Xiamen and Quanzhou Tour
Xiamen and Quanzhou, two popular cities in Southern Fujian, offer both coastal charm and rich history, making them ideal travel destinations. Below is a detailed travel guide:
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### **1. Suggested Itinerary**
**Xiamen (3 days)**
- **Day 1: In-depth Gulangyu Island Tour**
- Morning: Take a ferry to Gulangyu Island (book tickets in advance on the "Xiamen Ferry" official WeChat account), visit Sunlight Rock, Shuzhuang Garden, and Haoyue Garden.
- Afternoon: Stroll along Longtou Road Snack Street, visit the Piano Museum, the most beautiful corner, and Gangzai Back Beach.
- Evening: Return to Xiamen Island and have dinner at Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street.
- **Day 2: Classic Xiamen Island Route**
- Morning: Pray at Nanputuo Temple → Xiamen University (reservation required) → Ding'aozai Cat Street.
- Afternoon: Shapowei Art Zone → cycling along the Huandao Road (Baicheng Beach → Zengcuoan → Huangcuo Beach).
- Evening: Explore the night market in Zengcuoan or enjoy seafood at the Eighth Market.
- **Day 3: Nature and Art Experience**
- Morning: Wanshi Botanical Garden (Rainforest Zone, Succulent Plant Zone).
- Afternoon: Take the Zhonggu Cableway for a panoramic view → Jimei School Village (Tan Kah Kee architecture, Dragon Boat Pond).
- Evening: Watch the sunset at Jimei Da She or Haiwan Park.
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**Quanzhou (2 days)**
- **Day 4: Quanzhou Ancient City Culture**
- Morning: Kaiyuan Temple (East and West Pagodas) → West Street snacks → Clock Tower → Xiaoxicheng.
- Afternoon: Qingjing Mosque (Islamic ruins) → Guandi Temple → Tianhou Temple.
- Evening: Experience the flower hairpins and take photos of fisherwomen in Xunpu Village.
- **Day 5: In-depth Peripheral Tour**
- Morning: Qingyuan Mountain (Laojun Rock, Nantai Rock overlooking Quanzhou).
- Afternoon: Luoyang Bridge (ancient Song Dynasty bridge) or Wudian City Traditional Block in Jinjiang.
- Evening: Return trip or watch Quanzhou Marionette Show (intangible cultural heritage performance).
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### **2. Transportation Guide**
- **Xiamen → Quanzhou:**
- **High-speed Train:** 20 minutes direct, ticket price around CNY 25.
- **Self-driving:** 1.5 hours, good highway conditions.
- **Bus:** Xiamen Fanghu Bus Station → Quanzhou Passenger Transport Center Station, about 2 hours.
- **City Transportation:**
- Xiamen: subway lines 1/2, bus, shared bikes; Quanzhou: Xiaobai electric cars (hail and ride), shared e-bikes.
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### **3. Must-try Food**
**Xiamen**
- **Special snacks:** Satay noodles, peanut soup, sipunculid worm jelly, oyster omelet, ginger duck.
- **Recommended restaurants:**
- Eighth Market: A Jie Five Spice, Yousheng Local Snacks.
- Zhongshan Road: Huang Zehe Peanut Soup, Yuehua Satay Noodles.
- Zengcuoan: Mushroom Legend, Minzong Rice Noodle Rolls.
**Quanzhou**
- **Special snacks:** Misua paste, meat dumplings, Four Fruit Soup, Runbing (spring rolls), vinegar-flavored pork.
- **Recommended restaurants:**
- West Street: Grandma Hou's Meat Dumplings, Wu's Handmade Rice Cakes.
- Tianhou Temple: Bingzhengtang Agar Jelly.
- Tumen Street: Hao Cheng Cai Steak House.
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### **4. Accommodation Recommendations**
- **Xiamen:**
- Zhongshan Road/Ferry: Convenient transportation, suitable for shopping and eating (Recommended hotel: Lujiang Hotel).
- Zengcuoan: Gathering place for art-themed homestays, near Huandao Road (Recommended: Oneday Peppermint Designer Homestay).
- **Quanzhou:**
- Near West Street: Experience the lively atmosphere of the ancient city (Recommended: Quanzhou Wuji Homestay).
- At the foot of Qingyuan Mountain: Quiet environment (Recommended: Qingyuan Mountain Tea House).
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### **5. Travel Tips**
1. **Gulangyu Ferry Tickets:** Purchase 2 days in advance during peak season, choose "Xiagu Wharf → Sanqiutian Wharf".
2. **Sun and Mosquito Protection:** Xiamen's coastal area has strong UV rays, and Quanzhou's old alleys have many mosquitoes.
