Xiamen/Xiamen Island
Xiamen Island is the most central and most populous part of the city of Xiamen.
Understand
[edit]Most of the historic buildings and much of the new commercial and business core of town are in the area of Xiamen Island opposite Gulangyu, though newer development has spread out a long way east and north from there. Major streets in the old central area include Lujiang Road along the coast, Siming Road parallel to it and a bit inland, and Zhongshan Road which is a pedestrians-only shopping street perpendicular to the other two. Xiamen University is on the coast at the southern end of that downtown area.
A long and rather pretty ring road, Huándǎo Lù (X401 on the map), runs from the university along the east coast all the way to the airport on the north edge of the island; there are popular beaches along it. A large new International Conference Center with its own hotel is just off this road, about halfway up the coast.
Somewhat north of downtown on the west side of the island, there is a long, narrow lake running east-west. Its name can be romanised as either Yundang Lake or Yuandang Lake; we use Yundang here because it is closer to the sound in Chinese, but both forms are in widespread use.
Major roads run parallel to the lake shore and a bit inland on all four sides, all with names that say which side of the lake they are on. The area around Hubin Beilu (Lakeside North Street) has several high-end hotels (the Marco Polo is a landmark), quite a few expat residents, and many restaurants and bars. Along the lake are mainly upmarket places, while the back streets have more modest establishments. Around Hubin Nanlu (Lakeside South Street) are shops and offices.
Xiahe Lu, south of Hubin Nanlu and roughly parallel to it, is one of the main streets of the newer part of the city; it has many banks, hotels and offices, several of the larger shopping centers, and the train station. The east-west BRT line runs along it.
See
[edit]Xiamen has a few large clumps of interesting stuff to see. Gulangyu may be the main tourist area, but there is quite a lot on Xiamen Island as well, and some out in the suburbs.
North of the lake
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One is the area around Yundang Lake. The north side has a large group of restaurants and bars (see below) plus a rather pretty lakeside park area with a walkway right down by the water. Around dawn and dusk, you can watch the egrets (symbol of Xiamen, used as the logo for Xiamen Airlines) flying to and from the lake.
At night, there is a bit of a light show; many buildings (especially around the south side of the lake) have laser or LED displays that attract attention, sort of an advertisement by commercial buildings and some residential complexes to draw attention to their business. This sort of thing is fairly common in Chinese cities, but Xiamen has more of it than most others. It is best seen from the north side, augmented by reflections in the lake. This is not really an attraction in itself, just a nice extra for anyone imbibing in a lakeside bar.
- 1 Bailuzhou Park (白鹭洲公园), 565 Bailuzhou Street, Siming District (思明区白鹭洲路565号) (On an island in the lake, crossed by a bridge, east of the Marco Polo on the north side and of the bus station on the south. Bus routes 8, 26, 97 and 758), ☏ +86 592 508-2380. Open all day. A large park that includes hotels, bars, restaurants and shopping. Go around 8:30PM and enjoy the vendors, music, and dancing. Free.
- 2 Mountains to Sea Trail. Elevated trail for walking with beautiful sights of the city. With a total length of 23 km, it starts at Huweishan Park north of Yundang Wai Lake and ends at Guaynishan Beach. Free.
Around the university
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Another is the area around Xiamen University. In Chinese, it is 厦门大学 (Ē-mn̂g tōa-o̍h in Minnan, Xiàmén dàxué in Mandarin), usually abbreviated to 厦大 (Hā-tāi in Minnan, Xiàdà in Mandarin). This is Fujian's most prestigious university, the province's only "national key university" controlled by the central government in Beijing rather than by the provincial education department.
To get there, take a 20-minute walk south from the Zhongshan Road and Gulangyu ferry area, along either Lujiang Road or Siming Road, jump in a taxi or take a bus. Buses that go to the main gate include #1, 15, 18, 21, 29, 71 and 82. #2 or 22 go to other parts of the university.
The university has a beautiful campus with old traditional buildings, extensive gardens and a small lake. Among the attractions are a small but interesting Anthropological Museum (straight ahead and a bit to the right from the main gate) and a large bookstore with quite a few high-grade Chinese art books and (by Chinese standards) a fine selection of English books. Entrance via the main gate may be restricted on busy holidays; use one of the three smaller gates which are across from Baicheng beach.
Just outside the main university gate is the south end of Siming Road, generally referred to as Xiada Street. This is a lively area of shops, street stalls and restaurants; it is only perhaps 150 m long, but packs a lot into that space, plus a few smaller streets running off it. There is also a large bookstore here, not quite as good as the university store for art books, but better for CDs and DVDs. Because this area caters to the student market, it tends to have a lot of fairly cheap stuff. You need to bargain to get good prices. Few of the vendors speak English, but there are sometimes helpful English-speaking students about.
