10 Days in Quanzhou
Ten days run the full maritime circuit — port city, Dehua's kiln country and an honest neighbor day on Mazu's home island at Meizhou — at a pace that leaves room for tea.
Quick Answer
Is 10 days enough for Quanzhou?
10 days lets you go beyond Quanzhou's core into neighborhoods, food markets, and one or two day trips at a relaxed pace.
Source: NihaoVisit Quanzhou guide
10-day Quanzhou itinerary at a glance
Use our full Quanzhou travel guide as the base and adapt it to 10 days. Keep the city's three signature attractions as the backbone; fill the rest with neighborhood walks, food markets, and an easy day trip.
Old Town — Kaiyuan Temple & West Street
The Tang temple (founded 686) keeps twin stone pagodas of 48.24 m and 44.06 m, rebuilt in stone by 1228 and 1250; then a slow walk of West Street toward the Bell Tower.
- Kaiyuan Temple
- quanzhou west street
Faiths of the Port & Xunpu Village
The Arab-style mosque dates to 1009 — visit outside prayer times with shoulders covered; the Mazu temple by the old docks was founded in 1196. Afternoon at Xunpu, where oyster-shell walls and the women's flower-crown custom (national heritage since 2008) face the river mouth.
- quanzhou qingjing mosque
- quanzhou tianhou palace
- quanzhou xunpu village
Luoyang Bridge & Maritime Museum
The cross-sea stone bridge took six years of work and was finished in 1059; oyster colonies still bind its roughly 834 m of spans. The museum's 24 m Song-junk replica closes the port story — it closes Mondays.
- Luoyang Bridge
- Quanzhou Maritime Museum
Jinjiang — Anping Bridge & Wudianshi
Begun in 1138 and finished in 1152, the stone bridge ran about 2.2 km — locals still call it the Five-Li Bridge. Wudianshi's red-brick courtyards grew out of five Tang-era shops; evening seafood in Jinjiang.
- quanzhou anping bridge
- quanzhou wudianshi
Qingyuan Mountain
The Song-dynasty Laozi statue on the hillside stands 5.63 m tall and 8.01 m wide — China's largest ancient stone Laozi. Climb slowly through the cliff carvings and take the evening off in the old town.
- quanzhou qingyuan mountain
Chongwu Stone City (Hui'an)
The 1387 sea-wall runs about 2,455 m over the headland; stone-carving yards line the lanes, and Hui'an women's floral headscarves are documented local dress, not a show. Buses and cars reach Hui'an in about an hour.
- quanzhou chongwu ancient city
Jiuri Mountain
78 carved inscriptions survive here, 10 of them Song officials' records praying for monsoon winds before each trading season — the port's paperwork in stone. Return via Nan'an for an early dinner.
- quanzhou jiuri mountain
Dehua Kiln Country
About two hours west, Dehua's white porcelain fed Europe's Blanc de Chine fashion; its Song-to-Qing kiln sites count among the 22 monuments in the 2021 World Heritage listing. Workshop visits show throwing and glazing.
- quanzhou dehua kilns
Meizhou Island (Putian day)
An honest neighbor day — HSR to Putian, then a short ferry (about 20 minutes) to Mazu's birthplace island, whose ancestral temple draws pilgrims from across the straits. Mazu belief joined UNESCO's intangible list in 2009.
- putian
Arcades & Departure
Morning zongzi and beef-ball soup along the 1920s arcades, a last loop of the old town, then the airport bus or Quanzhou station for the HSR.
- quanzhou zhongshan road
Budget for 10 days in Quanzhou
| Tier | Per day | 10 days total |
|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | USD $50–$80 | USD $500–$800 |
| Mid-range | USD $100–$200 | USD $1,000–$2,000 |
| Luxury | USD $300+ | USD $3,000+ |
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Frequently asked questions
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See also: Quanzhou travel guide, China visa 2026, China trip cost.