Things to Do in Xiamen

Xiamen packs a surprising amount into its compact island setting: a UNESCO World Heritage car-free island, a 1,000-year-old Buddhist temple carved into a hillside, one of China’s most beautiful university campuses, and a 31km coastal road with sea views on one side and mountains on the other. Most attractions cluster in Siming District on Xiamen Island, with Gulangyu Island a 5-minute ferry ride away and the Jimei School Village a 30-minute drive across the bridge. Here are the 12 best things to do in Xiamen, with practical details for each.

Things to Do in Xiamen: Gulangyu Island and Coastal Attractions

Gulangyu Island (UNESCO World Heritage)

Gulangyu is Xiamen’s crown jewel: a 2 km² car-free island with over 1,000 historic buildings blending Chinese, European, and Japanese colonial architecture. Known as “Piano Island” for its per-capita piano ownership (over 500 pianos among 16,000 residents), Gulangyu was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2017. Key sights: Sunlight Rock (Riguangyan, 92m elevation) for 360-degree views of Xiamen’s skyline, the Shuzhuang Garden with its piano museum, and the Organ Museum in the former Bagua Mansion. Ferries depart from Dongdu Wharf (Xiagu Pier) for tourists and Lundu Pier for locals. The tourist ferry costs 35 RMB (US$5) round-trip and takes 20 minutes. Buy tickets via the official WeChat mini-program “Xiamen Ferry” at least 1 day ahead in normal season, 3-5 days in Golden Weeks. Last return ferry is around 5:30pm in winter, 6:30pm in summer. Budget 4-6 hours for the island, more if visiting museums. Combo ticket for five core attractions costs 90 RMB (US$12). See our Xiamen weather by month for more details.

Sunlight Rock (Riguangyan)

The highest point on Gulangyu at 92 meters. The climb involves about 200 steps, some quite narrow and steep. At the top, you get a panoramic view of Xiamen’s skyline, the sea, and the red-tiled roofs of Gulangyu below. Entry is 50 RMB (US$7), included in the 90 RMB combo ticket. Open 7:00am to 6:00pm in summer, 7:00am to 5:30pm in winter. Go first thing in the morning (7-8am) to avoid the crowds that build by mid-morning. The rock gets its name from a legend that sunlight first strikes the island here at dawn. See our best time to visit Xiamen for more details.

Island Ring Road (Huangdao Lu)

This 31km coastal road wraps around the eastern and southern edges of Xiamen Island. Separate lanes for cars, bicycles, and pedestrians make it one of China’s best urban cycling routes. Rent a bike from one of the many rental stations along the route for about 20-30 RMB/hour (US$3-4). The most scenic stretch runs from Xiamen University to the International Conference and Exhibition Center, roughly 10km with unobstructed sea views, beaches, and the “One Country, Two Systems” propaganda sign facing Taiwan’s Kinmen Island 10km across the water. Several public beaches dot the route: Baicheng Beach near Xiamen University is the most accessible, while Huangcuo Beach (further east) is cleaner and less crowded. The road is lit at night and popular for evening strolls. See our Xiamen events and festivals for more details.

Things to Do in Xiamen: Temples, Culture and History

Nanputuo Temple

This active Buddhist temple dates to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) and is built into the foothills of Wulaofeng (Five Old Men Peak) just south of Xiamen University. Free entry. The temple complex includes the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Great Hero Hall, and the Hall of Great Compassion with its striking Thousand-Hand Guanyin statue. Behind the temple, a stone path climbs about 300 steps up Wulaofeng for views over Xiamen University’s campus and the sea. The climb takes 30-40 minutes one way and is steep in sections. The vegetarian restaurant in the temple (open 11am-2pm and 5-8pm) serves excellent meat-free versions of local dishes like “Buddha Jumps Over the Wall” soup (about 40-60 RMB/US$6-8 per person). Open daily 4:00am to 6:00pm. Go early morning (before 8am) to see monks chanting and avoid tour groups. See our Xiamen neighborhoods for more details.

Xiamen University (Xia Da)

Often called China’s most beautiful university campus, Xiamen University (founded 1921 by华侨领袖陈嘉庚, overseas Chinese leader Tan Kah Kee) sits between the mountains and the sea in southern Siming District. The campus features Southern Fujian-style architecture with red brick buildings, palm-lined paths, Furong Lake, and the “Lover’s Valley” garden. The Furong Tunnel, a 1km pedestrian tunnel under the campus, is covered floor-to-ceiling with student murals and graffiti, one of the most Instagrammed spots in Xiamen. Entry is free but you must show ID (passport works). The university restricts visitor numbers during exam periods and summer holidays; the west gate (Nanputuo side) and south gate are the main visitor entrances. The visitor canteen on the third floor of the Qinye Building serves cheap local food (10-20 RMB/US$1.50-3 per meal). Budget 1-2 hours for a walk-through. See our where to stay in Xiamen for more details.

