Xiamen · City Snapshot
Last verified 22 Jul 2025
Granite sea-forts, subtropical beaches and indie-cafés in colonial lanes—Xiamen fuses Minnan trading DNA with a start-up cloud on the Taiwan Strait.
Sunrise turns Gulangyu's red-tile roofs melon-orange; by night, the twin "Piano Towers" mirror moonlit ferry wakes.
1 Heritage Pulse
Timeline in a Nutshell
1387 Ming builds Xiamen fort ▶ 1650s Zheng Chenggong's anti-Qing base ▶ 1842 Treaty-port opens (Amoy) ▶ 1980 one of China's first four Special Economic Zones ▶ 2017 BRICS summit ▶ 2023 Haicang FTZ expansion
Cultural Icons
Gulangyu World-Music Island · Huli Hill Fortress · Nanputuo Temple · Shapowei graffitied wharf · Jimei dragon-boat race
Modern Tags
Cross-strait start-up hub · Flat-white capital of south-China · National Hi-Tech Zone (biomed & chip-packaging)
Keyword Cloud
Gulangyu • SEZ • Peanut-soup • Kinmen ferries • Amoy Deco
2 Fast-Facts
👥 Population
≈ 5.4 M urban · Tier-2 plus island cache
2025 estimate with island appeal
💰 Cost
Peanut-soup breakfast ¥8 • 4★ hotel ≈ US $95
Coastal value with island charm
🚇 Transit
3 metro lines • ≈ 98 km (Lines 1 & 2 & 3) ; Line 4 due 2026
Expanding island connectivity
🌿 Air Quality
2024 avg PM₂.₅ ≈ 23 µg/m³—South-Sea breeze keeps haze among China's lowest
Ocean winds clear air naturally
🎯 Tourism
Gulangyu ferries sell out weekends; Nanputuo steps calm after 17 h
Island timing matters
⚠️ Safety
Very low violent crime; watch pier "VIP ferry" touts
Island safety excellent
📱 Digital
99% 5G; UnionPay & Apple Pay tap on metro gates
Digital payments everywhere
💳 Income
GDP ¥859 bn (2024) — chip-packaging & logistics twin pillars
SEZ tech hub economy
🗣️ English
Good in island cafés, less in inland wet-markets—offline translator handy
Coastal areas more English-friendly
3 Why Visit ↔ Why Skip
✅ Why Visit
🏝️
Gulangyu UNESCO island—car-free colonial villas & 200 pianos
🦐
Minnan seafood + Taiwanese snack fusion
☕
Sunset boardwalks & café culture—China's Flat-White Coastline
✈️
Easy visa-free 72 h stopover for 59 nationalities
⛴️
Island-to-Kinmen ferry in 30 min (when cross-strait open)
❌ Why Skip
🌧️
Typhoon showers Jul–Sept disrupt ferries
🏛️
Few imperial monuments compared with Xi'an or Beijing
👥
Peak crowds on public holidays—the island queues
⛰️
No high mountains—nature = coast & wetlands
🌡️
Humidity May-Sept feels 35 °C+
4 Traveler-Fit Tags
🏝 Leisure Seekers
★★★
Car-free Gulangyu lanes, beach cafés, sunset ferry loops—zero stress.
🍤 Food Hunters
★★☆
Oyster omelettes, sand-tea noodles, bubble-tea alleys—90% < ¥40.
🎹 Culture Hoppers
★★☆
Piano Museum, Amoy-Deco arcades & Minnan opera in Zhongshan Park.
👨👩👧 Families
★★☆
Underwater World, low-rise stroller lanes, zoo on island hill.
☕ Digital Nomads
★★☆
Shapowei loft co-works, 5G everywhere, latte ¥28; VPN essential.
🏄 Active Outdoors
★★☆
Surf-school at Xiang'an beach, ring-island greenway cycling 25 km.
★★★ = highly recommended · ★★☆ = good with caveats · ★☆☆ = not ideal
5 Neighborhood Snapshot
Gulangyu Island
UNESCO Heritage
✨
Colonial villas, piano bars
⚠️
Ferry ticket timed; no cars
💰
120 / 210 US / 320 US
Shapowei Wharf
Art District
✨
Graffiti walls, skate bowl, cafés
⚠️
Night mosquitoes
💰
60 / 140 US / 260 US
Siming CBD (Zhongshan Rd)
Shopping Hub
✨
Deco arcades, shopping
⚠️
Tourist mark-ups
💰
90 / 170 US / 290 US
Jimei New Town
University Zone
✨
Dragon-boat lake, university vibe
⚠️
30 min metro to island
💰
50 / 120 US / 210 US
Xiang'an Seaside
Beach Zone
✨
Surf, mangrove walk
⚠️
Sparse taxis after 21 h
💰
— / 110 US / 200 US
6 Season & Quirks
🌤️ Four-Season Climate
🌸
Spring
Mar — May
17–27°C
Light
Best
Bougainvillea bloom, kite-surf fair
Perfect island weather
☀️
Summer
Jun — Aug
26–33°C
Heavy
Good
Night seafood wharfs; typhoon showers Jul–Aug
Hot but sea breeze helps
🍂
Autumn
Sep — Nov
20–29°C
Light
Best
Beach yoga fest, Mid-Autumn lantern cruise
Perfect weather season
❄️
Winter
Dec — Feb
12–21°C
Drizzle
Best
20°C sun, peanut-soup season; few crowds
Mild and pleasant
🎭 Local Quirks & Tips
⛴️
Ferry hack
buy inner-island ticket (¥35 rtn) after 17 h for sunset discount
🥜
Peanut-soup etiquette
sip first, then dip you-tiao cruller
🚴
E-bike greenway
Island ring road complete; helmet included with scan
💡 Quick Tips
💰
No tipping: service charge appears only in five-star hotels.
🗣️
Xiamen dialect: = Minnan—"Hó-an" means hello; impress snack vendors.
⛴️
Queue firmly: at ferry; ticket + ID check twice.
⚠️ Etiquette & Pitfalls
🚁
No drones over Gulangyu
UNESCO zone fines ¥10 000.
💡 Check drone regulations before flying anywhere in Xiamen
🍵
Beware "VIP ferry" touts at port
official booth only.
💡 Queue firmly at ferry; ticket + ID check twice
🏔️
Beach glass
take sandals; shells sharp at Zengcuo'an.
💡 Wear proper footwear on beaches
📘
Passport copy
random checks on ring-island road after 22 h.
💡 Keep digital copies on phone as backup reference