- 3 Nanputuo Temple (南普陀寺), 515 Siming South Rd, Siming District (思明区思明南路515号) (a bit north of the main university gate; Bus routes 1, 21, 45, 309, 751, 841 and b1), ☏ +86 592 208-7282. 04:00-18:00. This is a large Buddhist temple parts of which are over a thousand years old, mainly dedicated to the bodhisatva Guan Yin who is sometimes described as the Goddess of Mercy. Mount Putuo in Zhejiang is one of China's "Four Great Mountains of Buddhism"; "Nanputuo" means "south Putuo". Visitors can climb the mountain behind the temple for beautiful views of Xiamen and surrounding nature. The mountain is also littered with small enclaves with hundreds of Buddhist statuettes. The temple contains multiple vegetarian restaurants. Free.
- 4 Xiamen Shimao Strait Tower, No. 180-188 Yanwu West Road, Siming District (To the west of Xiamen University Hospital. The Airport-Xiamen University Express Bus stops here. You can also take bus no. 71 or 86). Xiamen Shimao Strait Tower is an urban complex integrating hotels, office buildings, SOHO offices, sightseeing, shopping, leisure, entertainment and catering. Xiamen Shimao Strait Tower covers an area of about 30,000 square meters, the above-ground construction area of 270,000 square meters, the total construction area of about 330,000 square meters; Among them, Tower A has 64 floors on the ground and Tower B has 55 floors on the ground, with a height of 300 meters. Podium 6 floors, 3 floors underground.Xiamen Shimao Strait Tower is a "twin towers", when the top was the tallest building in Xiamen City; In 2017, Xiamen Shimao Strait Building won the first prize of "2017 National Excellent Engineering Survey and Design Industry Award". Tourists usually take photos with the "Twin Towers" as a time-stamped photo to arrive in Xiamen.
- 5 Xiamen-Above-the-Clouds Observation Deck (云上厦门观光厅), Tower B, Shimao Cross-Strait Plaza, ☏ +86 592 256-3326, toll-free: +86 400 002 8288. 09:00-21:00 (main observation deck on 55th floor), 09:00-20:30 (Love Balcony and Sea & Sky Walk on 58th floor). Probably the best place to see Xiamen's skyline. The observation deck sits atop Building B of the 300-metre high Shimao Cross-Strait Plaza twin-tower complex. ¥160 (adults aged under 60), ¥80 (persons over 60), ¥80 (children between 1.1 and 1.49 metres in height). Free admission is granted to children under 1.1 metres in height who are accompanied by an adult.
Beach and boardwalk
[edit]From Shoushan Road to Baishi Fortress is about ten km (six miles) of boardwalk along the beach; it runs parallel to the Huandao Lu ring road. Plans call for it to eventually extend all the way to the Conference Center, roughly doubling its current length. Along it are bicycle rental places, many food stalls and restaurants, and various other attractions:
- 6 Hulishan Fortress (胡里山炮台), 2 Zengcuo'an Road, Siming District (思明区曾厝埯路2号) (On the Southeastern headland of Xiamen Island. Bus routes 2, 20, 22, 29, 47, 48, 86, 87, 92, 96, 122, 135, 310, 659, 751 and 857. You can also get there on the sightseeing bus), ☏ +86 592 209-9603. 08:00-18:00 (summer), 08:00-17:30 (winter). Xiamen has always been vulnerable to attack from the sea and various fortifications have been built over the centuries. The Ming built a fort to defend against Japanese pirates in 1387. The remains of Koxinga's fortifications from the late 1600s are now a tourist attraction on Gulangyu. Cold War era tourist attractions on Taiwan-controlled Kinmen off the coast include guns built for shelling Xiamen and bunkers built to protect against shells from Xiamen.
The Hulishan Fortress was built in 1894 as part of China's Westernization Movement. The architecture is in a Qing Dynasty style. On the front of the platform there are “Wanggui platform” and “Pangui platform”, from which you can see the Dadan and Xiaodan islands through binoculars (¥4). You can even make out the sign promoting Chinese unification, installed on Dadan island by a Taiwanese general in the '80s. In the yard of the cannon platform there is a gorgeous wall sculpture named “the Soul of the Nation” and a water fountain. ¥25. - 7 Music Square (音乐广场), 318 Huandao Road South, Siming District (思明区环岛南路318号) (Bus routes 29, 47, 122, 751 and 857). A park-like area along the boardwalk with sculptures of/about many famous composers and musicians, both Western and Chinese. Look for the public toilets with the musical notes on the wall, or a large red sculpture that looks somewhat like an open fan. Free.
