people swimming on sea near city buildings under blue and white sunny cloudy sky during daytime

Xiamen

Xiamen, a coastal city on the Taiwan Strait, is known for car-free Gulangyu Island, colonial-era buildings and southern Fujian street food.

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Xiamen is a coastal city in southeastern Fujian, China, facing the Taiwan Strait. Older English sources call it Amoy. Its core is Xiamen Island, and Gulangyu Island lies nearby. Cars are banned on Gulangyu, so you walk or ride a bicycle once you land. Non-residents take a ferry of about 20 minutes from the International Ferry Terminal (Dongdu). The Kinmen Islands, administered by Taiwan, lie less than 6 km away across Xiamen Bay.

Gulangyu is a UNESCO World Heritage site, inscribed in July 2017 as an international historic community, and it is known for Victorian and colonial-style buildings from its former foreign settlement. The rest of the city adds the Tang-dynasty Nanputuo Temple, the arcade buildings along Lujiang Avenue, and southern Fujian street food such as oyster omelet. Autumn is warm and dry, while typhoons can hit in late summer and early autumn. Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport is about 10 km from the city center.

Xiamen in five

Reach Kulangsu by ferry onlyUNESCO's record says Kulangsu was never connected to Xiamen by traffic infrastructure and remains accessible solely by ferry. Build the crossing into your day and keep a margin for the return trip.UNESCO on Kulangsu
Expect visitor limits on busy daysUNESCO records a maximum of 35,000 visitors a day on the island, a ceiling that residents and commuters also count toward. Peak holidays can mean queues, so go on a weekday and check the ferry operator's booking rules.
Look for Amoy Deco, not a checklistUNESCO counts 931 historic buildings on Kulangsu and names the Amoy Deco style as the island's own. Walk lanes between a few villas and gardens instead of chasing a list of landmarks.
Give the Fujian Tulou its own dayUNESCO describes 46 earthen buildings spread over 120 km in southwest Fujian, built between the 15th and 20th centuries. Treat it as a separate road trip from the city rather than a half-day add-on.UNESCO on Fujian Tulou
Keep a margin for ferry weatherStorms can halt the Kulangsu ferry and delay flights, so avoid tight onward connections on peak-season days. Season dates are in the China guide.China travel guide

Things to do in Xiamen

See all attractions in Xiamen

Sight · XiamenXiamen University

brown brick wall under blue sky during daytime

Sight · XiamenHúlǐ Shān Fortress

Sight · XiamenBailuzhou Park Ev Charging Station

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to XiamenPut the places you like in Xiamen on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Airport: Xiamen Gaoqi (XMN)
Getting there: Flights, or rail on the Xiamen-Shenzhen line along the coast
Getting around: Metro, buses and taxis on the main island; ferry to Kulangsu
Best base: Near the ferry terminal for Kulangsu mornings
Time needed: 3 days; 4 with a Fujian Tulou day

Weather by month

Rainy days
Days with storms

Best
Good
Poor

JanuaryPartly cloudy6 rainy daysHigh18°Low12°Cool, mild
FebruaryPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh18°Low12°Cool, damp
MarchPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh20°Low14°Mild, misty
AprilRain12 rainy daysHigh24°Low18°Warm, humid
MayRain15 rainy daysHigh27°Low22°Wet season
JuneRain21 rainy daysHigh29°Low25°Wet, hot
JulyRain16 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh32°Low27°Hot, typhoons
AugustRain19 rainy daysHigh31°Low27°Typhoon risk
SeptemberRain15 rainy daysHigh31°Low26°Typhoon risk
OctoberPartly cloudy6 rainy daysHigh28°Low22°Clear, warm
NovemberClear6 rainy daysHigh24°Low18°Mild, dry
DecemberClear4 rainy daysHigh20°Low14°Mild

Average daily high and low in Xiamen, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Right now in Xiamen

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 22°
Humidity: 73%
Wind: 18 km/h
Chance of rain: 0%

Xiamen

04:40 AM

Tuesday, November 3

GMT+8

Today28°21°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 28°, Low 21°. Chance of rain 0%.
Wed29°20°0%Wednesday: Clear. High 29°, Low 20°. Chance of rain 0%.
Thu31°21°45%Thursday: Rain. High 31°, Low 21°. Chance of rain 45%.
Fri26°21°29%Friday: Cloudy. High 26°, Low 21°. Chance of rain 29%.
Sat28°21°4%Saturday: Cloudy. High 28°, Low 21°. Chance of rain 4%.
Sun28°21°0%Sunday: Partly cloudy. High 28°, Low 21°. Chance of rain 0%.

Updated 02:14 AM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 6.661 CNY

Amount

Converted to

CNY · Chinese Yuan

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

Day trips by train

Kulangsushort ferry crossingHistoric villas, gardens and lanes on a ferry-only island.
Fujian Tuloua separate day by roadUNESCO-listed earthen houses in the southwest Fujian hills.
Quanzhouup the Fujian coastUNESCO lists Quanzhou for its Song-Yuan maritime trade system, 10th to 14th centuries.

Before you go to Xiamen

Kulangsu and Xiamen toursGuided walks and transfersCompare tours

Hotels near the Kulangsu ferryShort walk to the morning boatCheck availability

eSIM for XiamenMaps and ferry booking appsRead the guide

Insurance for XiamenFerry and typhoon-season delaysRead the guide

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Rules for Xiamen, checked

UNESCO records that Kulangsu is reached only by ferry and sets an effective maximum of 35,000 visitors a day.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source

Plan around Xiamen

All of China

Visa-free entry, payments, trains and cities

Read the guide Shenzhen

South on the coastal rail line

Read the guide Guangzhou

Cantonese food and onward rail

Read the guide Hangzhou

West Lake, north on the same line

Read the guide Sanya

Hainan beaches by air, with its own visa rule

Read the guide China visa-free entry

The 30-day list and the 240-hour transit

Read the guide Travel insurance

Typhoon delays and cancellations

Read the guide

Xiamen FAQ

How do you get to Kulangsu from Xiamen?

By ferry only. UNESCO's record says the island was never connected to Xiamen by traffic infrastructure. Check the ferry operator's booking and timing rules before you go, and leave a margin on peak days.

Is Kulangsu worth visiting?

Yes if you like architecture and quiet lanes. UNESCO counts 931 historic buildings and credits the island with the Amoy Deco style. Go on a weekday and skip the checklist approach.

How many days do you need in Xiamen?

Three days covers Kulangsu, the city and a slow evening. Add a fourth day for the Fujian Tulou, which UNESCO places in southwest Fujian, a separate trip from the city.

When is the best time to visit Xiamen?

October to December, when the typhoon season is ending and the weather is mild. Summer is hot and humid, so build flexibility into ferry and flight plans.

Can I visit Xiamen on a cruise without a visa?

Only as part of a tour group of two or more, run by a China-registered agency, arriving by cruise ship. Xiamen is one of the 13 listed ports; the China guide has the rule and the 15-day limit.