The beautiful harbor city of Xiamen, known to the West as Amoy, is characterized by a charming waterfront district, special colonial mansions, a pleasant and mild climate, a clean environment, and its characteristic food.
From Xiamen, you can explore the World Heritage Site of the Fujian Tulou to find Mulan's "hometown", head northeast to Wuyi Mountain to see the beautiful Danxia landform and learn about ancient Fujian culture, or go north to Xiapu Mudflat to have an incredible photography trip.
No matter whether you would like to have a relaxing weekend in Xiamen or if you would prefer to go beyond the normal sightseeing to have an in-depth trip to trace the origins of the Hakka or Minnan cultures, we can tailor-make your trip according to your interests and requirements.
These are some suggested itineraries for touring Xiamen as well as multi-destination tours including Xiamen.
You can stay in an original tulou and experience the simple Hakka atmosphere and hospitality of the Hakka people. We have arranged an overnight stay in an original tulou during our 3-Day Essence of Xiamen and In-Depth Tulou Tour for you to enjoy the Hakka atmosphere. Spending one night in a tulou village is a good idea to avoid the tourist crowds. The villages are quiet and more authentic before the tourists arrive in the morning and after they leave in the afternoon.
Recommended hotels:
There are a lot of accommodation options on Gulangyu Island. If you have plenty of time and would like to enjoy the island’s petty bourgeoisie flair and have a relaxing walk on the beach, it is a good idea to stay overnight there.
Recommended hotels on Gulangyu Island:
If you plan to have a 1-day tulou tour from Xiamen, we recommend Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster and the nearby Hekeng Tulou Cluster or Taxia Village. These places are less touristy compared with other villages in Nanjing.
If you plan to have a 2-day tulou tour, you can enjoy more leisure time in a tulou. We recommend that you visit Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster and the nearby Hekeng Tulou Cluster or Taxia Village during the first day, and visit Hongkeng Tulou Cluster or Chuxi Tulou Cluster on the second day. Staying overnight in a tulou is a unique experience.
The World Heritage Site of the Fujian Tulou includes six tulou clusters and four single earthen buildings. There are 46 earthen buildings in total. The most famous ones are in Nanjing and Yongding counties.
In Nanjing County
Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster
The Fujian Tulou used Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster to apply for its World Cultural Heritage status. It is the most interesting tulou cluster. The shapes are circular, square, and oval. The square building is located in the center and the other four surround it, so local people affectionately call those five buildings “four dishes and one soup”. The village nearby, Taxia Village, is a delightful river settlement with several tulou buildings.
Hekeng Tulou Cluster
It is a less touristy tulou cluster. It doesn’t have a famous tulou that’s loved by tourists. The local people still keep to a simple and traditional lifestyle. It is the place where the Disney movie Mulan found inspiration for Mulan’s home. This is where we recommend you visit a tulou family to discover the real lifestyle and culture of the Hakka people.
In Yongding County
Gaobei Tulou Cluster
The most famous tulou in Gaobei Tulou Cluster is Chengqilou. As the largest and one of the most iconic tulous, it is dubbed as the ‘King of Tulou’. Chengqilou was printed on one of the stamps that comprised the ancient Chinese dwellings collection in 1986. However, Chengqilou is very touristy and commercial due to its reputation.
Hongkeng Tulou Cluster
There are about 100 tulous of various sizes in the long and narrow village, which lies along both banks of a river. The most famous tulou in this cluster is Zhengchenglou, which is called the ‘Prince of Tulou’. You can find more tulou styles there.
Chuxi Tulou Cluster
Chuxi Earthen Building Cluster in Chuxi Village consists of five round buildings and many square buildings in the surrounding hills. It is considered to be the most picturesque earthen building cluster in Yongding County. A tulou museum in Jiqinglou is a specialty of this tulou cluster.
