Xiamen has in recent years established itself as a tourist destination of note, with foreign visitors particularly keen to experience the sights and sounds of Gulangyu Island, a scenic attraction that is car free and possesses a number of picturesque colonial buildings.
In earlier times, Xiamen was a foreign enclave with upscale homes and the consulates of various nations. As Xiamen was a focus of missionary activity in the 19th and early 20th centuries, there are many scenic churches and religious monuments in the area.
Xiamen was designated as a Special Economic Zone in the 1970s and has since prospered, becoming a noteworthy city in modern China; with a lively, prosperous and contemporary nature, that has earned it the title of China’s ‘second most suitable city for living’.
The city offers a multitude of sites of cultural and historical value, in addition to beautifully maintained parks and areas of greenery. The Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street offers many scenic buildings for those interested in a leisurely stroll in the area. Alternatively, travellers may visit the Yundang Lake with its resident flocks of egrets or the Bailuzhou Park with its multitude of vendors’ stalls, music and dancing. Make it a point to visit the night markets with their romantic ambience and array of merchandise on offer.
Cultural attractions include the Nanputuo Temple, a large Buddhist place of worship and the Huli Fortress, previously a garrison with many antique cannons that offers a scenic view from the southern extremity of Xiamen.
Kite surfing is a popular activity in Xiamen, with mild waters and ideal wind conditions – making it a perfect venue for this activity.
Xiamen boasts a diverse and vibrant nightlife, with an array of options on offer. The ‘Dushang’ and ‘1801’ discotheques hold a prominent status and draw many trendy clubbers. The principal focus for nightlife is Haiwan Park with its plethora of pubs, clubs and discotheques. A couple of highlights include the ‘KK’ discotheque and ‘The Key’ which features talented Filipino and Taiwanese bands enlivening proceedings.
Xiamen contains a number of excellent restaurants and cafes, several of them offering western food. Always worth sampling are the Geo Geo Café which serves up excellent Italian and American food; the Coyote Café and Cantina with its Tex-Mex offerings; Chongching which provides exceptional Sichuan cuisine and Little Chili’s with its superb Chinese menu, just to name a few.
Visitors looking for a hotel in Xiamen will find all that they seek in the Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen. This exceptional Xiamen hotel provides luxuriously furnished rooms and an array of facilities to satisfy the most demanding of visitors.