Other sights
[edit]There are a number of other sights outside these main areas:
- 8 10,000-Rock Botanical Garden (Wànshí Zhìwùyuán 万石植物园), Siming District (思明区) (The easy way to get there is by taxi. You can also walk there from Zhongshan Park metro station or take bus nos. 87, 309 or b3. Alternately, from either the university or the temple, climb the hill on the inland side (easier using the path behind the temple) and descend to the garden.), ☏ +86 592 202-4785. 06:30-18:00. Over 2 km² (500 acres) of gardens, some dedicated to particular plants such as bamboo, palms or coniferous trees, with a lake, bridges, several temples, a network of footpaths, a bonsai exhibit, and an exhibit hall with over a thousand types of flowers. ¥30.
- 9 Xiamen Culture and Art Centre (厦门文化艺术中心, Xiamen Wenhua Yishu Zhongxin), 95 Tiyu Road, Siming District (思明区体育路95号) (Bus nos. 24, 25, 101, 116, 126, 780, 845, 846, 859 and 954 go to the north side of the Centre. Bus nos. 8, 9, 86, 88 and 941 go to the south side). Both a museum and a performance venue. The Xiamen Library is here too.
- Xiamen Museum (厦门市博物馆), Xiamen Culture and Art Centre, ☏ +86 592 537-1607. 09:00-17:00, no entry after 16:30, closed on Mondays and on the eve of Chinese New Year. The city's main museum. Free.
- Xiamen Science and Technology Museum (厦门科技馆), Xiamen Culture and Art Centre, ☏ +86 592 514-8555. 09:00-17:00, closed on Mondays. ¥40 (main exhibition halls), ¥40 (children's amusement park), ¥30 (film tickets).
- Xiamen Culture House (厦门市文化馆), Xiamen Culture and Art Centre, ☏ +86 592 537-1757, +86 592 211-2751, +86 592 537-1717. 09:00-17:00, closed on Mondays (art museum opening hours only). Incorporates the Xiamen Art Museum (美术馆). Cultural performances, including music, dance and drama shows are also held in this building. Admission to the art museum is free. Ticket prices for the performances may vary.
- Xiamen Municipal Library (厦门市图书馆), Xiamen Culture and Art Centre, ☏ +86 592 537-1809, tsg@xmlib.net. Main reading area: 08:00-21:00 (Monday to Thursday), 08:00-12:00 (Friday), 08:00-21:00 (weekends and public holidays. Children's reading area: 12:00-18:30 (Monday to Thursday), 08:00-21:00 (weekends and public holidays during the period from May to November), 08:00-18:30 (weekends and public holidays during the period from December to April). The library sometimes hosts special events and exhibitions. Free.
- 10 Overseas Chinese Museum (华侨博物院), No.493 Siming Nan Lu (Siming South Road), Siming District (思明区思明南路493号) (About halfway from Zhongshan Road to the university. Bus routes 1, 2, 20, 21, 22, 29, 45, 48, 71, 86, 96, 122, 135, 324, 659, 841, and 857), ☏ +86 592 208-5345, fax: +86 592 209-3032. 09:30-18:00, no entry after 15:30, closed on Mondays. A museum of Overseas Chinese culture and history, started by Tan Kah Kee who also founded Xiamen University. The #21 bus, from the train station to the university with a Zhongshan Road stop, has a stop at the museum. Special attention is given to overseas Chinese who returned to, invested in, or aided the homeland in some way, including activists and military volunteers. Labels are mostly in Chinese. The third floor has an extensive collection of ancient Chinese bronzeware, pottery, and other art, which is interesting even if you can't read the labels. Free.
- 11 Xiamen Olympic Museum (厦门奥林匹克博物馆), 2017 Lüling Road, Siming District (思明区吕岭路2017号) (On the east side of the island. Bus routes 58, 68 and 98), ☏ +86 592 295-6065, +86 592 295-6066, 211@vip.163.com. 09:00-17:00, closed on Mondays. A museum about the Olympic Games. Established with the approval of the International Olympic Committee and the China Olympic Committee. ¥50.
- 12 Wuyuan Bay Wetland Park (五缘湾湿地公园), Huli District (湖里区) (Bus routes 18, 435, 439a, 439b, and 641), ☏ +86 592 522-0888. Open all day. Xiamen's largest wetland park, covering an area of about 85 hectares or about half the size of Gulangyu Island. Free.
Do
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- 1 Zhongshan Park (中山公园), Siming District (思明区) (On Zhongshan Road, toward the inland end beyond Siming Road. Near Zhongshan Park Station on Metro Line 1), ☏ +86 592 291-0888. Open all day. A large park named for Dr. Sun Yat Sen (Sun Zhong Shan in Mandarin), leader of the 1911 revolution that overthrew the Qing and established the Republic of China. It has a statue of him, several gardens, a small zoo, a flower exhibit hall, a lake with rental paddle boats, dance shows, and bumper cars. Free.