Hulishan Fortress

Built in 1894 during the late Qing Dynasty, this coastal fortress houses two massive Krupp cannons (imported from Germany at a cost of 80,000 taels of silver each), with the main cannon weighing 59 tons. The fortress sits on a granite outcrop overlooking the sea at the southern tip of Xiamen Island, near Baicheng Beach. The grounds include ancient cannon emplacements, a military history museum, and the “Rongguang Cultural Relics Museum” with Qing Dynasty artifacts. Entry is 25 RMB (US$3.50). Open 8:00am to 5:30pm. The Qishi Guanghai observation deck offers good sea views. Combine with a visit to Baicheng Beach (200m away) and Nanputuo Temple (1.5km north). See our Xiamen travel tips for more details.

Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street

Xiamen’s main commercial artery is a 1.2km pedestrian-only street lined with qilou (arcade buildings), a distinctive Southern Fujian architectural style where the ground floor is recessed to create a covered walkway. Most buildings date from the 1920s-1930s. The street runs from the Lundu Ferry terminal area westward. At night, the arcades light up and street food vendors set up along the side alleys. The pedestrian street itself is mostly mid-range clothing stores and souvenir shops, but the real draw is the side lanes: Ju Kou Jie (Bureau Lane) for local snacks like shacha mian (satay noodles) and oyster omelets, and the evening food market near the western end. Free to walk, open 24 hours (shops typically 10am-10pm). Budget 1-2 hours.

Things to Do in Xiamen: Nature, Parks, and Day Trips

Xiamen Botanical Garden (Wanshi Botanical Garden)

This 4.93 km² garden in the hills behind Zhongshan Park houses over 7,000 plant species across 20 themed zones. The standout is the Succulent Garden, a greenhouse packed with thousands of cacti and succulents in surreal formations, one of the largest collections in Asia. The Tropical Rainforest Zone features a misting system that creates photogenic fog drifting through banyan trees every 30 minutes. Entry is 40 RMB (US$5.50). Open 6:30am to 6:00pm. The garden connects to the mountain trails behind Nanputuo Temple (Zhonglun Mountain trail network). Budget 2-3 hours. Take bus 87 or BRT Line 1 to Zhongshan Park station and walk 10 minutes uphill. The garden is steep in sections; wear comfortable shoes.

Zengcuoan Village

Once a fishing village, Zengcuoan is now a maze of narrow alleys packed with snack stalls, craft shops, and small bars, similar in vibe to Beijing’s Nanluoguxiang but with a coastal setting. It sits between Xiamen University and the Island Ring Road, directly across from the beach. The village is most atmospheric at night when strings of lanterns illuminate the lanes. Must-try street foods: oyster omelet (10-15 RMB), peanut soup (5 RMB), and the Fujian specialty “earthworm jelly” (tusundong, 10 RMB) for the adventurous. The village connects directly to the Island Ring Road bike path. Free to enter, best visited in the evening (5-10pm). Can get extremely crowded on weekends and holidays; weeknights are more enjoyable.

Jimei School Village

Across the Jimei Bridge on the mainland (30 minutes by bus BRT from downtown), the Jimei School Village is a 10 km² educational and architectural complex built by Tan Kah Kee starting in 1913. The architecture fuses Western neoclassical forms with Fujian-style swallowtail roofs. Key sights: the Tan Kah Kee Memorial Hall (free, open 9am-5pm, closed Mondays), the Guilai Tang (Returning Hall) with its traditional garden and pond, and the Ao Yuan park on the coast featuring intricate stone carvings and Tan Kah Kee’s tomb. Take BRT Line 1 to Jimei School Village station. Budget half a day. Jimei also has a quieter stretch of coastline (Jimei Beach) that’s less crowded than Xiamen Island beaches.

Bailuzhou Park

This central park on Yundang Lake is Xiamen’s green lung, built on reclaimed land in the 1990s. The centerpiece is a massive white egret statue (Xiamen’s city bird), with fountains that operate hourly in the afternoon. The park has walking paths circling the lake, and the adjacent Coffee Street (Xidi Villa area) along the lake’s north shore has a row of independent coffee shops with outdoor seating, popular with Xiamen’s expat community. Free entry, open 24 hours. The park is at its best at sunset when the egrets return to roost. Take BRT Line 1 to Ershi station, walk 10 minutes east.