Thailand beyond solo backpacking: Exploring Gulangyu Island

Gulangyu Island is known as the piano island because people here love the piano.

As early as 1913, students in schools run by foreigners started learning the piano. The enthusiasm for music later spread to more ordinary people on the island.

Many piano families have since then come into being and produced accomplished musicians.
No tourist can afford to miss one attraction located on the island -- the nation's largest piano museum.

Entrance fee to Ou Lang Yu Piano Museum is free.

Other venues entrance fees:
C) Statue Of Koxinga(Zheng Chenggong) (Haoyue Garden), (5 minutes walk south east of the ferry terimal)=15 Yuan
A) Sunlight Rock. This is the highest point on the island with great views as far as Xiamen. Entry included into Buddhist temple, the Aviary and a cable car ride to the aviary on Yingxiong Hill. Warning: climbing to the top involves a lot of stairs, so probably not good for young children or the elderly=60 Yuan.
E) International Calligraphic Carving Art Gallery. A small gallery of carved calligraphy from Chinese, Japanese, and Korean artists. Admission=10 Yuan. Entrance near the main gate of Shuzhuang Garden.

Gulangyu is really a Shangri-la-like tourist attraction.
No road vehicles are allowed here, bicycles are the only means of transportation.
In recent years, some battery-powered sightseeing vehicles commute from the beach to the port, as more and more people come to Gulangyu sanatorium to recuperate.
Tourists who prefer not to walk can hop into the electric cars.

Underwater World, (from the ferry terminal, walk to the right and look for the big blue building). Admission is a steep 90 Yuan for adults,50 Yuan for children/seniors.
Ocyopus statue photo of one of Jules Verne novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870). The French author who pioneered the science fiction storybook also wrote A Journey to the Center of the Earth and Around the World in Eighty Days.

American are the first few 'laowai'(foreigners) to set up an embassy in Xiamen.
One of America’s oldest posts in the Far East which has played a pivotal role in promoting America’s relationship with China is still the Consulate in Guangzhou as early as during George Washington presidency.
In 1784, the American merchant ship Empress of China reached what was then known as the port of Canton transporting ginseng to trade for Chinese black tea.
This Consulate building in Gulangyu looked neglected except for an alsatian dog roaming around the compound.
It is a preserved heritage building taken over by the Xiamen local authorities since 13th February 2006 when the Americans shifted out on November 2004.
The United States and China formally re-established diplomatic relations on January 1, 1979 with the visit of Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and President Richard Nixon.

One of the most leisurely way to see Gulangyu is a stroll around the perimeter-past beaches, tropical gardens, and exquisite colonial villas once occupied by European merchants, rich overseas Chinese, and the staff of 13 countries' consulates.

This old colonial mansion is on the other side of Gulangyu's Island has a flowery craft with a crown on the top frontage so must be a British influence.

The other two storey building in front is a Chinese hotel-Dan Guang Ziu Ziu Hotel,Tel:0592-219 4299 or visit website: http://www.cn999999999.cn/

Restaurant owners transporting their wares from the 'tongkang' (cargo boats) near the Lundu pier. Ascending the slope is a tedious job as the front driver is using his upmost shoulder strength to pull the cart.
Since vehicles were disallowed in this island,the people here were used to this routine tasks.

Antiques shop.The old Chinese mechanical clocks,old telephones,typewriter,coins,banknotes,stamps and anything that is old can be sourced from this shop.

Must be a statue of a fisherman with a big fat catch.
The blue skyscraper building across the straits is the Fortune Center,the second tallest building in Xiamen. Gulangyu Island

The physical topography is very undulating and hilly.
There's a tunnel linking to the island's Neicuo's community area.
Besides,the road alleys are in the form of a stairways so you must be very fit to walk around here.

The tunnel access is about 3km long and most of the Chinese hotels are towards the right end of the tunnel exit.

