Xiamen

Xiamen is a coastal city in Southern China, on the coast across from Taiwan. It is one of a handful of China's Special Economic Zones (SEZs) which means that commerce there is mainly market driven, and foreign joint ventures as well as wholly foreign owned enterprises play a role in the economy here. Xiamen was the host of Search Engine Strategies Conference 2007 in China. The event was held on May 25-26 2007.

Xiamen is a fun place to visit, very clean and has some nice scenery. If your Chinese is only so-so, I reccommend buying a Mandarin Phrasebook (Buy on Amazon) as it can help you travel away from the westernized areas with confidence. Don't worry if your pronounciation is poor, people in Xiamen are generally very friendly and will make a good effort to understand you. The Lonely Planet China (Buy on Amazon) is a great resource for touring Xiamen, however, once you are in China it is very difficult to buy. Rumor is that the Lonely Planet China has been banned due to the fact that it does not include Taiwan, but whether this is true or not has not been confirmed. There is a great English language blog on Xiamen called What's on Xiamen. There are also Free Wireless Hotspots in Xiamen.

Contents

[edit] Transportation

Easiest way to get to Xiamen is by plane, and it is a several hour journey from both Beijing and Shanghai. Some good sites to get tickets on are CTRIP and E-Long. You can also book directly from Expedia. The airport code is XMN.

If your Chinese isn't good, make sure to print out your hotel's address in Chinese and show it to the taxi driver. This will really help you make it to the right place with minimal hassle. This website lists a few reccomended hotels with their addresses in Chinese.

[edit] Air

  1. (A)Silk Air
  2. (B)All Noppon Airways
  3. (C)Dragonair(xiamen)

[edit] Public Facilities

  1. (A)Life Lime Medical Clinic
  2. (B)Public Security Bureau(xiamen)

[edit] Internet Access

  1. Internet Café(Xiamen)

[edit] Accommodation

Xiamen has many affordable accomodation options, some are on the mainland and others located on the small island of Gulangyu which is quiet and peaceful because no cars are allowed there.

On the Xiamen Mainland

  1. Xiamen University Hotel


On Gulangyu

  1. Gulangyu International Youth Hostel
  2. Haihua Holiday Cottage

See all hotels in Xiamen

  1. Xiamen International Youth Hotel
  2. Overseas Sudent Dormitory
  3. Singgapore Hotel
  4. Gem Hotel
  5. Lujiang Hotel
  6. Xiamen Hotel
  7. Hollday Inn
  8. Marco Polo Hotel
  9. Luzhou Hotel
  10. Gulang Villa
  11. NightLily Hotel
  12. Haihua Holiday Cottage
  13. Marco Polo Hotel Area
  14. Gulangyu International Youth Hostel
  15. Xiamen University Hotel

[edit] Restaurants

Xiamen has lots of good seafood and cultural cuisine from all over the world. Below are some popular ones, to get there print off the address and show it to the taxi driver.

  1. Golden Elephant Bay - Thai Food
  2. Pattaya - Asian Fusion food
  3. Hǎoqīngxiāng - Cuisine from Fujian province, China
  4. Shūyǒu Seafood - Fresh seafood.
  5. Nine Dragon Pool - Charming decor made that resembles old shipping containers.
  6. Lujiang Hotel Restaurant
  7. DafangSucaiguan
  8. Gongde Sucaiguan
  9. Huang Zehe Peanut Soup Shop
  10. Sundance Kid

[edit] Bars and Nightlife

There are several fun bars and night-life activities here are some of the notables

  1. Hollywood Bar (in the Crowne Plaza Hotel)
  2. Sun Dance

Also, the Marco Polo Hotel Area has several good bars. A popular one is the "British Bulldog."

[edit] Stores and Shopping

Xiamen has one a major shopping street called Zhongshan Road, which is very close to Zhongshan Park. This street has book shops, clothing and restaurants. When I visited Xiamen in 2007 Zhongshan road was filled with avant garde sculptures that we apparently some sort of modern art exhibit.

[edit] Tourist Attractions

Xiamen's top attractions include Gulangyu, a small island off the coast of Xiamen with beautiful Chinese Ming Dynasty Architecture. The city also has a beautful park called Zhongshan Park(Xiamen) which includes a memorial to Dr. Sun Yat-Sen. Hongshan Park is a park with a Qin Dynasty fortress.

  1. Nanputuo Temple
  2. Overseas Chinese Museum
  3. Koxinga Menorial Hall
  4. Sunlight Rock Park
  5. Shuzhuang Garden
  6. Xiamen Underwater World
  7. Zhongshan Park(Xiamen)
  8. Gulangyu (Small island that is a park; famous for being home piano masters)
  9. Hongshan Park

[edit] Travel Agencies

  1. (A)China International Travel Service(xiamen)

[edit] Map

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