- Kite surfing, Huandau Road, near Asia Golden Bay Hotel (at Rasa Sayang restaurant, Haiyuntai). Training with English speaking IKO-certified instructors, equipment for sale and storage, compressor and shower facilities.
- 2 Xiamen Mandarin Fun School (厦门汉风堂汉语学校), Room 2304, Wei Ye Na Building, Century Bay, North Hubin Road, Siming District (思明区湖滨北路世纪海湾维也纳楼2304室) (The nearest bus stop is the Bank of China North Hubin Road Branch (滨北中行). Take bus no. 26, 31, 58, 85, 87, 88, 115, 309, 842, 849, 881 or 958), ☏ +86 592 511-8287, mandarinfun@163.com. A registered private school specializing in teaching Chinese to foreigners, with lessons for students at different levels.
- Xiamen Marathon. An international marathon race run every year in Xiamen on the first Saturday in January. This is a large event; it had over 50,000 runners in 2013. Some of the world's top long distance runners compete and their times are impressive; in 2014 the men's winner was Mariko Kiplagat at 2:08:06 and women's Mare Dibaba 2:21:36. The course is mostly along the Huándǎo Lù ring road with the finish line right downtown near the Gulangyu ferry dock. If you book well ahead you might get a room at the Lujiang Harbourview Hotel with a balcony overlooking the finish line.
- 3 Guanyinshan Fantasy Beach Holiday Resort (观音山梦幻海岸度假区), 17 Guanyinshan Commercial Street, Siming District (思明区观音山商业街17号) (Bus no. 58), toll-free: +86 400 880 7677. 10:00-18:00 (general operating hours), 14:00 (start time of motor vehicle acrobatics show). A major amusement park on Xiamen Island's east coast. ¥130 (general admission), ¥338 (motor vehicle acrobatics show).
- 4 Island Meets Time (屿见闽南主题景区), 东港北路 15、17-19号 Donggang North Road 15, 17-19 (350m walk from Metro Line 2, Cruise Centre Station (邮轮中心站), Exit 6), ☏ +63 592 337 2020. 09:30 to 20:30 (last entry 20:00). A theme park near Xiamen's International Cruise Terminal. The park features performance zones and themed street districts showcasing cultural heritage elements of Southern Fujian. There are live performances including evening light shows. Visitors can watch scheduled stage productions, interact with costumed characters, try traditional folk games such as a traditional Mid Autumn dice game (博饼) and rent period costumes for photographs. Allow half a day for a full visit. From ¥93 (adult); ¥63 (senior, 60+ or child 6-13yrs); tickets available via Trip.com and other travel platforms. Additional costs apply for costume rental and in-park activities.
Buy
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Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street (中山路步行街) runs inland off Lujiang Road (which runs along the coast) near the Gulangyu ferry terminal, through a historical part of the city. This is a major shopping area with interesting smaller streets off it. The opening time is generally from 09:00-22:00. The buildings along Zhongshan Road combine a European architecture style with Chinese.
Other major shopping streets in the area are Siming Road and Jukou Street. The area also has many smaller streets with shopping; most are off to the left as you come up Zhongshan Road from the sea.
As you come along Zhongshan from the sea, you can look for a set of stairs going off to your right a short way along; these lead to a smaller parallel street with many little shops and street vendors. From the inland end of that (Siming Road), turn left to get back to Zhongshan Road at the inland end of the pedestrian area.
Xiamen University Street is actually half a street because the other side is part of Nanputuo Temple. Hundreds of shops line the street which is only a few hundred meters. Most of these shops sell garments and cultural things, and the book stores are also worth a look. Since they cater to students, these stores are often more reasonably priced than other areas, but some haggling may be needed to get the best prices.
There is also much tourist-oriented shopping on Gulangyu.
Xiamen has a number of modern enclosed shopping malls or large standalone chain stores. Here are some of the main ones:
- World Trade Mall, 878-888 Xiahe Rd (near the train station in the city center).
- Robinson Plaza, Xiahe Road and Hubin Dong Rd (across the street from Walmart). Has a Tesco, Britain's largest chain.
- SM Laiya (SM City Plaza or SM Lifestyle Center) (intersection of Xiānyuè Lu and Jiāhé Lu (仙岳路/嘉禾路)). Two large shopping malls that are part of the Filipino SM chain; the company founder was born in Xiamen.
- Wanda Plaza (Wanda Guangchang) (Xiānyuè Lu and Jīnshān Lu (仙岳路/金山路)). Newer (2011) mall with Uniqlo, a large Japanese clothing chain.
