How Many Days in Xiamen? A 2-Night, 3-Day Route

The big picture: one day on Gulangyu, one day of museums and wetland

Plan on 2 to 3 days for Xiamen, with two full days of sightseeing. Day 1 is Gulangyu and the waterfront in the evening; Day 2 is the Overseas Chinese Museum, Xiamen Museum and Wuyuan Bay Wetland Park. Use Day 3 to fill in what you missed and head to the airport.

The Overseas Chinese Museum and Xiamen Museum close on Mondays (except national holidays). If Day 2 falls on a Monday, swap it with another day. With only two days, Days 1 and 2 on their own work.

Gulangyu ferry tickets are sold under your real name, so bring your passport. Typhoons can halt all Gulangyu ferry routes, so check official forecasts and ferry notices before you go.

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Day 1 morning: ferry from Dongdu to Gulangyu

Take an early ferry from Dongdu Passenger Terminal. Gulangyu lies south-west of Xiamen Island across the 600 m-wide Lujiang Strait, about 5 minutes by ferry. On the Dongdu–Sanqiutian Pier route, sailings run 7:10–17:30 (until 18:30 from June to September); there is also a Dongdu–Neicuo'ao Pier route. Other routes have their own times.

On the island, see Sunlight Rock, Shuzhuang Garden and the Piano Museum. The island was named in the Ming dynasty after Gulang (Drumming Wave) Rock in the south-west, which sounds like a drum when waves strike it. It gained international settlement status in 1903, and 931 historic buildings mixing Chinese and international styles survive along with roads and gardens; as "Kulangsu, a Historic International Settlement" it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2017.

Return sailings are busiest from 15:00 to 18:30, so head back a little earlier. Under the operator's rules, visitor-route returns off the island leave from Sanqiutian and Neicuo'ao piers.

• Real-name tickets: the ticket, ID and passenger must match; the operator's rules list a valid passport among accepted IDs
• Buy at ticket windows or through the operator's official online channels up to 15 days ahead
• Boarding gates close 10 minutes before departure
• Ferry enquiries 0592-3372020 (8:00–20:30)

Day 1 evening: Zhongshan Road and a harbour cruise

Back from the island, walk the bustling Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street. In the evening, take a harbour cruise with the light show at Heping Wharf.

The cruise lasts 90 to 120 minutes, with views of Gulangyu and the Kinmen islands and puppet shows and other performances on board. Payment, language and signage services have been upgraded for international visitors. Check official information for times and fares.

If you want to cross back to Gulangyu in the evening, there is a night route from Hall 2 of the Xiamen Ferry Terminal to Sanqiutian Pier, 17:50–23:45 (from 18:50 in June to September). Overnight return sailings leave from Piano Pier on Gulangyu; exact times follow the ticketing system and the notices at the pier. From 12 October 2026, the approach bridge at the Xiamen Ferry Terminal is being rebuilt for about 40 days, so walking routes change. Work may run longer in bad weather; follow the signs and staff on site.

Day 2: Overseas Chinese Museum, Xiamen Museum, Wuyuan Bay Wetland Park

Start with the Overseas Chinese Museum. Proposed by overseas Chinese leader Tan Kah Kee in 1956 and opened in 1959, it was China's first cultural institution built with funds raised by overseas Chinese. The palace-style building has white granite walls and a green glazed tile roof, and its three permanent exhibitions are "Overseas Chinese", the Tan Kah Kee collection and a nature museum. The provincial government's 2025 listing says a passport is required for entry.

In the afternoon, visit Xiamen Museum, a regional museum focused on the heritage of Fujian and Taiwan, founded in 1983 and opened in 1988. It is known for ancient ceramics, calligraphy and painting, jade and stone carvings; permanent exhibitions include Xiamen history and the ancient stone sculpture and folk culture of Fujian and Taiwan. Check official information for hours.

Towards sunset, walk in Wuyuan Bay Wetland Park, a resting place for migratory birds passing through Xiamen, including the chestnut-throated bee-eater, called "China's most beautiful bird". Between stops, use the metro, BRT, city buses or a taxi, and check the operators' official information for routes and fares.

Day 3: fill the gaps, then the airport

If Day 1 on Gulangyu felt rushed, the island also has Bright Moon Garden and the Zheng Chenggong Memorial Hall. For birdwatchers, Dongshan Reservoir in Dongpingshan Park, Siming district, is another resting stop for migratory birds. It is also a good day to try the dishes the Fujian provincial government lists for Xiamen: oyster vermicelli, peanut soup, fried five-spice rolls and taro buns.

The airport is Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport (XMN), with two terminals, T3 and T4. From Kaihe Road Junction stop near the Ferry Terminal, the Airport Line and bus 84 go to the T3 and T4 stops, and bus 27 to the T3 stop. BRT lines Kuai 1 and Kuai 2 stop at Gaoqi T4 Terminal station; for T3, change at BRT Xianhou station to bus L19. Check real-time bus information with Xiamen Bus Group (0592-968828).

A new airport, Xiamen Xiang'an International Airport, is being built on Dadeng Island in Xiang'an district. Check whether your ticket shows Gaoqi (T3/T4).

Where to stay and getting around

There are three good areas to stay. On this route, Day 1 is spent on Gulangyu and Zhongshan Road, and Day 2 ends at Wuyuan Bay. Hotel prices vary a lot by date, so check booking sites.

On arrival, airport express bus ticket counters are opposite Door 9 in the T3 arrivals hall and at Door 7 and opposite Door 3 in the T4 arrivals hall, open 05:30–23:00 (times as posted at the counter). Lines run towards the Ferry Terminal and towards Wucun Bus Station (the former island railway station), subject to on-site dispatch (hotline 0592-5708275). For a taxi, queue at the rank by automatic Door 7 in the T3 arrivals hall or Door 3 in the T4 arrivals hall. Use licensed vehicles and keep your receipt (24-hour complaints line 0592-5615610).

The airport has a one-stop service centre for foreign visitors that helps with currency exchange, ATMs and setting up mobile payment (airport notice, February 2026).

• Gulangyu: first visit, historic architecture, gardens
• Zhongshan Road and the waterfront: street walks, night views, harbour cruise
• Wuyuan Bay: wetland walks, birdwatching
• Getting around: Xiamen has a metro, BRT and city buses; in a taxi, showing your destination in Chinese helps

Before you go: timing, budget and ferry ticket changes

When to go: according to the Fujian provincial government, the annual average temperature is around 20.9°C, without extreme heat or cold. Typhoons can halt all Gulangyu ferry routes, so check official forecasts and ferry notices, and check official sources for seasonal events.

Budget: ferries, BRT and city buses keep transport costs low; check official information for ferry and bus fares. If you add taxis and a harbour cruise, check official prices. Accommodation is most of the budget, so compare prices for your dates on booking sites.

Ferry ticket changes: from 1 September 2026, individual ferry tickets can be refunded or changed free of charge once a day if you do so within 30 minutes of paying and at least 4 hours before departure. After the departure time, a ticket can be changed once until 24:00 that day, for a fee of 20% (same day) or 30% (another day).

Visa rules, including visa-free entry, change often. Check the latest rules with the Chinese embassy before you travel. Emergency numbers: police 110, fire 119, ambulance 120.

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