Xiamen厦门

Known historically as "Egret Island," Xiamen became a treaty port after the Treaty of Nanjing in 1842, and Gulangyu was designated a foreign settlement in 1903. Consulates, churches, trading houses, and villas built by returning overseas Chinese still stand on that island of less than two square kilometres; in 2017, "Gulangyu: Historic International Settlement" earned UNESCO World Heritage status. In 1980, Xiamen became one of China's first Special Economic Zones, and today high-tech industries and cross-strait exchanges keep the city dynamic. Old villas sit alongside new tech parks, fishing-village snacks neighbour coffee shops — most visitors treat Xiamen as a quick island getaway, but the old town on the main island itself rewards a slow, unhurried walk.

Culture & Character

A museum of international architecture and the "Island of Pianos."

• Gulangyu earned its nickname "Island of Pianos" after overseas Chinese brought back hundreds of pianos in the last century; the island's Piano Museum now houses over a hundred instruments.
• In 2017, "Gulangyu: Historic International Settlement" was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, with well-preserved former consulates, churches, and villa clusters.
• Key attractions like Sunlight Rock and Shuzhuang Garden use a combined ticket; it's wise to book ferry tickets online before heading to the island.
• Xiamen University is often called one of China's most beautiful campuses, set against South Putuo Temple and Five Old Peaks; campus visits require an official reservation.

Flavours & Finds

One bowl of satay noodles holds the essence of Minnan cuisine.

• Satay noodles: a broth made from ground shrimp heads and shrimp paste, topped with fried dough sticks, tofu, and offal — a daily breakfast staple for locals.
• Oyster omelette: local oysters mixed with sweet potato starch, fried until crispy outside and tender inside; a classic Minnan night-market specialty.
• Peanut soup and misua (thin rice-noodle) porridge: sweet and savoury breakfast options found everywhere on the streets.
• Shapowei, Zengcuoan, and Zhongshan Road offer three distinct food-hunting routes: a former fishing port turned artsy quarter, a cluster of trendy guesthouses, and a traditional commercial street with long-established shops.

Daily Life

Special Economic Zone pace — slower than the megacities, but far from idle.

• Xiamen became one of China's first Special Economic Zones in 1980; today it thrives on high-tech industries and cross-strait e-commerce, with a large young population.
• The Huandao Road (Ring Road) is a local favourite for cycling, jogging, and sea views; locals swim at Baicheng Beach in summer.
• As a window for cross-strait exchanges, Xiamen faces Kinmen across the sea — on clear days you can see the opposite shore with the naked eye.
• It consistently ranks on lists such as “China’s Happiest Cities” and “Most Livable Cities”, with a distinctly slower pace of life than first‑tier cities.