- Metro (near SM). A German chain well established in China, catering mainly to restaurants and hotels. For Western groceries it is often better than Walmart or Tesco, but some items are sold only in bulk quantities.
- Shimao E-MALL (in the twin towers, near Xiamen University). A seven-storey mall with many restaurants and shops.
Most of these sell everything from fresh vegetables to clothing and LCD TVs.
Eat
[edit]When it comes to eating options, you're spoiled for choice in Xiamen. See Fujian#Eat for a general Fujianese menu reader.
- 1 Huangdu Imperial Banquet – Immersive Palace Feast (黄都·礼宴·沉浸式宫宴), No. 188, Qianpu Road, Lianqian Subdistrict, Siming District, Xiamen (850m walk from Metro Line 2, Lingdou Station (岭兜站), Exit 4.). Lunch 12:00–13:45; Dinner seatings 18:00–19:45 and 20:30–22:15. Huangdu Imperial Banquet is an immersive cultural dining experience set in an elaborately decorated palace-style venue. Diners are seated for a multi-course meal of imperial-style dishes. There is live classical dance performances throughout the meal, recreating the feel of attending a royal court banquet of the past. Optional Hanfu costume rental and make-up services allow guests to dressup. From around ¥300+/person depending on day of week, lunch or dinner, or seating arrangement.
Budget food areas
[edit]Two areas with many cheap local restaurants are around the university and the many smaller streets near Zhongshan Rd, inland from the ferry terminus.
There is an old restaurant on the east end of Zhongshan Rd (intersection of Xinhua Rd) which serves the local dish Shachamian, noodles with peanut soup.
Gulangyu also has much cheap food, though prices there are higher than Xiamen.
Around the lake
[edit]The area from the north side of Yundang Lake over to Haiwan Park has a large number of bars, cafes and restaurants. Most are mid-to-high priced, though there are exceptions. Many are popular with Xiamen's large community of expatriates.
There is a whole strip of about twenty cafes and bars along the lake on Xidi Coffee Street (西堤咖啡一条街) running West from the Marco Polo Hotel. Most of them are in villa-style homes converted to cafes with patios or balconies with a view of the lake; these are upmarket establishments whose clients include tourists and expats, but are mainly well-off locals. The parking area along the lake always has many BMWs, Audis and SUVs, and often a Ferrari or two.
Most of these serve Western food, but many have Chinese dishes as well and there are some with other specialties. The area also has some stores, also mostly upmarket, selling things like ceramics and lacquerwork.
- 2 Coyote Cafe & Cantina, 58-2 Ganglong Huayuan (Off the main road east of Marco Polo, right down on the lake shore), ☏ +86 592 504-6623. Lunch and dinner. Tex-Mex food made with fresh ingredients. Excellent cheesecake.
- 3 Geo Geo Cafe, No. 3, Yundang Road (Xidi Coffee Street) (on the corner a block west of Marco Polo), ☏ +86 592 533-0111. Serves good Italian and American food and coffee.
- Marco Polo Hotel. Does a good Sunday international buffet for ¥120 plus service.
- Old Villa Western Food Restaurant, No. 3-9 Yuandang Rd, ☏ +86 592 503-3377.
- Samadhi, A-115, Xidi Villa, Yundang Rd (2nd block from Marco Polo, beyond Geo Geo). Vegetarian
- Shogun (on the 3rd floor of the Marco Polo). Japanese food
On the side streets off the lake are more places, some of them more modest in decor and pricing.
- Tutto Bene, Jien Ye Road 1-16 (across the street from Marco Polo), ☏ +86 592 504-6026. A very good Italian place.
- Mama Mia (next door to Tutto Bene). Another Italian place, which for some reason chose a location right next door to an existing one
- Burger Bar, Guanren Lu (one road north of The Londoner). Good quality burgers made with Australian Wagyu beef. A build your own menu with different size patties, including a cheese stuffed option. Not many seats inside but service is quick.
- 4 Chongching (down the side street next to Geo Geo). Excellent Sichuan food, moderate prices, plain decor. Staff do not speak English, but there is English on the menu.
- The Londoner, 5-8 Guanren Lu (on a street of bars behind Marco Polo), ☏ +86 592 508-9783. noon to late, every day. British-themed pub with a range of draft beers, home of the Xiamen Typhoons Rugby Union Football Club.
Inland of the lake, behind a KFC, at 27 Hubin Bei Lu (Lakeside North Street) is a cluster of shops called Haiwan Xincheng. It has several other places:
- Tuscany Cafe (厦门市湖滨北路27号海湾新城102之二), Shop 102-2. Mainly European dishes with a few Mexican dishes. The owner/chef is a former chef of the Four Seaons Hotel, Hong Kong. The prices are reasonable, with most items under ¥50 with free bruschetta. They also have a special lunch menu which is quite cheap. The staff are able to speak English.
