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2-Day Xiamen Itinerary

2-Day Xiamen Itinerary

TL;DR — Xiamen (厦门) is a coastal city in Fujian province famous for Gulangyu Island (鼓浪屿), the minnan (southern Fujian) food, and clean air. 2 days covers Gulangyu (a full day), the Nanputuo Temple (南普陀寺), Hulishan Fortress (胡里山炮台), and the Jimei School Village (集美学村). Best October–April — May–August is hot and humid with typhoon risk.

Day 1 — Gulangyu Island (鼓浪屿) all day

Morning: ferry over

  • 08:00 — Take the ferry from Lundu Pier (轮渡码头) to Gulangyu (鼓浪屿). ¥35 round trip. Buy tickets via the Xiamen Ferry (厦门轮渡) WeChat mini-program, same day only, lines start at 06:00 for 07:00 ferry.
  • 09:00 — Arrive on Gulangyu, walk the old colonial streets. Longtou Road (龙头路) is the main commercial strip. Try local satay noodles (沙茶面, shāchā miàn), ¥15–25/bowl.

Midday: the historic pianos and museums

  • 10:30 — Gulangyu Piano Museum (鼓浪屿钢琴博物馆), ¥30, half-hour, in Shuzhuang Garden (菽庄花园), ¥30. The garden is the prettiest spot on the island.
  • 12:00 — Sunlight Rock (日光岩), ¥50, the highest point on the island, 30 min climb, panoramic Xiamen view.

Lunch on Gulangyu

  • 12:30 — Eat at a heritage café on Longtou Road. Try oyster omelette (海蛎煎, hǎilijiān), fish ball soup (鱼丸汤), tusun jelly (土笋冻, tǔsǔn dòng) (worm jelly, an acquired taste). ¥80–150/person.

Afternoon

  • 14:00 — Haoyue Garden (皓月园), ¥15, with the Zheng Chenggong statue (the 17th-century Ming loyalist who expelled the Dutch from Taiwan).
  • 15:30 — Walk the Gangzaihou Beach (港仔后沙滩), free, swim if you want (beach quality is poor; swimming is more about the experience).
  • 16:30 — International Carving Museum (国际刻字馆), ¥20, in the former British consulate, small but interesting.

Evening

  • 18:00 — Ferry back to Xiamen.
  • 19:00 — Dinner at Zhongshan Road (中山路), the pedestrian shopping street. Try shacha hotpot (沙茶火锅) or Minnan-style braised pork rice (闽南卤肉饭, lǔròu fàn). ¥60–120/person.
  • 21:00 — Night walk along Lujiang Road (鹭江路) with the Xiamen Twin Towers (世贸双子塔) lit up across the water, free.

Day 2 — Mainland Xiamen

Morning

  • 08:30 — Nanputuo Temple (南普陀寺), free (ID required). Founded in the Tang dynasty, 1,200+ years old, active Buddhist temple. Allow 1.5 hours.
  • 10:00 — Walk up to Wulao Peak (五老峰) behind the temple, 1.5h round trip, panoramic view. Free.
  • 11:30 — Xiamen University (厦门大学), free but reservation required via the Xiamen University Visit (厦大访客) WeChat mini-program. Book 3 days ahead. Famous for its lakes, tunnels, and Furong Lake (芙蓉湖).

Lunch

  • 12:30 — Eat at Xiamen University canteen (visitors welcome, pay at counter, ¥20–40/person) for an authentic student meal. Or head to Shapowei (沙坡尾), the old fishing harbour, now hipster area, ¥80–150/person.

Afternoon

  • 14:00 — Hulishan Fortress (胡里山炮台), ¥25, 1.5 hours. Has a 1893 German Krupp cannon, the largest surviving coastal artillery in China.
  • 16:00 — Island Ring Road (环岛路), rent a bike (¥20–40/hour) and cycle 5–10 km along the coast. The most scenic urban cycle in China.

Evening

  • 18:00 — Jimei School Village (集美学村), 30 min by metro. Tan Kah Kee (陈嘉庚) built this village in the 1920s–50s. Beautiful "Hokkien Romanesque" architecture (red brick, swallowtail roof, fusion of southern Fujian and Western). Free to walk.
  • 19:30 — Dinner in Jimei. Try Jimei-style oyster pancake (集美海蛎饼) and Tian bamboo rice (天竹米饭).

Where to stay

| Area | Best for | Hotel price/night (mid-range) | |---|---|---| | Zhongshan Road | Walking distance to ferry, food | ¥350–650 | | Huandao Road (环岛路) | Sea view, modern | ¥500–1,000 | | SM City | Mall area, transit | ¥300–500 | | Jimei | Budget, near metro | ¥200–400 |

How to get to Xiamen

  • From Shanghai: 5h high-speed train (¥450) or 1.5h flight
  • From Hong Kong: 4h ferry (¥250) or 1.5h flight
  • From Guangzhou: 4h train or 1h flight
  • Xiamen Gaoqi Airport (XMN) has international flights from HK, Taipei, Singapore, Bangkok
  • Xiamen Railway Station (厦门站) in city centre

Costs (2 days, mid-range, per person)

| Item | Cost (CNY) | |---|---| | Hotel (1 night) | 350–650 | | Meals (6 total) | 500–900 | | Ferry round trip | 35 | | Gulangyu combo ticket | ~150 | | Nanputuo Temple | 0 | | Hulishan Fortress | 25 | | Bike rental | 60–120 | | Misc transport | 80–150 | | Total | 1,200–2,100 |

Practical tips

  • Gulangyu is car-free — wear comfortable walking shoes, the island is hilly
  • Book Gulangyu ferry tickets the morning of, the WeChat mini-program opens at 06:00 and tickets sell out by 09:00 in peak season
  • The typhoon season is June–September; check weather forecasts, ferries cancel in storms
  • Avoid weekends at Nanputuo and Xiamen University — locals
  • Tusun jelly (土笋冻) is a must-try local snack but it is worm jelly; try it once, you may not want seconds
  • No tipping in restaurants, no haggling for food, taxi meters start at ¥10

Verdict

2 days in Xiamen is the right amount for a first-timer. Gulangyu takes a full day, the mainland sites fill another day, and seafood dinners anchor both. Add a third day for Tulou (土楼) — the famous Fujian earthen round houses in Nanjing county, 2.5h drive, UNESCO World Heritage, ¥150 entry to the most famous (Tianluokeng cluster, 田螺坑土楼群).

Verify with: the Xiamen Tourism Bureau (visitxm.com) for ferry schedules and the Xiamen Ferry WeChat mini-program for ticket availability, which can change without notice during typhoon season.