Xiamen Hotels

Early missionaries also visited and built some fantastic churches, including Xinjie Church. Yet Xiamen is by no means stuck in the past. One of the first of China’s capitalism-embracing Special Economic Zones (with appropriately high-rise architecture), it boasts a bustling nightlife. If partying isn’t your thing, the Night Markets are always worth a visit.

Xiamen's Top 10

Xiamen History

• Nanputuo Temple – A magnificent primeval temple complex, build amidst a mountainous backdrop in 686 AD to worship goddess Guanyin.
• Sunlight Rock – Considered to be one of the most scenic spots in Xiamen, this area offers a breathtaking view of islands.
• Jimei School Village – This Xiamen village is comprised of a number of schools of different varieties.
• Zheng Chenggong Memorial Hall – This hall was built as a mark of respect for Zheng Chenggong, who defeated the Dutch.
• Xiamen Tianjie Temple – This beautiful temple, also known as the Temple of Heaven, is located at South Tianjie Hill.

Xiamen Art & Culture

• Piano Museum – Situated in the picturesque Shuzhuang Garden, it houses nearly 100 pianos.
• Bridge Museum – Those who are fascinated with architecture and bridges must visit this museum.
• Museum of Anthropology – This foundation was built in 1953 and displays captivating compilation of anthropological artefacts.
• Overseas Chinese Museum – This museum is located centrally and showcases over 7,000 artefacts.
• Xiamen Museum – Considered the largest museum in Xiamen.

Xiamen Shopping

• Friendship Store – A posh, exclusive department store in Xiamen where tourists can buy fashionable clothes.
• No.1 Department Store –This historic store is extremely popular among the Xiamen locals.
• Xiahe Lu – A street crowded with shops selling souvenirs and other attractive products.
• Zhongshan Lu – Some of the best shops, including high-end boutiques, jewellery stores and factory outlets are here.
• Longtou area – This particular place on the Gulangyu Island is famous for malls and markets.

Xiamen Gay & Lesbian

• Zhongshan Lu Harbor – The alleys surrounding the harbour are crowded with restaurants selling affordable cuisine.
• Venezzia Café—This café is famous in Xiamen for mouthwatering pizzas and Western cuisines.
• World Trade Centre Food Court – This place offers a variety of restaurants.
• Xiamen's Lujiang Hotel – To enjoy delicious Cantonese dinner buffets, one must visit this rooftop restaurant.
• Cold Food Festival – During this festival on April 4, Xiamen locals eat cold food like spring rolls and noodle soup.

Xiamen Events

Chinese New Year falls in January or February. Xiamen is colourfully transformed by paper stuck in nearly every doorway to bring good luck.

Brightly coloured lanterns fill the city in late February or early March for the Lantern Festival.

Cold noodles, a cold spring roll or even cold KFC may surprise during April’s Cold Food Festival. Smoke and fire are banned on this day in memory of a Chinese hero who died in a forest fire.

The annual Tourism Festival takes place in May and shows off the city’s culture through various performances.

The Dragon Boat Festival in May attracts huge crowds to watch the dragon boat race – pick your favourite dragon and go.

When To Go

Summer in Xiamen is long and humid, with temperatures averaging around 28°C (82°F).

Spring and autumn offer the most comfortable temperatures, but the monsoon season falls over much of spring.

Snow hasn’t fallen since 1893, but winter can still get pretty chilly!

Getting Around

The easiest way to get around is on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, which is a network of roads on which only the BRT buses are allowed to travel.

Jump on a ferry for the short trip over to Gulangyu Island.

Join the locals and grab a bicycle for an environmentally friendly way to see Xiamen. Just hold your breath in the traffic.

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