Xiamen Gulangyu: A Seaside Garden of Music, Memories, and Moonlight
If you ever find yourself longing for a city that feels like a dream—half garden, half lullaby—Xiamen might be just what your heart ordered. And if you follow the ferry to its softest corner, you'll reach Gulangyu Island, a place where the sea hums softly, and old pianos sleep beneath blooming frangipani trees. Here, the streets are car-free, the rooftops whisper stories of the past, and every breeze carries a note of nostalgia.
Gulangyu: Where Europe Meets the South China Sea
Floating just off the coast of Xiamen, Gulangyu Island is a rare blend of East and West. As a former international settlement in the 19th century, the island wears many architectural hats—Spanish verandas, Victorian mansions, Japanese-style courtyards, and traditional Minnan stone houses. Wander past the Shuzhuang Garden, with its sea-facing pavilions and moon gates, or climb the rocky stairs to Sunlight Rock, the highest point of the island, offering sweeping views of Xiamen's skyline and fishing boats below.
Pianos are part of the island's soul—visit the Piano Museum, tucked inside a classical garden, where antique instruments from around the world quietly await curious fingers. Music flows in the air here, and so does the salty scent of sea breeze.
Signature Experiences: Slow Strolls, Seaside Cafés, and Artistic Echoes
Everything on Gulangyu invites you to linger. Enjoy a cup of milk tea on a vine-covered terrace, browse small bookstores selling poetry and postcards, or sketch the sea from a sunlit balcony. Local snacks like peanut soup, sand tea noodles, or seaweed cakes can be found at charming old-time vendors. For Halal-friendly meals, hop back to Xiamen Island and visit areas like Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street or Jimei District, where a variety of halal-certified restaurants serve dishes ranging from lamb skewers to Xinjiang flatbreads.
For Muslim travelers, the Xiamen Mosque (厦门清真寺) near Lianhua Road offers a peaceful place to pray, and many city-center hotels can provide prayer mats or Qibla direction on request.
Beyond Gulangyu: Must-See Gems Across Xiamen
Once you've said goodbye to Gulangyu's piano-shaped heart, the mainland of Xiamen offers a kaleidoscope of cultural, natural, and family-friendly attractions:
Nanputuo Temple: A peaceful Buddhist temple nestled against a green hill, known for its red-tiled roofs and lotus ponds.
Xiamen University: Often dubbed the most beautiful campus in China, it's full of ancient banyan trees and coastal walking paths.
Xiamen Botanical Garden: Also called Wanshi Garden, this lush park blends tropical plants, stone peaks, and misty greenhouses—a favorite spot for photographers and slow walkers.
Jimei School Village: A charming educational district built by philanthropist Tan Kah Kee, featuring classical Chinese architecture and lakeside views.
Xiamen Science and Technology Museum: Great for children and families, this interactive space covers space, physics, and marine biology.
Zengcuoan: A former fishing village turned into a hip alley full of murals, handmade crafts, and quirky cafés.
Guanyinshan Beach: A stretch of golden sand popular for surfing, kite flying, and peaceful sunsets.
Tianzhu Mountain Forest Park: A green escape full of hiking trails, waterfalls, and bamboo groves—ideal for a morning picnic.
Each destination shows a different face of Xiamen: poetic, playful, or peaceful—sometimes all at once.
A City of Sunlight and Sweetness
One of Xiamen's lesser-known charms is how quietly Halal-friendly it has become. In addition to Halal food options, several prayer rooms are available in tourist information centers, airports, and major mosques, making the journey smoother and more welcoming for international Muslim travelers.
And of course, there's always time for duty-free shopping at the Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, where international brands meet Fujian's delicate souvenirs—from oolong tea to pearl jewelry.
When the Tide Whispers Goodbye
Xiamen, and especially Gulangyu, is not a place you visit once and forget. It tucks itself into your memory like a seashell in your pocket—unassuming, but lovely when held up to your ear. It's in the way bougainvillea spills over stone walls, how waves kiss the harbor steps, and how the scent of roasted peanuts floats down narrow streets.
Whether you're sketching by the sea, praying in a garden mosque, or savoring coconut milk with warm buns, Xiamen travel is soft, slow, and kind. And when you leave, you'll carry it with you—in your suitcase, in your spirit, and maybe, just maybe, in your next daydream.
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