- Xiamen Sports Cafe, Shop 103 (in the back left corner of the group of shops). Nice sports bar popular with some locals but mainly expats. The bar has a reasonably priced food menu, with the pizza being of high quality. Daily happy hour with cheap pints of Tiger. Especially good if it is your first time to Xiamen and you are looking for some advice on things to do
- Tastes of South-East Asia (厦门滨北中行肯德基后面), Shop 106, ☏ +86 592 514-3227. 11:00-21:00. Bright, clean and colourful, TOSEA serves a selection of fresh homemade food from Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Malaysia and Indonesia. All at very reasonable prices. English/Chinese menus. ¥15-35.
- Greg's Restaurant, 1C N 10 Hubin Bei Road, ☏ +86 139 5010 7808, greg@gregs.com.cn. 10:00-22:00. Greg's is a little piece of France in China. They serve traditional French dishes, from bouillabaisse to the lamb shank, including Gillardeau oysters from Arcachon. The chef adapts his recipes for each customer, personalising the sauce and way of cooking. He also changes the menu seasonally, featuring fresh seasonal products. ¥200.
Haiwan Park
[edit]Haiwan Park (Haiwan Gongyuan in Chinese), just west of the lake, also has a number of places:
- Havana Beach, Haiwan Park (among the group of bars by the sea.). Latin American food and often live latin music.
- Jiangfeng Yuhuo, Haiwan Park. Seafood on a charcoal grill.
- JJ Bar and Grill, Haiwan Park (near the south end of the group of bars by the sea.). A neon sign above the entrance says "Welcome to Texas" and that is the theme. For an American looking for a taste of home, this is good choice – steaks, barbecue, fajitas, and a lot of classic US-style appetizers. If you're really sporty, there is even a mechanical bull. Band at night plays mostly western classics. Frequent dinner stop for expats. Just around the corner are the popular nightclubs.
- 5 Me & You 2, No.1 Hou Hai Ting, Haiwan Park (at the north end of the strip of bars by the sea.). Owner is a cheerful Scandinavian; decor includes some Viking-themed items. Good menu with both Asian and Western options including a large range of pizzas from ¥45-65 (they also deliver). They have Becks, Tiger and Stella on tap. Happy hour until 20:00 (Becks and Tiger are half price). Live music sometimes (in English).
The park has a lot of other stuff as well, including a lot of flowerbeds and lawns, popular with picnicking locals, an amusement park with several rides, several swimming pools, a roller skate and skateboard area, and a number of discos and nightclubs (see next section).
The Avenue of the Stars in the park is 300 m long by 40 wide and has over 2000 LEDs in the pavement which do computer-controlled light shows. A musical fountain down its center has 240 water nozzles, also computer-controlled.
Buses 11, 22, 31, 43, 54, 66, 71,102, 504, 520, 533, 625, 803, 808 and 810 stop just outside the park at the Haiwan Gongyuan stop. From the westernmost stop on the BRT, it is a ten-minute walk north along the seacoast to reach the south end of the park. From the area around the Marco Polo, a ten-minute walk west on Hubin Bei Lu puts you at the north end of the park.
Around the university
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Xiada Street, between the university main gate and Nanputuo Temple, has many restaurants. These mainly cater to the student trade, so they tend to be relatively plain but to offer good value. Neither English menus nor English-speaking staff are common.
Along the boardwalk by the beach, from near the university out toward Hulishan Fortress, are many more restaurants and food stalls.
- Red Armadillo, 18 Zeng Cuo An, Huandao Rd, ☏ +86 592 256-4128. A restaurant serving American and Mexican food.
- Prague Cafe. A Czech restaurant with hamburgers, homemade sandwiches, Czech beer, and organic Xiamen-made bread. Sometimes there is goulash as well. Prices are good (about ¥45 for a very large hamburger with fries). Owner/manager is Czech and speaks English. Across from Xiada.
- 6 Dafang (大方素食馆), 408 Siming South Road 思明南路408号. Upscale all-vegetarian restaurant. ¥60–100.
Other areas
[edit]There are also restaurants and bars at various other locations around town.
- Lujiang Harbourview Hotel, Lujiang Road & Zhongshan Rd (Just south of the Gulangyu ferry terminal). Has a nice sixth floor al fresco restaurant looking out at Gulangyu Island. The restaurant has an English menu and serves mainly Fujian specialities. Highlight was some excellent wasabi marinated cucumber slices.
- Indiano John's, 69 Jian Tou Bei Lu (SM Mall area), ☏ +86 592 555-7699. Indian food
- Temptation of Spicy Fragrance (香辣诱惑川菜馆), No.625, Xianyue Road (inside the Smart Hero Club 骏豪会) (SM Mall area), ☏ +86 592 555-1111. An upmarket Sichuan place.
