(幸运的全城海鲜点心, Xìngyùn de Quánchéng Hǎixiān Diǎnxīn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 33 Lujiang Dao, 鹭江道33号 meals from ¥60; h8am-2.30am)
Authentic and MSG-free dim sum is served in this ever-popular restaurant. Expect to wait at least 30 minutes to get a table.
32/HOW cafeCAFE$$
(Cherry 32 Cafe; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 32 Huaxin Lu, 华新路32号 coffee from ¥45; h11am-11pm)
If Xiàmén starts to wear you down, hide out in this atmospheric Taiwanese coffee shop located in an old house. The coffee is brewed with aplomb and the decor is mid-century Europe: velvety reds and browns, towering wine racks, abstract artwork and hard leather lounges. Lean back and percolate.
Seaview RestaurantDIM SUM$$$
(鹭江宾馆观海厅; Lùjiāng Bīnguǎn Guānhǎitīng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 7th fl, 54 Lujiang Dao, 鹭江道54号7楼 meals from ¥80; h10am-10pm)
The prime viewing deck in the city also serves decent Fujianese snacks. It’s ideal for a predinner drink and the sunset may make you linger longer than expected.
7Shopping
Zhongshan Lu meanders beneath Europeanis, essentially a long shopping strip filled with souvenir shops and the latest fashion brands.
8Information
Bank of ChinaBANK
(中国银行, Zhōngguó Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; 6 Zhongshan Lu)
The 24-hour ATM accepts international cards.
China PostPOST
(中国邮政, Zhōngguó Yóuzhèng GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Xinhua Lu & Zhongshan Lu; h7.30am-7.30pm)
Telephone services available.
City Medical ConsultancyMEDICAL
(来福诊所, Láifú Zhěnsuǒ %0532 3168; 123 Xidi Villa Hubin Beilu; h8am-5pm Mon-Fri, to noon Sat)
English-speaking doctors; expat frequented. Telephone-operated 24 hours. It’s near the western shore of Yuandang Lake.
Discover FujianTRAVEL AGENCY
(%0592-398 9966; www.discoverfujian.com; 10th fl, Jiari Shangcheng, 1118 Xiahe Lu, 厦禾路1118 )
This travel agent can arrange English-speaking tours and accommodation in the tǔlóu areas of Fújiàn, as well as other parts of the province. One-day tours start at around Y500 per person.
Public Security BureauPOLICE
(PSB, 公安局, Gōng’ānjú GOOGLE MAP ; %0592-226 2203; 45-47 Xinhua Lu; visa section 8.10-11.45am & 2.40-5.15pm Mon-Sat)
Opposite the main post and telephone office. The visa section (出入证管理处; chūrùjìng guǎnlǐchù) is in the northeastern part of the building, on Gongyuan Nanlu.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Air China, China Southern, Xiàmén Airlines and several other domestic airlines operate flights between Xiàmén and all major domestic airports in China. There are innumerable ticket offices around town, many of which are in the larger hotels.
There are direct international flights to/from Bangkok, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Los Angeles, Manila, Osaka, Penang, Singapore and Tokyo.
Boat
Fast boats (¥14, 20 minutes) leave for the nearby coastal Fújiàn town of Zhāngzhōu (漳州) from the passenger ferry terminal (客运码头; kèyùn mǎtóu). Boats run every 15 minutes between 6.30am and 9.30pm. Boats to Kinmen (金门; Jīnmén), Taiwan (¥150, 30 minutes, hourly) leave from Wǔtōng ferry terminal (五通码头; Wǔtōng Mǎtóu) between 8am and 6.30pm.
BORDER CROSSINGS: GETTING TO TAIWAN
Ferries ply between Xiàmén and Kinmen (金门; Jīnmén) Island in Taiwan half-hourly between 8am and 6.30pm. You can catch the boat from Wǔtōng ferry terminal (五通码头; Wǔtōng Mǎtóu; ¥160, 30 minutes), 8km east of Xiàmén’s airport.
Tickets can only be bought an hour before the departure time. In Kinmen, visas are issued on the spot for most nationalities. But you need a multiple-entry China visa if you want to return to Fújiàn.
Wǔtōng ferry terminal can only be reached by taxi. Expect to pay ¥20 from the airport to the terminal.
Rénmínbì is the only currency accepted in the money-exchange counters at Kinmen’s ferry terminal. From Kinmen, there are flights to other major cities in Taiwan.
Alternatively, you can catch a ferry (¥300, 1½ hours, 9.15am) from Fúzhōu’s Máwěi ferry terminal (马尾码头; Máwěi Mǎtóu) to Taiwan’s archipelago of Matzu (马祖; Mázǔ). From there, you’ll find boats to Keelung and flights to other cities in Taiwan.
