Best Xiamen Tours: City Highlights & Tulou Tour Packages 2026

Generally, 1-2 days is suggested to explore Xiamen downtown area and Gulangyu Island. If the tulou building is on your bucket list, it is recommended to plan another day trip from Xiamen. Plan for 1-2 more days for the nearby destinations, such as Wuyishan Mountain, Quanzhou and Fuzhou.

Xiamen is green and verdant all year round, generally, the best times to visit Xiamen are Spring (March to May) and Autumn (September to November). July to August in Xiamen may see frequent typhoons, so don’t forget to look at the weather forecast in advance if you plan to Xiamen during this period.

It will depend on your preference and budget. If you just spend limited time in Xiamen and mainly focus on its downtown area, an independent tour is easy and flexible thanks to the city’s well-developed public transportation. 

If you plan a long and in-depth exploration in Xiamen and its surrounding areas, we highly recommend joining a private Xiamen tour that balances flexibility and worry-free immersive travel experiences.

Fujian Tulou is the first choice of many tourists. This world cultural heritage is the most characteristic architecture in Fujian Province. The most famous ones are Nanjing Tulou and Yongding Tulou. Both are about 2 hours driving from Xiamen.

Besides, it will be memorable to experience tea culture and stunning natural landscape in Wuyi Mountain or explore the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road – Quanzhou.

Guyangyu Island is an isolated island, and ferry is the only way to board the island. For tourists, the most convenient option is to take a ferry from Xiamen International Cruise Terminal (aka Xia-Gu Terminal), from where you can reach the Sanqiutian Terminal or Neiaocuo Terminal on Gulangyu Island in about 15-20 minutes.

You can book the ticket on the “Xiamen Ferry” (厦门轮渡) Wechat official account and A regular ferry ticket costs around CNY 35 for a round trip.

Metro and BRT bus are the two most popular options to traveling around Xiamen. As of 2026, there are 3 metro lines and 8 BRT lines connecting the city’s major airport, major train stations and attractions. BRT bus system is a unique feature in Xiamen, which runs on the independent elevated road. It is highly reliable, and unaffected by local traffic jams.

Taxis and normal public buses are also readily available in the city.

Shacha Noodles is the signature snack in Xiamen. The soup is made with satay sauce, leading to a rich flavor. And you can add various ingredients as you like. Oyster omelette is another classic snack in southern Fujian. The oyster is fried with eggs and sweet potato flour. It tastes crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The most special cold dish is Tu Sun Dong, which is made of sipunculus. After boiling and cooling, it forms jelly. Usually, it is paired with sauce. Other famous local foods include ginger duck, peanut soup, glutinous rice cake and so on.

When it comes to the night activities in Xiamen, the Lujiang River night cruise definitely ranks top one. During the cruise, you can not only enjoy the night view of Gulangyu Island, but also the city landmarks, like Yanwu Bridge and Twin Towers. And some cruises offer puppet show and tea art performance, through which, you can feel the characteristic local culture.

For foodies, Zhongshan Road should be an ideal site. This century-old street gathers both local snacks and time-honored stores. There are also brilliant night light show of the arcade.

Of course! High-speed trains from Xiamen to Fuzhou are frequent, with over 200 departures every day. The ride takes only about 1.5 hours. Combining these two destinations also allow you to explore Xiamen’s colonial architecture and beach scenery as well as Fuzhou’s Minnan culture and food in one go.