Chongwu Ancient Town, Huian

Chongwu Ancient Town, in Chongwu Town, Huian County, Quanzhou, about 120 km north-east of Xiamen on the Taiwan Strait coast of China's Fujian province, is a walled Ming-dynasty coastal fort built in the late 14th century to defend against pirates. Its granite walls, about 2,500 metres around, enclose lanes of stone houses, and the town is known for the stone-carving tradition of Huian and the fisherwomen in their distinctive short jackets, wide black trousers and flowered headscarves. The trip takes about 1.5-2 hours each way via Quanzhou: a high-speed train from Xiamen North to Quanzhou takes about 35-50 minutes (¥45-70), followed by a city coach (about 1 hour, ¥10-20) or Didi (¥100-150) to Chongwu. A private car with driver costs about ¥800-1200 for the day. A sensible day starts with the train to Quanzhou by 8:30, arrival in Chongwu by late morning, then a walk along the top of the city wall, which gives views over the town and the sea, followed by the narrow stone lanes, the Huian stone-carving workshops and the small museum and temples. Lunch is seafood at a restaurant in the town or on the coast: fish balls, oyster dishes, clams and grilled fish are typical. The afternoon suits a stroll on the nearby beach and the rocky coast, where sculptures and fisherwomen's villages add interest, with a return coach to Quanzhou by late afternoon. The best seasons are October to April, with spring and autumn ideal for wall walking; summer is hot and exposed on the wall, and sea fog or wind can affect coastal views. Weekday visits are quieter. Walking is easy to moderate and mostly flat, and food stops are plentiful in the town centre.