Bus
There are three major bus stations in Xiàmén. Húbīn long-distance bus station (湖滨长途汽车站; Húbīn Chángtú Qìchēzhàn 58 Hubin Nanlu) serves destinations south of Xiàmén; tickets can be bought two days in advance at the ticket booth in the local bus terminal adjacent to Xiàmén University at the end of Siming Nanlu.
AGuǎngzhōu ¥250, nine hours, two daily
ALóngyán (Tǔlóu) ¥75, three hours, eight daily
ANánjìng (in Fújiàn) ¥28, two hours, 11 daily
AYǒngdìng (Tǔlóu) ¥75, four hours, nine daily
Wúcūn bus station (梧村汽车站; Wúcūn Qìchēzhàn 925 Xiahe Lu), directly opposite Xiàmén’s main train station, serves destinations north of the city, including Jìnjiāng (¥33, 1½ hours, every 20 minutes) and Quánzhōu (¥45, two hours, every 20 minutes).
Note that buses to Fúzhōu (¥115, four hours, every 20 minutes) and Wǔyí Shān (¥191, nine hours, one daily, 9.30am) leave from the far-flung Fānghú bus station (枋湖客运中心; Fānghú Kèyùn Zhōngxīn).
Train
Xiàmén’s main train station is on Xiahe Lu. All trains stop at Xiàmén north station 25km north of the city centre. Tickets can be booked through the train ticketing booth ( GOOGLE MAP ; %203 8565; cnr Xinhua Lu & Zhongshan Lu; 9am-6pm) behind the Gem Hotel (金后酒店; Jīnhòu Jiǔdiàn).
AFúzhōu ¥66 to ¥85, two hours
AHángzhōu ¥282 to ¥357, seven hours
AQuánzhōu ¥21 to ¥25, 30 minutes
AShànghǎi ¥328 to ¥413, 7½ hours
AWǔyí Shān ¥144 to ¥223, 13½ hours
8Getting Around
Xiàmén airport is 15km from the waterfront district. Taxis cost about ¥55. Bus 27 travels from the airport to Dìyī ferry terminal (but not vice versa). From the city centre, airport shuttle buses (¥10) leave from Chūnguāng Hotel, opposite the Lúndù ferry terminal.
BRT line 1 links the waterfront to both train stations via Xiahe Lu (¥1). Bus 19 runs to the train station from the ferry terminal (¥1). Buses to Xiàmén University leave from the train station (bus 1) and from the ferry terminal (bus 2). Taxis start at ¥8, plus a ¥3 fuel surcharge.
Gǔlàng Yǔ 鼓浪屿
%0592 / Pop 15,000
China is not known for its island escapes but a visit to Gǔlàng Yǔ (鼓浪屿), which is seeking Unesco World Heritage status, is more than a novel experience. A short hop from the large island city of Xiàmén, this car-free gem was a turn-of-the-20th-century international enclave where consulates from Europe, America and Japan managed their affairs among banyan trees and vine-strewn villas.
A day or two spent wandering its museums, tunnels, trails and beaches is a highlight of a visit to Southern China, but for now it’s still mostly locals who hang out in the increasingly slick cafe scene. Breathe deeply if the weekend crowds get too heavy; there is sanctuary to be found if you seek it.
History
The foreign community was well established on Gǔlàng Yǔ by the 1880s, with a daily English newspaper, churches, hospitals, post and telegraph offices, libraries, hotels and consulates. In 1903 the island was officially designated an International Foreign Settlement, and a municipal council with a police force of Sikhs was established to govern it. Today memories of the settlement linger in the many charming colonial-era buildings and the sound of classical piano wafting from speakers (the island is nicknamed ‘piano island’ by the Chinese). Many of China’s most celebrated musicians have come from Gǔlàng Yǔ, including the pianists Yu Feixing, Lin Junqing and Yin Chengzong.
1Sights
Aside from the hawkers o
n Longtou Lu and Quanzhou Lu, Gǔlàng Yǔ is an open-air museum perfect for wandering on foot. You can circumnavigate the island’s rocky beaches, short cut through man-made tunnels, or make the skip over Sunlight Rock in the middle. The colonial-era architecture is distinctly European, but life spills out into the narrow alleys where hip Chinese snap their way around this incongruously cool cafe scene.
An inclusive ticket ( ¥100) covers your entrance to the Koxinga Memorial Hall, Sunlight Rock (and cable-car ride), the Organ Museum and the International Calligraphic Carving Art Gallery.
Organ MuseumMUSEUM
(风琴博物馆, Fēngqín Bówùguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 43 Guxin Lu, 鼓新路43号 admission ¥20; h8.40am-5.30pm)
Housed in the highly distinctive Bāguà Lóu (八卦楼) building is the Organ Museum, with a fantastic collection including a Norman & Beard organ from 1909.
