 2004). However, there is a bus service linking the city with Hong Kong, and this is recommended if you are originating from a non-Asian country which has no direct flight to Xiamen. It has the added benefit of seeing how travel, life and culture interconnect within the Southern cities.
Travel by bus takes around 9 and a half hours including lunch break in a 4 or 5 star hotel, while air travel to Xiamen takes around 2 and a half hours including check-out formalities with Customs and Immigration.
Only take the bus if you have time for sight-seeing.
- NOTE:* There are a number of bus companies from Hong Kong which service the trip to Xiamen, please choose the one which goes direct and does not change buses in the Hong Kong - Shen Zhen border.
If you fly in, we suggest going through Seoul. Korean Air offers great discounts, and the Seoul Airport is the most user-friendly on the planet (free internet, nice free lounges with couches to stretch out on). (www.amoymagic.com Amoy Magic--Guide to Xiamen and Fujian)
Get around
Taxis are cheap and start at 8 yuan for the first 3 kilometers. The local bus system is very good, but the bus routes are listed in Mandarin and do not have English on them. Take the ferry to Gulangyu.
See
You could enjoy Xiamen's unique sceneries not only in the day but also in the night. Take a breather and walk beside the Yuandang lake in the evening and you could see how Xiamen transforms into a different setting - mushrooming lighted artistic sculptures, scent of the sea, and romantic lovers by the lake. Enjoy your stroll and notice that some residential and commercial buildings even have a "battle of the lights at night" (which is actually a battle of the business) - "simple" laser and light shows which attract attention - this is some form of an "advertisement" mostly by newly opened commercial buildings and some residentials to say that their business has opened or that business is ongoing as usual. When it's time for commercial businesses and residentials to close or "sleep" in the night, the simple lights attraction can't be seen anymore - this is one of those on-going efforts of the people on energy conservation. Be sure to see these places of interest, and see what are the differences viewing them during the day and night:
- Zhongshan road - see the yearly "facelifts" and notice that older buildings are becoming extinct and being replaced by modern ones
- The night markets - see how smaller businesses trade in the night.
- Public parks - are clean and set with greeneries.
- Yuandang lake - is mystical by day and magical by night, see how the egrets flock in the day and fly for home in the night.
- Bai Lu Zhou Park - a large and beautiful park. Go around 8:30 p.m. and enjoy the vendors, music, and dancing.
Xiamen is a most popular tourist city in Mainland China.
Buy
Check out the Xiamen Shopping A to Z section. Outside of China: http://xiamenguide.com/shop.htm Within China: http://amoymagic.mts.cn/shop.htm
Eat
- There is a whole strip of cafes and bars along the lake next to the Marco Polo Hotel
- Geo Geo Cafe, furthest from the hotel in that strip, serve great Italian food and coffee. This place has a large lake-side patio and delicious pizzas, burgers, and even a meatball sandwich. Run by an American.
- On the side street off the lake by the hotel are several more places:
- Tutto Bene, a very good Italian place
- Javaroma, good coffee, run by an Aussie
- Local Chinese Restaurants
- Little Chili's offers excellent Chinese food at an affordable price. The menus are in Enlgish.
Drink
Sleep
Gulang Yu is the place to stay if you desire a peaceful and attractive environment. There are several home hotels on this island. Naya Home Hotel [1] is recommended if you are looking for complete relaxation and homely treatment.
Budget
Mid-range
- Gem Hotel, offers beautiful Japanese-style rooms overlooking much of downtown Xiamen). Discounts bring the prices on the cheapest rooms down to about ¥140/night, which includes (Chinese) buffet breakfast and free (wired) Internet access. Most of the staff speak English well and are extremely helpful.
Splurge
- Lujiang Hotel is a grand old place, very central on Beach road, 100 metres North of the ferry station. The restaurant has excellent dim sum.
- Sheraton Xiamen Hotel is the latest international chain hotel to grace Xiamen's shores. It's very plush, and the Waves Pan Asian buffet is excellent.
- Sofitel Plaza Xiamen is super modern. The rooms use a lot of glass, if you're into that kind of thing.
- Marco Polo Hotel is the nicest hotel in Xiamen with a wonderful international buffet and great atmosphere.
Contact
The area code for Xiamen is 0592. When calling from overseas, dial +86 0592 XXXX-XXXX
Get out
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