Fuzhou
This ‘downtown’ series of ancient residential buildings is known as ‘Three Lanes and Seven Alleys'. Thousands of visitors wander the white-walled streets…
Must-see attractions in Fujian
Fujian
This magnificently carved temple is immediately identifiable by its showy dragon-decorated roofs and a shroud of smoke emanating from furnaces burning…
Fujian
In the village of Gaobei (高北), this 300-year-old tǔlóu has 400 rooms and once housed 1000 inhabitants. It’s built with elaborate concentric rings, with…
Fujian
This most visited tǔlóu is a grandiose structure built in 1912, with two concentric circles and 222 rooms. The four storeys of the outer circle are…
Xiamen
This Buddhist temple complex on the southern side of Xiamen is one of the most famous temples among the Fujianese, and is also considered a pilgrimage…
Fujian
This quirky temple is dedicated to Manichaeism, a religion originating in Persia in the 3rd century, combining elements of Zoroastrian, Christian and…
Fujian
Trails within the scenic area connect all the major sites. Good walks include the 530m Great King Peak (大王峰, Dàwáng Fēng), accessed through the main…
Fujian
In the northwest of the city, one of the oldest temples in Quanzhou dates back to AD 686 and is the largest in Fujian. Surrounded by trees, Kaiyuan Temple…
Fujian
Sunlight Rock (Rìguāng Yán), in Sunlight Rock Park, is the island’s highest point at 93m and its biggest draw are the views across the island. At the foot…
Fujian
This delightful river settlement boasts several tǔlóu-converted guesthouses and it is a great base from which to explore the tǔlóu areas. The highlight of…
Fujian
On the northeastern side of town, this fabulous museum explains Quanzhou’s trading history, the development of Chinese shipbuilding and the kaleidoscope…
Fujian
This village dates from the Northern Song dynasty and boasts some spectacular Qing dynasty architecture from its heyday as a wealthy tea-trading centre,…
Fujian
The waterfront Shuzhuang Garden on the southern end of the island is a lovely place to linger for a few hours. It has a small pénzāi (bonsai) garden, some…
Xiamen
Xiamen positions itself as China’s most liveable city and this huge green expanse on an islet north of town is a quiet exclamation mark on that claim…
Fujian
The tallest roundhouse in Fujian, this vast five-floor structure has 270 rooms and an observation tower to check for marauding bandits. Interestingly this…
Fujian
Set at the foot of the mountain of Língshān, this leafy cemetery is one of the most intact historic cemeteries in China. Two of Mohammed’s disciples are…
Fujian
Between the Héguì and Huáiyuǎn tǔlóu in the Yunshuiyao Tulou Cluster is this beautiful village (formerly known as ancient Chángjiào) where you can sip tea…
Xiamen
In the old district of Xiamen, this tiny but lively market sells various (weird) sea creatures to a backdrop of qílóu (骑楼, shophouses) and a church…
Fujian
This tallest rectangular tǔlóu in Fujian has five storeys and was built on a swamp. It boasts 120 rooms, a school, two wells, and a fortified courtyard in…
Fujian
This residence built in 1931 has a magnificently dilapidated interior with a wealth of original features. Unfortunately it has remained closed to the…
Fujian
This lesser-visited and commercialised four-storey tǔlóu rises up beautifully next to a river.
Fujian
A magnificent snow-white Gothic-style church built in 1917. Today's its facade is the most popular place on the island for wedding photos and you're sure…
Fujian
The highlight of Tǎxià village, the Zhang Ancestral Hall, built in 1601, is surrounded by 23 elaborately carved spear-like stones, which celebrate the…
Fujian
This 600-year-old tǔlóu was built without using a single nail and is still pretty intact. It now houses an exhibition hall.
Fujian
The fishing village of Xunpu (sometimes Xunbu), some 10km southeast of the city centre of Quanzhou, was on the old trade route of the maritime Silk Road…
Fujian
Mountainous Anxi County (安溪, Ānxī) is home to the famous Tiě Guānyīn (铁观音, Iron Buddha) tea, an oolong variety known for its thick fragrance and floral…
Fujian
This is the ancestral home of the Burmese-Chinese businessman Aw Boon Haw, inventor of the medicinal salve Tiger Balm and owner of (in)famously quirky Haw…
Fuzhou
This rocky hill park in the centre of Fuzhou rises above a snow-white statue of Mao Zedong (毛主席像, Máo Zhǔxí Xiàng) playing ‘traffic cop'. Check out the…
Xiamen
Across Daxue Lu, south of Xiamen University, is this gigantic German artillery post built in 1894. You can rent binoculars to peer over the water to the…
Fujian
Adjacent to the old town, this sculpture park is filled with 500 stone carvings made by local craftspeople, a small beach, a lighthouse and some basic…
Fujian
The main feature at this rocky outcrop is an imposing 15.7m statue of Koxinga (aka Zheng Chenggong) in full military dress, visible from a great distance…
Xiamen
The Xiamen University was established with overseas Chinese funds and has beautiful republican-era buildings and an attractive lake. It’s a good place for…
Fujian
Built by the Arabs in 1009 and restored in 1309, this stone edifice is one of China’s only surviving mosques from the Song dynasty. Only a few sections …
Fujian
Sitting midway between Yongding and Nanjing County, this four-storey building is a huge roundhouse with inner concentric passages, tiled interior passages…
Xiamen
Aside from acting as a refuge from the city, this is an ambitious celebration of China’s communities abroad, with dioramas, street scenes, photos, props…
Xiamen
You can rarely swim here due to council restrictions, but there are few more convenient places in the city to enjoy a beautiful natural environment than…
Fuzhou
The former residence of the anti-opium trade reformer is a surprisingly well-presented museum. It offers an overview of Fuzhou’s seafaring history,…
Fujian
Housed in the highly distinctive Bāguà Lóu (八卦楼) building is the Organ Museum, with a fantastic collection including a Norman & Beard organ from 1909. The…
Xiamen
The charming 3km walking trail on an abandoned railway track in this park makes a welcome change from the crowds of the city. It is reached by bus 1, 15,…
Fujian
Along the river, this five-storey square tǔlóu boasts some wonderfully carved wooden beams and pillars. Rooms are available here at the Changdi Inn.