Octagonal VillaARCHITECTURE
(八角楼, Ba Jiao Lou 15 Lujiao Lu, 鹿角路15号 )
This is the former family residence of Mr Lin, a prominent Taiwanese tycoon who lived here in the late 19th century. It’s near Ecclesia Catholica.
Sunlight Rock ParkPARK
(日光岩公园, Rìguāng Yán Gōngyuán MAP GOOGLE MAP ; admission ¥60; h8am-7pm)
Sunlight Rock (Rìguāng Yán), in Sunlight Rock Park, is the island’s highest point at 93m. At the foot of Sunlight Rock is a large colonial-era building known as the Koxinga Memorial Hall. Also in the park is Yīngxióng Hill (Yīngxióng Shān), near the memorial hall and connected via a cable-car ride. It has an open-air aviary (admission free) with chattering egrets and parrots.
Koxinga Memorial HallMUSEUM
(郑成功纪念馆, Zhèngchénggōng Jìniànguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Quanzhou Lu, 泉州路 h8-11am & 2-5pm)
Commemorates the life of the charismatic military man who defeated the Dutch East Indies Company in the 17th century.
HISTORIC BUILDINGS
Old colonial-era residences and consulates are tucked away in the maze of streets leading from the pier, particularly along Longtou Lu and the back lanes of Huayan Lu. Some of Gǔlàng Yǔ’s buildings are deserted and tumbledown, with trees growing out of their sides, as residents cannot afford their upkeep.
Southeast of the pier you will see the two buildings of the former British Consulate (永顺卡斯特宾馆; Yǒngshùn Kǎsītè Bīnguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %206 0920; 14-16 Lujiao Lu; 鹿角路14-16号 r from ¥416), currently running as a hotel, above you, while further along is the cream-coloured former Japanese Bo’ai Hospital ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 1 Lujiao Lu; 鹿角路1号 ), built in 1936. Up the hill on a different part of Lujiao Lu stands the red-brick former Japanese Consulate (日本领事馆; Rìběn Lǐngshìguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 26 Lujiao Lu; 鹿角路26号 ), just before you reach the magnificent snow-white Ecclesia Catholica (鼓浪屿天主堂; Gǔlàngyǔ Tiānzhǔtáng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 34 Lujiao Lu; 鹿角路34号 ), dating from 1917. The white building next to the church is the former Spanish Consulate (西班牙领事馆; Xībānyá Lǐngshìguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 30 Lujiao Lu; 鹿角路30号 ). Just past the church on the left is the Huāng Róngyuǎn Villa (黄荣远堂; Huángróngyuǎn Táng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %257 0510; 32 Fujian Lu; 福建路32号 show ¥118; h8.30am-5pm), a marvellous pillared building, now the Puppet Art Centre. Other buildings worth looking at include the Protestant Sānyī Church (三一堂; Sānyī Táng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 67 Anhai Lu; 安海路67号 ), a red-brick building with a classical portico and cruciform-shaped interior on the corner of Anhai Lu (安海路) and Yongchun Lu (永春路). Where Anhai Lu meets Bishan Lu (笔山路) is the former Law Court ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 1-3 Bishan Lu; 璧山路1-3号 ), now inhabited by local residents.
Doing a circuit of Bishan Lu will take you past a rarely visited part of the island. Guāncǎi Lóu (观彩楼 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 6 Bishan Lu), a residence built in 1931, has a magnificently dilapidated interior with a wealth of original features. The building stands in stark contrast next to the immaculate Yìzú Shānzhuāng (亦足山庄 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 9 Bishan Lu; 璧山路9号 ), a structure dating from the 1920s.
4Sleeping
Gǔlàng Yǔ has a variety of excellent boutique guesthouses, hotels and hostels. It's a little more expensive than Xiàmén, but a very different experience altogether. Note that whatever luggage you bring you will have to carry or wheel from the ferry terminal as there are no cars on the island.
Gǔlàng Yǔ Lù Fēi International Youth HostelHOSTEL$
(鼓浪屿鹭飞国际青年旅舍, Gǔlàng Yǔ Lù Fēi Guójì Qīngnián Lǚshè MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0592-208 2678; www.yhalf.cn; 20 Guxin Lu, 鼓新路20号 dm ¥70, s & d ¥270-390; aiW)
In a surprisingly quiet location near the Piano Museum, this is the pick of the two hostels on the island, thanks to the fine staff and pleasant communal areas. The dorm rooms are tight, though, and the mattresses not particularly comfortable.
