福建省

Why this place

Fujian is the province of two extremes: the Hakka tulou — circular fortress houses in the mountains — and the coast, where Quanzhou was one of the greatest ports in the world in the Song and Yuan. It also grows the country's most famous oolong and white teas, and its dialects and cuisines are the ancestors of much of Southeast Asia's Chinese food.

What to see

• The Fujian tulou at Yongding and Nanjing counties — UNESCO-listed roundhouses
• Quanzhou's Qingjing Mosque, the old bridges and the maritime museum
• Wuyi Mountain's Nine-Bend River and its rock-tea cliffs
• Xiamen's Gulangyu island, and Fuzhou's Three Lanes and Seven Alleys
• Fuding and Taimu Mountain for white tea; Anxi for tieguanyin

What to eat

• Oyster omelettes, satay noodles and fish balls — the Fujian coastal repertoire
• Quanzhou and Shantou-style beef and seafood; Buddha Jumps Over the Wall
• Oolong tea, tieguanyin and rock tea, taken seriously

How to plan

A week: Xiamen and the tulou three, Quanzhou two, Wuyi Mountain two.

Best time

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

Practical tips

• Fujian's coast and its interior are very different trips — decide which one you want before booking

Cities 9

福州市 Fuzhou厦门市 Xiamen莆田市 Putian三明市 Sanming泉州市 Quanzhou漳州市 Zhangzhou南平市 Nanping龙岩市 Longyan宁德市 Ningde