- Little Chili (Xiao La Jiao), Xiahe Commercial Building (厦禾商厦), No.323, Xiahe Rd, ☏ +86 592 291-7773. daily 11:00-22:00. Offers excellent Chinese food, mainly spicy Sichuan food, at an affordable price. There is English on the menu, but staff do not speak English.
Drink
[edit]As everywhere in China, there are many tea houses in Xiamen and many KTVs (the 'K' is for Karaoke); both are quite popular with locals. See China#Drink for background information. A local speciality is kung fu tea (工夫茶), a type of black tea that is also popular in Chaozhou and in Taiwan.
Xiamen also has many bars and discos in a more-or-less western style; these are generally more affordable than comparable places in Shanghai or Beijing. Although crowded, these places are generally safe. Some caution is required, however, since pickpockets sometimes take advantage of the crowding and drunken customers sometimes get combative.
- 1801 Bar, 1st floor of the United Hotel, Hubin Bei Lu (Lakeside South Road), ☏ +86 592 520-1801. A disco with mainly R&B and hip-hop music. Open well into the small hours, sometimes past dawn.
- Dushang bar (湖滨东路188号1楼), No.1 Building, No.188 Hubin Dong Lu (Lakeside East Street), ☏ +86 592 507-5078. Loud and expensive, but popular and lively.
- The Key (湖滨西路海湾公园109号), 109 Hubin Xilu (Lakeside West Street) (Haiwan Park, on the inland side). Live music from a Filipino cover band with a broad repertoire — jazz and latin as well as rock and hip hop.
- KK Disco Pub (in Haiwan Park, near the Key).
Also, most of the major hotels have live music from Filipino cover bands in their bars.
Alternative and cheaper nightlife can be found in Zengcuo An, formerly a separate village now a neighborhood near Xiamen University. Here you find a lot of cheap pubs, open-air BBQ´s and casual gatherings of students and other young people who enjoy the sunset and mild Xiamen nights over a drink.
- Temple Cafe, No. 61 Zengcuo An, Siming District, ☏ +86 592 209-6780. Coffee, beer and cocktails in a unique location, in the courtyard of a functioning Buddhist temple. Western menu, moderate prices.
That area also has many hotels, mostly small and moderately priced.
Sleep
[edit]
This lists accommodation on Xiamen Island only. Staying in Jimei instead might save a little money and could be reasonably convenient if you choose a place near a BRT stop. There is also plenty of accommodation on Gulangyu.
Budget
[edit]- 1 Xiamen Old Town Hostel (厦门古街青年旅舍), Kaihe Road, 24 Jiutiao alley (开禾路-九条巷24) (from Train Station take the BRT in front of the station #3/#2/#1 exit at Kaihe Road stop (开禾路). The hostel is a little hard to find, deep in a maze of narrow alleys, but the neighbors seem to know that travelers are looking for this place. From the airport it is best to take a taxi to intersection of Xiahe road (厦禾路) and Kaihe Road (开禾路). From there, call the hostel and staff will come find you.), ☏ +86 133 1384 8939, xiamenhostel@hotmail.com. Check-in: 12:30, check-out: 12:00. A family-run hostel in a three-floor house located in one of the oldest parts of Xiamen, very central. The hostel has a large rooftop garden with a view of the city and harbour, wireless Internet, and big community kitchen. It is right off of the Kaihe road food market, one of the largest open air markets in China with lots of fresh veggies and seafood. You can also eat some of the cheapest food in China at many small local eateries. ¥60 4-bed dormitories. Single rooms start at ¥120.
- Hostel Locanda, No.35 Minzu Rd, Siming District, ☏ +86 592 208-2918. One block from the waterfront with Gulangyu island across the water. It is a 10-minute walk to Zhongshan Road and Lundu Ferry and 20-minute walk to Xiamen University. Lovely double rooms upstairs, but the dorms on the ground floor are cramped and the shared bathrooms far from clean. Garden but no kitchen at all.
- Xiamen Baijiacun International Youth Hostel (厦门百家村国际青年旅舍), 20 Liaohua Lu (蓼花路20) (from Songbo (松柏) bus station, take bus #86/#616 to Gongyuan Dong Lu (公园东路), the hostel is on the opposite side with a red wall, taxi ¥17), ☏ +86 592 213-1010, baijiacunhostel@hotmail.com. Clean, spacious hostel in a great location at Zhongshan Gongyuan (中山公园). ¥50 8-bed dormitory.
