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7-Day Xiamen Itinerary

7-Day Xiamen Itinerary

TL;DR — 7 days in Xiamen (厦门) makes sense as a Fujian province loop: 3 days in Xiamen itself, 2 days for the Fujian Tulou (土楼) in Nanjing county, and 2 days in Wuyishan (武夷山) for the UNESCO mountain tea region. Or 5 days Xiamen + 2 days in Quanzhou (泉州). Best October–April; May–August is hot and typhoon-prone.

Day 1 — Xiamen city arrival

Afternoon

  • 14:00 — Arrive at Xiamen Gaoqi Airport (XMN) or Xiamen Railway Station. Check in.
  • 16:00 — Zhongshan Road (中山路), free, walk the colonial-era pedestrian street, 1 hour.
  • 18:00 — Welcome dinner: Minnan-style braised pork rice (闽南卤肉饭, lǔròu fàn) at Bashi (八市) the old market, ¥60–100/person. Try oyster omelette (海蛎煎, hǎilijiān) and Dapanji (大盘鸡) if you want a heartier meal.

Evening

  • 20:30 — Lujiang Road (鹭江路) night walk, free, view the Xiamen Twin Towers (世贸双子塔) lit across the water.

Day 2 — Gulangyu Island (鼓浪屿) full day

Morning

  • 08:00 — Lundu Pier (轮渡码头) ferry to Gulangyu, ¥35 round trip. Buy tickets via Xiamen Ferry WeChat mini-program, same day, opens 06:00.
  • 09:00 — Gulangyu Piano Museum (鼓浪屿钢琴博物馆), ¥30, 30 min.
  • 10:00 — Shuzhuang Garden (菽庄花园), ¥30, 1 hour. The garden is the prettiest on the island.
  • 11:00 — Sunlight Rock (日光岩), ¥50, 30 min climb, panoramic view.

Lunch

  • 12:00 — On Gulangyu, ¥80–150/person. Satay noodles (沙茶面, shāchā miàn) is the signature Xiamen dish.

Afternoon

  • 14:00 — Haoyue Garden (皓月园), ¥15, 1 hour, with the Zheng Chenggong (Koxinga) statue.
  • 15:30 — International Carving Museum (国际刻字馆), ¥20, in the former British consulate.
  • 16:30 — Gangzaihou Beach (港仔后沙滩), free, walk.
  • 18:00 — Ferry back.

Evening

  • 19:30 — Dinner at Yundang Road (筼筜路) for seafood hotpot (海鲜火锅), ¥150–250/person.

Day 3 — Mainland Xiamen

Morning

  • 08:30 — Nanputuo Temple (南普陀寺), free, 1.5 hours, founded in the Tang dynasty.
  • 10:30 — Wulao Peak (五老峰) behind the temple, 1.5 hours round trip, free, panoramic view.
  • 12:00 — Lunch, ¥60–100/person.

Afternoon

  • 14:00 — Xiamen University (厦门大学), free, book 3 days ahead via the Xiamen University Visit (厦大访客) WeChat mini-program, 2 hours. Walk Furong Lake (芙蓉湖).
  • 16:30 — Hulishan Fortress (胡里山炮台), ¥25, 1.5 hours. Has a 1893 German Krupp cannon.
  • 18:00 — Island Ring Road (环岛路) bike ride, ¥20–40/hour.

Evening

  • 19:30 — Dinner at Shapowei (沙坡尾), the old fishing harbour turned hipster, ¥100–200/person.
  • 21:30 — Baicheng Beach (白城海滩), free, walk along the coast.

Day 4 — Travel to Nanjing county for the Tulou (土楼)

Morning

  • 07:30 — Bus from Xiamen Hubin South Bus Station (厦门湖滨南汽车站) to Nanjing Tulou (南靖土楼), ¥50, 3.5 hours. Or hire a car, ¥800–1,200 round trip.
  • 11:00 — Arrive at Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster (田螺坑土楼群), ¥90 entry.

The Tulou

The Fujian Tulou (土楼) are massive rammed-earth communal buildings, 3–5 storeys tall, housing 200–800 people per structure. Built between the 12th and 20th centuries by the Hakka and Minnan peoples. UNESCO World Heritage since 2008.

  • Tianluokeng has 4 round tulou + 1 oval, the most photogenic group
  • Yuchanglou (裕昌楼) — the "leaning" tulou, with a deliberately off-centre pillar, 600+ years old
  • Taxia village (塔下村) — 60+ tulou along a stream, ¥50 entry

Lunch

  • 13:00 — At Tianluokeng village, ¥60–100/person. Try Hakka stuffed tofu (酿豆腐), Hakka salt-baked chicken (盐焗鸡), red rice wine (红曲酒).

Afternoon

  • 14:30 — Taxia village (塔下村), 30 min drive, walk the streamside tulou.
  • 16:30 — Return bus to Xiamen, arrive 20:00.

Evening

  • 21:00 — Light dinner near hotel, ¥60–80/person.

