• Xiamen

• Name in Chinese characters: 厦门市
• Name in Pinyin: Xiàmén Shì
• Status: Sub-provincial city

• -

• Previously known as Amoy, Xiamen is still one of China's most important ports. The city is a Special Economic Zone giving it much more say in the economic adminstration, resulting in more rapid development. This has not been at the cost of the environment; the city has one several awards relating to sanitation and living standards for its citizens.

  Xiamen has a very mild climate being both maritime and sub-tropical. This allows flowers and other plants to grow year-round adding charm to the temples and other sites. Unfortunately, the coastal location also means that Xiamen is prone to typhoons throughout the summer and early autumn.

  Travel

  Xiamen airport (Airport code: XMN) has probably the best flight connections in Fujian Province with more domestic routes than even Fuzhou. It is also an international airport with useful routes to many parts of Asia.

  Xiamen does not have great rail connections and so road travel is preferable for shorter journeys such as to Quanzhou up the coast and to the interior.

  Attractions For Visitors

  Gulangyu (Isle of Blown Waves): (aka Piano Island)

  Southern Putuo Temple:

  Jinmen Island:

  Hulishan Fortress:

  Excursions further afield can take you to:

  Hakka Roundhouses:

  Tong'an Qu:

  The following China Journeys include a stay in Xiamen:

  • Brave New China
  • East Coast Explorer
  
  
  
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• Current Comments

  2 comments so far (post your own)

  Hi Susan
  
  The islands can not be visited from the mainland, not by foreign visitors anyway. To visit you would need to go to Taiwan and arrange transportation.
  
  Jinmen Island, which lies only a few kilometres off th coast, is administered by the Republic of China (Taiwan). It is possible to take a boat trip out to see this but not to go ashore. We include that excursion in our East Coast Explorer trip.

  Posted by China Journeys on Tue 7 Feb, 2012

  Xiamen faces Taiwan across the Taiwan Straits. Can all the islands be visited?

  Posted by Susan on Tue 7 Feb, 2012

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