Fujian is a coastal province in southeast China facing Taiwan, known for the UNESCO tulou earthen buildings, Gulangyu island, Quanzhou's Maritime Silk Road heritage and the Wuyi Mountains.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Gulangyu Island (Kulangsu)
Highlights: Climb Sunlight Rock for a panoramic view of Xiamen's skyline and the strait · Visit the Piano Museum in Shuzhuang Garden, a nod to the island's nickname as the 'Piano Island' · Wander the car-free lanes lined with colonial-era consulates, villas and churches · Sample peanut soup, oyster omelette and fish balls along Longtou Road
Hongkeng Tulou Cluster and Yongding Hakka Earth Buildings
Highlights: Walk through the Kuiju Lou, a large round tulou with a central ancestral hall · See the stepped roofline of the Zhenfu Lou beside the village stream · Browse local tea, snacks and crafts sold from tulou ground-floor rooms · Eat a Hakka lunch in a family-run restaurant inside an earth building
Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster and Yunshuiyao Ancient Town
Highlights: Photograph the 'four dishes and one soup' tulou cluster from the viewing platform above Tianluokeng · Walk the stone-paved streets and old bridge of Yunshuiyao Ancient Town · Explore a tulou interior with its wooden galleries and central courtyard · Enjoy a riverside lunch of local Hakka dishes and tea
Wuyi Mountain (Wuyishan)
Highlights: Drift down the Nine-Bend Stream on a bamboo raft beneath red-rock cliffs · Climb toward Tianyou Peak for views over the stream and surrounding ridges · Taste Dahongpao and other cliff teas at a local tea house · Eat bamboo-shoot and mountain-vegetable dishes near the scenic gate
Sanfang Qixiang (Three Lanes and Seven Alleys), Fuzhou
Highlights: Stroll the whitewashed lanes and horse-head gables of the Three Lanes and Seven Alleys · Visit restored former residences of well-known Fuzhou scholars and officials · Taste fish balls, oyster omelettes and other Fuzhou snacks along Nanhou Street · Relax in a courtyard tea house in the old district
Taimu Mountain and Fuding Coast
Highlights: Follow rocky paths to sea-facing viewpoints over the East China Sea · See granite boulders, cliffs and sea-eroded caves · Taste fresh seafood and fish soup in Taimu Town · Sample Fuding white tea in local tea shops
Meizhou Island and the Mazu Ancestral Temple
Highlights: Visit the Mazu Ancestral Temple, regarded as the origin of the sea goddess cult · Take the short ferry from Wenjia Wharf across to Meizhou Island · Relax on the island's beaches and coastal road · Eat fresh seafood and Putian specialities such as Xinghua noodles
Pingtan Island
Highlights: Walk the sandy beach and headland at Longfeng Head · Watch the sunset over the long beach of Tannan Bay · See the rock formations and coastline at Shipaiyang · Eat grilled fish and shellfish at a shoreline restaurant
Dongshan Island
Highlights: See the balancing Wind-Moved Stone at Fengdongshi · Walk the broad beach at Jinluan Bay · Eat fresh grilled seafood in Tongling Town · Explore coastal rocks and carved cliffs along the headland
Kaiyuan Temple and Old Quanzhou
Highlights: See the twin stone pagodas of Kaiyuan Temple, among the tallest in the region · Admire the columns and carvings of the Mahavira Hall · Walk Zhongshan Road's arcaded shophouses and old Quanzhou streets · Taste Quanzhou noodles, oyster omelettes and Min-Nan sweets
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
- Tours
- Small-group tulou day tours from Xiamen run from about ¥300-700 (approx. $43-100) per person including transport and entry; Trip.com and Klook list them with guides in English
- Private
- Private car with driver from about ¥700-1,300 per day (approx. $100-185), bookable through Trip.com or the DiDi Premier app; useful for the tulou clusters and Taimu Mountain
- Public
- High-speed trains on the Fuzhou-Xiamen coastal line (book on 12306 or Trip.com) connect Fuzhou, Putian, Quanzhou, Xiamen and Zhangzhou; local coaches and island ferries cover Tulou, Dongshan and Meizhou
- Rental
- Self-drive is impractical without a Chinese licence; hired cars with drivers cost about ¥500-900 per day (approx. $71-129) and are the simplest way to link several tulou in one day
Multi-day tours from Fujian
If you have longer than a day, these are organised multi-day trips that start here.
Browse multi-day tours from FujianWe may earn a commission from bookings made through this link.
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Book high-speed trains on the 12306 app or Trip.com a few days ahead; the Fuzhou-Xiamen line fills on Fridays and national holidays
Carry a passport for real-name tickets on the Gulangyu ferry and trains; the Xiamen Ferry Company's official counters are the legitimate sellers
The Tulou clusters at Hongkeng and Tianluokeng are best reached in the morning; last return coaches to Xiamen leave mid-afternoon
Typhoon season (July to September) can cancel ferries to Gulangyu and Meizhou; check the ferry operators before departing
The national tourist complaint hotline 12301 operates in Mandarin; hotel front desks can phone for English assistance
Pay by Alipay or WeChat Pay when possible; foreign-card payment is accepted at few ticket counters, so carry some cash