🏛️ 5A National Attractions
Last verified 22 Jul 2025
Shanghai's seafaring neighbour Xiamen now has two official 国家5A级 scenic areas. One is world-famous (UNESCO-listed Gulangyu Island), the other a freshly upgraded subtropical botanical garden set in granite crags.
1 Quick Metrics
Total 5A sites
2 — Gulangyu Island (2007) & Xiamen Botanical Garden (Feb 2024) 🏝️ 🌿
UNESCO share
1 / 2 (Gulangyu: World-Heritage inscription 2017) 🏛️
Typical ticket cost
¥35–50 ferry to Gulangyu • ¥40 Botanical-Garden gate
Real-name booking
Required for Gulangyu ferry (ID + health QR) & Botanical-Garden peak days
Subway reach
Both within 15 min walk of metro Line 1 (Zhenhai Rd. ferry • Botanical-Garden station opening late 2025)
2 Why It Matters
Island time capsule — Gulangyu's 19th-century consulate villas, piano museums and car-free lanes preserve the treaty-port melting pot that birthed modern Fujian commerce.
Granite jungle — The Botanical Garden drapes 4 000+ tropical species over weathered rock domes and lake-threaded ravines, giving humid Xiamen its coolest micro-climate and best sunrise hike.
3 Pro Tips
1
Gulangyu ferries — book the 08:00–08:30 slot in "厦门轮渡有限公司" mini-program 15 days ahead; day-trippers must depart from Xiamen International Cruise Center (Line 1 Zhenhai Rd.).
2
Avoid suitcase drag — island cobbles & stairs hate wheels; pack a backpack or hire ¥30 porter carts at ferry pier.
3
Piano Museum siesta — tour groups clear out 12 : 30–13 : 30; enjoy Chopin on restored Steinways minus the queue.
4
Botanical-Garden sunrise — south gate opens 05 : 30 May–Sept; climb Wulao Peak in 25 min for 360° dawn over Xiamen Bay.
5
Joint ticket — ¥60 combo (garden gate + Wanshi Lake electric shuttle) saves ¥15 and leg power on humid afternoons.
4 Full 5A List
🏝️
UNESCO Island · Siming
Gulangyu Island Scenic Area / 鼓浪屿风景名胜区
Car-free island; ¥100 combo; 07:30–18:00; ferry real-name QR.
🌿
Botanical Garden · Siming
Xiamen Botanical Garden (Wanshi Garden) / 厦门园林植物园景区
4,924 plant taxa; ¥40; 06:30–18:00; Wulao Peak 339m.
Plan one ferry day for Gulangyu's colonial pianos and another dawn trek amid giant cycads—No Tourist Traps. No BS.