厦门市

Why this place

Xiamen's Gulangyu island is a car-free colonial-era settlement of villas and gardens right off the harbour, and the city itself is one of the most relaxed and liveable in China. It is also the base for the Fujian tulou — the circular Hakka fortress houses in the mountains inland.

What to see

• Gulangyu island — colonial villas, no cars, and the Sunlight Rock view over the strait
• Nanputuo Temple and the Xiamen University campus beside it
• The Yacht and Zhongshan Road districts, the old Chinese quarter of the city
• Tianluokeng and Chuxi tulou, 2–3 hours inland — the Hakka roundhouses, UNESCO-listed

What to eat

• Oyster omelette (hai li jian) and satay noodles — the two Fujian street classics
• Peanut soup and fried dough sticks, a Xiamen breakfast
• Seafood from the strait, simply steamed

How to plan

Three days: Gulangyu one, the city two, plus a day trip for the tulou if you have time.

Best time

March–May and October–December; typhoon season is July–September

Practical tips

• Gulangyu limits visitor numbers — book the ferry online in advance
• Xiamen is directly connected to Taiwan, China by ferry and to Kinmen by boat