While most of the population lives near the town and its ferry docks, habitations are spread across the island.
Those living or working further out must walk to their destinations as there is no viable public transit on the island.
The distances are exacerbated by the hills and by the humid heat that bathes the region much of the year. There are electric carts that circle the island, but these are ridiculously expensive and aimed squarely at the tourist trade.
A 30-minute ride around the island costs 50 Yuan ($6 US), far beyond practical range for local use. There are several tunnels, some quite long and even housing shops, that cut down on hot sweaty climbs over hills.

These gentlemen have the mighty horsepower to pull the goods laden cart along the undulating roads.

A wealthy businessman mansion with a colonial design entrance arch.

Jiaoguo Hotel is located after the tunnel area and is way out from the pier.
You need to walk quite far in.

Other Accomodations around Gulangyu

1) Gulangyu Bayview Inn (pinyin:Wanjing Luiguan 湾景旅馆) Near harbor, off Longtou Rd
Tel: 2060466 FAX: 2060468
E-mail: bayviewinn@163.cn

2) Beautiful Island Hotel,(Līzhī Dǎo Jiúdiàn, 丽之岛酒店) 5 minute walk from ferry.
Tel: 2063309

3) Gulangyu International Youth Hostel (Xiamen Gulangyu Guojì Qingnian Luishe 厦门鼓浪屿国际青年旅舍) Only 100 meters from ferry, to the left and up the hill (pass by red-brick former British Consulate).
Tel: 2066066 Add: #18 Lùjiāo Lù 鹿礁路18号 E-mail: yha@yhagly.com

4) Gulangyu Haihua Holiday Cottage (Hǎihuá Dùjià Wū海华度假屋) Good view of Sunlight Rock.
Tel: 2066935 Add: #28 Zhōnghuá Lù 中华路28号

5) Gulangyu Joyful Guest Tavern (Bīnyuè Kèzhàn 宾悦客栈) Cheapest backpacker hangout;Beds from 26 Yuan per night. Two-person room 160 Yuan.
Tel: 2063520 Add: #44 Anhai Lù, by Trinity Church (安海路44号,三一堂旁边)

6) Gulangyu Haihua Holiday Cottage (Hǎihuá Dùjià Wū海华度假屋) Rooms: 200 Yuan per night; 80 Yuan in low season.
Tel: 2066935 Add: #28 Zhōnghuá Lù 中华路28号 7) Gulangyu Villa Hotel (Gǔlàngyǔ Biéshù Jiúdiàn 鼓浪别墅酒店)Tel: 2063280
Add: #14 Gǔshēng Lù Zip 361002 鼓声路14号 E-mail: glvhotel@public.xm.fj.cn

8) YoYo Inn No.66 Quanzhou Road, Gulangyu, Xiamen (10 minutes from ferry pier)

Manually transporting wooden doors on a push cart to development site.This will be quite a distance inland.

Boat laden with sand and garvels berthing beside a new pier which is under construction.

Road sweeper carting dried leaves along the quiet street of Gulangyu.

Old residential houses. The great majority of dwellings are of more recent vintage and domestic style, and while modest seem in decent repair.

The old method of human labour in carrying rocks for building development.

A side alley with stairways to the other street.

Carting bags of flour. The only observable hazard for pedestrians in Gulangyu is when these carts are being negotiated downhill under load.
Lacking mechanical brakes, they rely on their human handlers for control. The blissful stroller receives but a second or two of warning from the rumbling of a near-runaway cart before it careens past, its handler's legs straining to keep it from crashing into something or someone. Accidents must be frequent.

In addition to the beauty of the natural scenery, Gulangyu also enjoys a reputation for its delicious snacks cafes and fresh seafood restaurants. Pan Xiaolian Mango Yogurt, on No.8, Longtou Road (near the Gulangyu Ferry Terminal) specialty is the mango yogurt costing CNY 20 per cup.

Woman carrying carton boxes for recycling. Scene of local residents carrying personal cargo on small wagons, balanced on poles over the shoulder, or just in bags in their hands are common sights.