Gulangyu Island, formerly known as Yuansha Island, is located just southwest of Xiamen City. The climate on the island is pleasant and feels like spring throughout the year, with birds singing and flowers blooming, earning it the nickname "Sea Garden". In the southwest of the island is a sea-eroded cave that makes a drum-like sound when hit by waves. Since the Ming Dynasty, this wonderful natural wonder has earned the island its current name, Gulangyu. The highest point on the island is Sunlight Rock, from which you can overlook the landmark buildings such as Xiamen Shimao Strait Building and Xiamen University on Xiamen Island. The unique history of the development of Gulangyu Island for more than 100 years has made Gulangyu Island a place with a colorful cultural landscape, complex history, many national styles, and a combination of Chinese and Western.
It is a Unesco World Heritage Site that used to be an important window for Sino-foreign exchanges during the 19th and 20th century. The island is a popular attraction for architecture enthusiasts, providing a mixture of different architectural styles including Traditional Southern Fujian Style, Western Classical Revival Style and Veranda Colonial Style.
Gulangyu Island is known as the "Architecture Museum", the island stands more than 1,000 old villas that blend Chinese and Western styles, most of which were built in the 1920s and 1930s of the last century, many of which have a history of more than 100 years. If you explore for yourself, there will be even more surprises.
Things to Do
As you walk through the alleys of Gulangyu Island, you'll be enveloped by the rich literary atmosphere that permeates the area, as if you've stepped into an artist's world. It boasts a unique and romantic architectural style, with many old houses that have a distinctive beauty. These houses are constructed from stone and brick, and despite weathering through the years, they have retained their beauty and charm.
You can see artists painting, writing poems, or playing musical instruments. Their creations are full of inspiration and creativity and will make you feel the charm of art.
The decoration style of many small shops and cafes on the island is also very distinctive. You can taste a variety of food and coffee, and enjoy a leisurely time. The cafes in Gulangyu are mainly European style, beautifully decorated, and full of romantic atmosphere. You can feel the rich cultural atmosphere and appreciate different artistic styles. Or, you can sit in the open courtyard, enjoy the sun and breeze, and feel the beauty of nature.
On the beach of Gulangyu Island, you can enjoy the beauty of the sun, sand, and waves. The beaches are so peaceful and beautiful that you feel the charm and power of nature. You can stroll, bathe, swim, or just lie on the beach here, enjoy the sound of the waves lapping against the shore, feel the breeze blowing your face, and relax yourself.
The architectural style of Gulangyu is unique, combining Western and Chinese elements so that you can deeply feel the integration and collision of different cultures. You can see the gorgeous European architecture, and feel the elegance of Chinese architecture.
Gulangyu Island at Night is a romantic and warm picture scroll. You can enjoy the unique night scene and feel the rich cultural atmosphere. The various buildings and attractions on the island, under the light of the night, present an unusual beauty. What's more, Gulangyu Island also has an amazing light show at night. Every night, various scenic spots on the island will have a light show with different themes, which is dizzying.
Scenic Spots In Gulangyu Island
Sunlight Rock stands in the south-central part of Gulangyu Island. It is made of two huge stones standing side by side. It is 92.7 meters above sea level and is the highest peak in Gulangyu Island. On the rock wall, there are more than 80 stone inscriptions and poems left by celebrities from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The observation deck at Sunlight Rock is one of the must-see places for tourists, overlooking the entire urban area of Xiamen.
The Shuzhuang Garden was formerly a private garden built by the rich gentry Lin Erjia in Taiwan in 1913. It uses the natural terrain layout, divided into two parts--the Garden of Hiding the Sea (Canghaiyuan) and the Garden of Making-Up Hills (Bushanyuan), with many exotic historical buildings. The scenery is patchwork and has many exotic historical buildings, fully displaying the garden art on the sea. "Piano Museum" is in Shuzhuang Garden, displaying more than 40 clavichords collected by patriotic overseas Chinese Hu Youyi.
Bright Moon Garden is located in the southeast of Gulangyu Island and is a Zheng Chenggong theme memorial garden, and is the elegant architectural style of the Ming Dynasty. The most famous stone statue of Zheng Chenggong in the park is 15.7 meters high and weighs 1,617 tons.
Longtou Road Commercial Street is the main commercial street in Gulangyu. There are many handicraft shops and calligraphy and painting shops on both sides of Longtou Road, with local handicrafts such as bead embroidery, lacquer, wire carving, colored tie, colored plastic, colored porcelain, etc., as well as antiques, jade, calligraphy and painting and porcelain from all over the country.
Features
Chinese Name: Gu Lang Yu（鼓浪屿）
Location: Siming District, Xiamen, Fujian Province
Climate: Subtropical oceanic monsoon climate
Scenic Spot Level: National 5A Level Scenic Spot
Travel Information
Opening Time: Sunlight Rock & Shuzhuang Garden & Bright Moon Garden:
Jun. - Sep.: 5:30 - 21:00
Oct. - May: 5:30 - 20:30
Organ Museum & International Lettering Art Gallery:
Jun. - Sep.: 8:15 - 18:15
Oct. - May: 8:15 - 17:45
Ticket Price: Free for the Gulangyu Island
Sunlight Rock: CNY 50
Bright Moon Garden: CNY 10
Organ Museum: CNY 15
International Lettering Art Gallery: CNY 5
Shuzhuang Garden: CNY 30
Best Time to Travel: Spring and Autumn
Travel Tips
1.Passports are required when buying the tickets and embarking on the ship.
2. Passengers with roundtrip tickets should leave Gulangyu within 20 days using the returning ticket.