Day 5 — Travel to Wuyishan (武夷山)

Morning

  • 07:00 — Flight from Xiamen to Wuyishan Airport (WUS), 1 hour, ¥600–1,200.
  • 09:00 — Arrive Wuyishan, check in.
  • 10:00 — Wuyishan Scenic Area (武夷山风景区), ¥115 entry (good for 3 days). Take the sightseeing shuttle to the Nine Bend Stream (九曲溪).

Lunch

  • 12:30 — In the scenic area, ¥60–100/person. Try Wuyi smoked goose (武夷熏鹅) and Lantern mushroom (灯笼菇).

Afternoon

  • 14:00 — Bamboo raft on the Nine Bend Stream (九曲溪竹筏), ¥130, 1.5 hours, the classic Wuyishan experience. The boatman poles you through 9 km of gorge.
  • 16:00 — Tianyou Peak (天游峰), climb 30 min to 409 m, panoramic view of the river, free with the scenic area ticket.
  • 18:00 — Return to hotel.

Evening

  • 19:30 — Impression Da Hong Pao (印象大红袍) show, ¥238, 70 min, the famous Zhang Yimou-directed outdoor performance in a tea plantation. Worth it for first-timers.

Day 6 — Wuyishan deep day

Morning

  • 08:00 — Dahongpao Scenic Area (大红袍景区), walk to the mother tea bushes (母树大红袍) of the famous Da Hong Pao (大红袍) oolong. The original 6 bushes are 360+ years old. ¥70 entry.
  • 11:00 — Wuyishan Museum (武夷山博物馆), free, 1 hour.

Lunch

  • 12:00 — In town, ¥60–100/person. Wuyi bamboo rice (竹筒饭), stone chicken (石鸡, a large frog).

Afternoon

  • 14:00 — Hua Yuan Trail (花岩景区) or One-Line-Sky Scenic Area (一线天), included in the 3-day ticket. Both are 1.5h walks through narrow gorges.
  • 16:30 — Tea factory tour, ¥80–150, 1.5 hours. Learn how Da Hong Pao is roasted.

Evening

  • 19:00 — Dinner, ¥80–150/person.
  • 21:00 — Optional: Tea ceremony at a local teahouse (茶艺表演), ¥100/person.

Day 7 — Return to Xiamen or departure

Option A: Fly back to Xiamen

  • 08:00 — Flight WUS → XMN, 1 hour, ¥600–1,200.
  • 10:00 — Shapowei (沙坡尾) revisit, lunch, ¥80–120/person.
  • 14:00 — Optional: Xiamen Piano Museum (胡里山炮台) or another Gulangyu visit.
  • 18:00 — Farewell dinner, ¥150–250/person.

Option B: Direct departure from Wuyishan

  • 08:00 — Wuyishan Airport has flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen, Hong Kong.

Where to stay

| City | Area | Hotel price/night (mid-range) | |---|---|---| | Xiamen | Zhongshan Road | ¥350–650 | | Xiamen | Huandao Road | ¥500–1,000 | | Xiamen | Gulangyu (in summer) | ¥600–1,500 | | Wuyishan | Resort District | ¥400–800 | | Wuyishan | Sangu Resort | ¥500–900 |

How to get to Xiamen

  • From Shanghai: 5h train or 1.5h flight
  • From Hong Kong: 4h ferry or 1.5h flight
  • From Taipei: 1.5h flight (direct flights resumed 2023)
  • Xiamen Gaoqi Airport (XMN): international hub for HK, Taipei, Singapore
  • Xiamen Railway Station (厦门站): city centre

Costs (7 days, mid-range, per person)

| Item | Cost (CNY) | |---|---| | Hotel (6 nights) | 2,400–4,500 | | Meals (21 total) | 2,200–3,800 | | Gulangyu ferry + ticket | 200 | | Tulou day tour | 350 | | Wuyishan scenic + bamboo raft | 245 | | Wuyishan flight (round trip) | 1,200–2,400 | | Impression Da Hong Pao show | 238 | | Misc transport | 200–400 | | Total | 7,000–12,000 |

Practical tips

  • Xiamen weather is mild year-round (10–28°C), but always bring a layer for the sea breeze
  • Gulangyu is car-free, wear walking shoes
  • Tulou visits require walking on uneven paths, ¥20–50 tip for local guides
  • Wuyishan is mosquito-heavy in summer; bring repellent
  • Da Hong Pao tea is expensive — the original 6 mother trees are not for sale, but commercial Da Hong Pao starts at ¥200/50g
  • Impression Da Hong Pao show sells out, book 3+ days ahead

Verdict

7 days in Fujian is the right call if you want a deep province experience beyond the standard Xiamen weekend. The Tulou is the most unique cultural site in southeast China, and Wuyishan combines mountain scenery with one of the world's great tea traditions. Skip Wuyishan and do 5 days if you prefer to relax on Gulangyu.

Verify with: the Fujian Tourism Bureau (fjtour.gov.cn) and Wuyishan Tourism Bureau for opening hours. The Wuyishan scenic area's 3-day ticket is excellent value — use it. Tulou visits are best on weekdays to avoid the Chinese tour bus crowds.