Gǔlàng Yǔ International Youth HostelHOSTEL$
(鼓浪屿国际青年旅馆, Gǔlàng Yǔ Guójì Qīngnián Lǚguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0592 206 6066; [email protected]; 8 Lujiao Lu, 鹿礁路18号 dm ¥70, s/d ¥270/390; aiW)
A wooden boat greets guests at the reception of this popular hostel 400m west of the ferry terminal. It’s enthusiastically managed but tiring with the tide. The double rooms are huge for the price and the communal areas are abundant with natural light. Look for a small red sign.
Penero HotelBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$
(磐诺假日酒店, Pánnuò Jiàrì Jiǔdiàn %592 256 1152; 111-1 Kangtai Lu, 康泰路111-1号 d ¥450-550; aW)
The Penero has undergone extensive renovations to be among the top bracket of hotels here. Located on the quieter western side of the island, the place has a marina feel in its airy rooms and wooden decking throughout. The upstairs rooms have nice views and are dead quiet. There’s a terrific European restaurant downstairs.
Mogo Cafe HotelHOTEL$$
(蘑菇旅馆, Mógū Lǚguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0592-208 5980; www.mogo-hotel.com; 3-9 Longtou Lu, 龙头路3-9号 r ¥280-650; ai)
The Mogo is a well known hotel and its small, atmospheric rooms are still in reasonable nick. There are conscious style choices like rain showers and down lighting, which lift it above the many similar hotels around Longtou Lu. Staff do not speak English.
oMiryam Boutique HotelBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$
(老别墅旅馆, Miryam Lǎo Biéshù Lǚguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0592-206 2505; www.miryamhotel.com; 70 Huangyan Lu, 晃岩路70号 r ¥688-1688; aiW)
Our favourite hotel on the island is located right below Sunlight Rock and affords views across villa roofs and out to sea. Busy staff will meet you at the ferry and show you to the Victorian mansion where rooms have period furniture and decadent beds. The restaurant is superb.
5Eating
The cafe scene is a feature for many visitors. The lanes off Longtou Lu hide many terrific little eateries, but anything on the street here will be decent. Let the crowds decide. Local specialities include shark fishballs and Amoy pie (a sweet filled pastry).
Lóngtóu FishballSEAFOOD$
(龙头鱼丸店, Lóngtóu Yúwán Diàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 183 Longtou Lu, 龙头路183号 meals from ¥10; h8.30am-8pm)
You won’t go far wrong at any of the nondescript restaurants on Longtou Lu, but the eponymous one is the most popular for a bowl of shāyú wán fěnsī (鲨鱼丸粉丝; shark fishball noodles) or the hǎilìjiān (海蛎煎; oyster omelette).
Líjì Mùdān FishballSEAFOOD$
(林记木担鱼丸, Línjì Mùdān Yúwán MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 56 Longtou Lu, 龙头路56号 meals from ¥15; h10am-9pm)
The stakes are high on Longtou Lu, and the staff at Líjì Mùdān will shout you into a plastic seat for some of that fishball goodness.
Slowly CafeCAFE$
(花时间 2nd fl, 36 Anhai Lu, 安海璐36号2楼 meals from ¥10, coffee from ¥30; aW)
In a regal old European villa is one of the old breed of cafes on the island, specialising in flavoured coffee varieties like honey and orange. Service is faster than the nam
e suggests.
oLāohǎi WùCHINESE$$
(捞海坞 %0592 206 7918; 35 Wudai Lu, 乌埭路35号 meals ¥30-60)
It feels like you’re cutting through on the way to somewhere else, but stop at the wooden benches for incredible noodle and fish dishes at this friendly outdoor restaurant loved by Fujianese food fanatics. There’s an attached ceramics gallery and cold beer (¥30) available.
Chu Family CoffeeCAFE$$
(褚家园咖啡馆, Chǔjiāyuán Kāfēiguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0592-206 3651; 15 Zhonghua Lu, 中华路54号 meals from ¥60; h11am-9pm)
A little afternoon delight is found in this garden cafe where cats roam and an award-winning barista brews his magic. The Western desserts don’t scrounge on the cream.
Babycat CaféCAFE$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0592-206 3651; 143 Longtou Lu, 龙头路143号 h10.30am-11pm; W)
The sweet Amoy pies are the attraction at Babycat, a dimly lit haunt with a graffiti wall and feline and nautical touches. Go for the red bean or pistachio flavour. There’s another fancier branch nearby.
8Information
There are various maps for sale (¥5 to ¥10) in cafes and souvenir shops, some in English.
Bank of ChinaBANK
(中国银行, Zhōngguó Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; 2 Longtou Lu, 龙头路2号 h9am-7pm)
Lonely Planet China Page 67