Xiamen

Gulangyu made my whole trip to Xiamen special. I woke up early and caught the first ferry, so by 8am I had the little alleys almost to myself. There were cats sunbathing on windowsills, purple flowers spilling over old villa walls, and a tiny bakery making hot egg tarts fresh. Climbing Sunlight Rock is touristy but the 360-degree view from the top is unreal — you see the Xiamen skyline across the water and the whole island of tiled rooftops. The afternoon crowds came in after I grabbed a cold latte from a restored mansion cafe, so I just watched the chaos from a quiet bench. This is one of my favorite travel memories in years.

Best decision I made in Xiamen was renting a bike for the day and riding the loop along Huandao Road. Paved flat paths, ocean wind in my face, palm trees dipping every few meters — it’s the kind of city that rewards slow travel. I stopped at a tiny beach food stand, bought a warm coconut, and just watched fishing boats bobbing. The night market near the west side was loud and oily in the best way; I had grilled abalone on a stick for something like 15 yuan. Traffic on the inner city roads is a bit chaotic for biking, but the shoreline route made it worth every second. If you can, skip the group tour and see Xiamen on your own wheels.

Five days in Xiamen and I’m obsessed. The moment I stepped out of the hotel and smelled that humid sea air, I knew it was going to be a good trip. I love how the city mixes urban life with nature — one afternoon I was in the Wanshi Botanical Garden seeing these incredible cacti, and by sunset I was sitting on the rocks at Bailuzhou watching the bay turn pink. I ate so many local snacks: sha cha noodles with a smoky spicy broth, fried oysters, and all the sweet pineapple cake samples they hand you on every corner. The people were warm, even when my Chinese was clumsy. Xiamen just lives at a slower cadence, and I didn’t want to leave.

Xiamen was a solid trip overall. I spent three days here and really enjoyed the relaxed pace. The campus of Xiamen University is stunning with those red roofs and the sea right behind it, and walking from there down to Baicheng beach is a nice afternoon. The 8 market was fun to wander through, though a lot of the stalls were clearly pitching to tourists. I had an amazing bowl of peanut soup and a spring roll, but some things were overpriced. Taxi ride near the port also took a weird scenic route, which bugged me a little. Still, the city has charm and good food — just not a perfect one.

I really wanted to love Xiamen, but I came away a bit flat. The city is pretty from a distance, the bay and skyline are nice, but the practical side was rough. The ferry to Gulangyu was a chaotic mega-scramble, and the island itself felt like a tourist trap once you got past the first lanes. We stopped for a seafood meal near Zhongshan Road and the clams were gritty, and the waiter tried to upsell us a more expensive fish before we even sat down. The weather was muggy and it rained heavily on the last day. A few old streets have a nice colonial feel, but I wouldn’t rush back.

Hands down one of the best cities I’ve visited in China! The sunset from the top of Sunlight Rock on Gulangyu is absolutely magical—you can see the whole coastline turning gold. Rented a bike and cycled the entire Huandao Road, stopping at little beaches along the way. The street food culture is amazing: try the shacha noodles and the grilled squid! Every local I met was eager to help with directions. Already planning my return trip!