Things to Do in Xiamen
Top attractions, best neighborhoods to wander, and the food you shouldn't skip in Xiamen, China — 2026 traveler picks.
Top places to see
Gulangyu Island (UNESCO)
Car-free island with 19th-century colonial architecture. UNESCO-listed. Ferry from Xiamen CNY 35 return + CNY 50-100 for museum + Sunlight Rock. 3-5 hours.
Xiamen University campus
Widely considered China's most beautiful university — beachfront + colonial buildings + lakes. Advance registration required for entry. Free. 90 min.
Nanputuo Temple + Wuhun Mountain
Historic Buddhist temple (1,300 years) + adjacent hilltop views. CNY 5 entry temple. 2 hours combined.
Zhongshan Road pedestrian + Bagua Restaurant
Central pedestrian shopping street + Xiamen food. Bagua for authentic Fujian cuisine (satay noodles, oyster omelette). Free walking.
Book tours + skip-the-line tickets
Compare tours + attractions in Xiamen across GetYourGuide, Tiqets and Trip.com — free cancellation on most, and prices match direct booking.
Things to do in Xiamen
Lock in a few experiences before you go — the good ones sell out.
Tours, tickets & day trips
Our pickGetYourGuide has the deepest catalogue for Xiamen and free cancellation on most experiences — book now, decide later.
Browse XiamenJust need timed-entry attraction tickets? Try Tiqets.Want a private driver-guide? Trip.com Private Tours in Xiamen.Eat here first
Satay noodles (sha cha mian — Fujian classic). Oyster omelette (o-ah-jian). Popiah (fresh spring roll). Peanut soup (huasheng tang). Xiamen-style dumplings. Local seafood.
Local tip
XMN is 9km NE of Xiamen centre — one of China's closest airports. DiDi CNY 40-90 is the tourist standard, super cheap. Xiamen is a coastal Fujian gateway — subtropical, laid-back, University + Gulangyu heritage. For 6h layovers: DiDi to city + Xiamen University area + Nanputuo Temple + street food. For 12+ hours: add Gulangyu Island (needs 4+ hours dedicated). Note: Xiamen is coastal Fujian dialect (Hokkien) region — some signage in Traditional Chinese.
Where to stay
Hotels across Xiamen — filter by neighborhood + budget on the map below.