- Xiamen International Youth Hostel, 41 Nanhua Road, Siming District, ☏ +86 592 208-2345, fax: +86 592 219-9876, yhaxm@yhaxm.com. Very well kept YHA hostel, dorms or rooms are impeccably clean and comfortable. Friendly, small kitchen, bar, space to sit. Close to Xiamen university and easily reached by bus (1 or 21 from the railway station, ¥1).
- Meihulu Hotel (美湖鹭酒店), 52-5 Hubin Nan Lu (湖滨南路52-5号), Siming District (Almost invisible on the opposite left of the long-distance bus station), ☏ +86 592 257-2255. Small place that accepts foreign passports and is quiet, yet conveniently located. From ¥70.
- Xiamen Travellers' Home (旅行者之家), No.23 Zeng Cuo An, Island Ring Road 厦门环岛路曾厝垵23号, ☏ +86 592 251-6180, +86 136 0693 7090. A very homy place to stay for holiday. clean, great hospitality, 5 rooms ensure small number of guests staying. low season ¥200, high season ¥280/night.
Mid-range
[edit]- Gem Hotel. Beautiful Japanese-style rooms overlooking much of downtown Xiamen. Includes Chinese buffet breakfast and free wired internet access. Most of the staff speak English well and are extremely helpful. ¥200+.
- Jing Hua Hotel, 1130 Xiahe Rd, Siming District, ☏ +86 592 581-9898. Three-star hotel offering 146 air-conditioned rooms, all of which have Internet access, satellite TV, and mini-bar. Some of its amenities include KTV, fitness center, and sauna. Best rates on official website start at ¥258.
- 2 Lujiang Harbourview Hotel, 54 Lujiang Rd (100 metres south of the ferry station, at the foot of Zhongshan Road), ☏ +86 592 202-2922. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. The closest thing Xiamen has to a Grand Old Hotel, it was founded by the famed local tycoon and philanthropist Tan Kah Kee in 1958, and built in a unique fusion of traditional European and Chinese architectural styles that was pioneered by Tan Kah Kee himself, which can also be seen in other buildings whose construction he funded in both Xiamen and Singapore.
- 3 Somerset Software Park Xiamen, No.2 Jinshan Rd, Siming District, ☏ +86 592 323-6888, enquiry.china@the-ascott.com. With 167 apartments ranging from studio to three bedroom apartments, the property is equipped with a breakfast lounge, children's playground, gymnasium and a video room.
Splurge
[edit]- Le Méridien Xiamen (厦门艾美酒店), 7 Guanjun Rd, ☏ +86 592 770-9999, fax: +86 592 770-9998, reservation.xiamen@lemeridien.com. Surrounded by open spaces and lush vegetation. Nestled on a slope of Xianyue Hill. Breathtaking views of Xiamen Bay.
- 4 Marco Polo Hotel. This hotel is on Yundang Lake, and offers a very good international buffet and a great atmosphere.
- Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen, 12-8 Zhenhai Rd, ☏ +86 592 202-3333, fax: +86 592 203-6666, bc@millenniumxiamen.com. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 12:00. Located in downtown Xiamen which is a major shopping and business district, the hotel is only minutes away on foot to the ferry to Gulangyu Island. It features a 22-story building that houses 352 rooms that include various business facilities including a work-desk and high speed Internet access.
- Pan Pacific Xiamen, 19 Hubin Bei Lu (Lakeside North Road), ☏ +86 592 507-8888, toll-free: 0800 0850 229, fax: +86 592 507-8899, enquiry.ppxmn@panpacific.com. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. A super modern hotel with stunning sea views and natural scenery. The rooms use a lot of glass and modern design techniques. The hotel also has an excellent ¥100 lunch buffet. Facilities include a fitness center, spa and pool. Rooms start at ¥630.
- Sheraton Xiamen Hotel, 386-1 Jiahe Rd, ☏ +86 592 552-5888. The latest international chain hotel to grace Xiamen's shores. It is very plush, and the Waves Pan Asian buffet is very good.
- Xiamen Fliport Software Park Hotel. Luxury hotel in a software park development area near the airport
Connect
[edit]There are consulates in Xiamen for:
Philippines, ☏ +86 592 513-0366, xiamenpc@yahoo.com. No. 2 Ling Xiang Li, Lianhua District
Singapore, No. 189, Xiahe Road #05-07/08, The Bank Centre, ☏ +86 592 268-4691, singcg_xmn@sgmfa.gov.sg.
Thailand, Building No.3 (City Hotel Xiamen), No. 16 Hu Yuan Road, ☏ +86 592 202-7980. Visa section open only 09:00-11:30.
Cope
[edit]In addition to the supermarkets listed under buy above, Xiamen has a number of smaller stores catering to expat residents.
- Tastylife, 10-105 Jianye Rd (near the Marco Polo). The most comprehensive collection of western supermarket items including a good selection of international beers.
