Gulangyu ​- one of the must-visit spots in Xiamen, China

Last Update: 15th October 2020

With an area of 1.91 square kilometers, Gulangyu is the largest island in Xiamen. It offers tens of buildings to visit. More than 50% of them are still residential houses for the indigenous people on the island.

Gulangyu Fast Facts
  • Chinese Name: Gulangyu (鼓浪屿)
  • Area: 1.91 x square kilometers
  • Things to do there: Photography, Arts, Architecture
  • Who visits: Photographers, Arts Lovers, Architects
  • Time required: 2 – 3 x hours
Interested in visting Gulangyu on a Tour?

Wendy Wei Tours offers a variety of different packaged tours as well as custom tours including Gulangyu , among other attractions and destinations. To find out more, please visit our Tours page or Contact Us directly to find out more.

What to expect at Gulangyu

Gulangyu is very popular among domestic Chinese tourists for its natural beauty. It is home to more than 1,000 species of plants.

 

The island is fully equipped with tourist facilities. You can find several hotels and tens of snack shops on the island. Of course, specialties and shell or fish bone handicrafts are on sale.

 

The main scenic spots are Sunlight Rock, Shu Zhuang Garden, Piano Museum, and Organ Museum.

Sunlight Rock is a great spot to enjoy the panoramic views of the island. It has the old Sunlight Rock Temple to visit, which is more than 400 years old. The rock is a cultural place.

 

Shu Zhuang Garden, formerly working as a private estate of Lin Erjia (1874 – 1951), was transformed into a public garden in 1955. It is situated on the hill neighbouring the sea. You’ll find the exquisite pavilions in the Chinese classical style with cornices. Forty-four Bridge was named after the time when the bridge was built and Mr. Lin was 44 years old. The bridge winds over the shallow sea. The piano museum in the garden will amaze you through old but precious pianos in different materials.

 

Set in the Eight Diagrams Building, the Organ Museum offers different styles of organs, including the automatic Jazz Organ. When it is powered on, it gives out several sounds, just like a jazz band.

 

Haoyue Park is built to commemorate Zheng Chenggong (1624 – 1662) who defeated the Holland’s invaders and took back Taiwan in the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644). You’ll find buildings in the Ming Dynasty style there.

 

If you’re interested in architectures, you can pay a visit to Haitian Tanggou Old Villas composed of 5 Chinese-Western buildings. All of them are more than 80 years old. Buildings 34, 38 and 42 are opened to the public. Nowadays, visitors can admire the unique shows there, the puppet show and Southern Fujian Music Show.

Best time to visit Gulangyu

The best time to visit the island is in the early morning.

 

The best months to visit are from March to November.

 

How to get to Gulangyu

The only option is to take a ferry to the island from Xiagu Wharf.

 

Additional Gulangyu Travel Advice
  • Opening hours for the day ferry: 07:10 – 17:30 from October to May; 07:10 – 18:30 from June to September; 17:30 – 06:30 from October to May; 18:30 – 06:30 from June to September.
  • As at 15th October 2020, the entrance ticket for the superior round-trip ferry is 35 CNY per person; the entrance ticket for the luxury round-trip ferry is 50 CNY per person; children under 1.2m tall (1.2m tall not included) is free of charge. For the latest pricing, please contact us via email (info@wendyweitours.com)
  • Please wear sunscreen cream and sunglasses.
Interested in visiting Gulangyu  on a Tour?

Wendy Wei Tours offers a variety of different packaged tours as well as custom tours including Gulangyu , among other attractions and destinations. To find out more, please visit our Tours page or Contact Us directly to find out more.