3. **Cultural Experiences:**
- Quanzhou: Book intangible cultural heritage marionette shows in advance (Official WeChat account: Quanzhou Marionette Art Heritage Protection Center).
- Xunpu Village flower hairpins: around CNY 40/person, including costumes and photo props.
4. **Avoid Crowds:** Gulangyu Island and West Street are crowded during holidays, it is recommended to go early and return late.
5. **Souvenirs:** Xiamen pie, Quanzhou garlic bread, Tieguanyin tea, traditional pastries.
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### **6. Budget Reference (per person)**
- **Transportation:** CNY 500-800 (including intercity transportation).
- **Accommodation:** CNY 300-600/night (mid-range homestay/hotel).
- **Food:** CNY 100-150/day.
- **Tickets:** Gulangyu combined ticket CNY 90, Qingyuan Mountain CNY 70, other attractions are mostly free.
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Xiamen and Quanzhou share similar Southern Fujian characteristics, yet each has its own unique charm: Xiamen is romantic and artistic, while Quanzhou is ancient and simple. Plan your itinerary wisely and experience the blend of mountains, seas, and history!
Xiamen is truly a beautiful city, and taking the cable car to see the scenery is a great option 😊 Buying tickets is very convenient; even if you book online, you still need to pick up a paper ticket on-site. Each car can seat two people, so if you're traveling alone, you'll have to share a seat 😄 or you can buy two tickets and have the car to yourself!
The scenery from the cable car is absolutely stunning, but you should definitely go around 5 pm, otherwise it gets quite hot. Remember to bring mosquito repellent, as there will be small insects. Highly recommended if it's your first time visiting Xiamen.
The cable car ticket includes round-trip transportation, but you cannot get off midway; it's a one-time ride. The view of Xiamen's coastline from above is quite nice. The cable car made two high-altitude stops along the way, but quickly resumed operation with announcements assuring passengers not to panic. Staff explained that these temporary stops were due to elderly passengers getting on and off, which is understandable, but experiencing two such stops on one trip would be quite thrilling for anyone.
The Bell and Drum Cableway is located on the west side of Wanshi Botanical Garden, a national 5A-level scenic spot. It is more than 1,000 meters long and takes about 40 minutes. It is more than 150 meters above the ground and spans the Botanical Garden, Huxi Rock, Hongshan Park and Nanputuo Wulao Peak. It is the only best dynamic viewing spot in Xiamen. Opening hours: Monday to Sunday 8:30-17:30 ⭐ Tips: 1. The cableway inventory is limited, so please be sure to buy tickets in advance. 2. If the ticket is not issued successfully or cannot be purchased, it means that it is sold out. Whether the ticket is issued successfully is subject to the receipt of the SMS. 3. The Bell and Drum Cableway can be booked up to 10 days in advance, and it will be updated on time at 00:00 every day. 4. The preferential group needs to buy tickets on site. Sunset is the best viewing time, and the waiting time in line will be longer, so you need to queue up in advance!
I searched online in advance and found mixed reviews, but after I actually went there, I highly recommend it. Half of the city and half of the sea, the breeze is not dry, the spring flowers are blooming, and you can see the whole Xiamen at a glance. It is really worth experiencing, but the experience will be worse if the weather is bad. It takes only five minutes to get there from the Botanical Garden. The whole journey takes more than 40 minutes without getting off the bus
The cable car costs 80 yuan. It is best to buy it online in advance, especially for those who want to take pictures of the sunset. You can make an appointment online in advance, because many tourists come here to take pictures of the sunset, so the tickets around 4 to 5 pm are easily booked in advance. You have to sit and wait when you arrive. There is a supermarket next to you where you can buy water if it is too hot. The scenery is very good and you can see the Twin Towers. If you take the cable car on a hot day, you must pay attention to sun protection. Xiamen is especially sunny in summer. Sunscreen and sun protection clothes are essential! Otherwise, you will really get tanned, and you will also be exposed to the sun when sitting on the cable car~
The cable car does not have a one-way trip, but a round trip, which takes 40 minutes. The starting point is at the west gate of Xiamen Forest Park, and the halfway point is close to the Wulao Peak of Nanputuo Temple. The cable car has a very good view, and you can see the west of Zhonggu Mountain, the north of Xiamen City, and most of the urban area southwest of Chaohai. It is worth a visit.
Xiamen Bell and Drum Cableway is located on the west side of Xiamen Botanical Garden. It is more than 1,000 meters long. There is only a round trip ticket (80 yuan). You cannot get off the cable car during the trip and return by the original route. You can overlook the coastal scenery of Xiamen from a high altitude, including Gulangyu Island, Nanputuo Temple, etc. If the time is right, you can also see the sunset.