Fujian Tong'an county old quarters.

On reaching Tong'an town,the best place to get down from the public bus is Tong'an bus station as noted in red wording 'Tong'an Zhi Ze Xi Zhan' located along Chengnan Lu(Road).

In fact each of the bus stop were about 2km apart and before each stops will be annouced via a speaker saying "Next stop"(Xia Yi Zhan)

Show you body language and the conductor will know your intention. At Chengnan (城南) stop ,count to the third stop and then get off.

There were two bus station in the vicinity across the road .The first one is the Nan(South) route especially the long distance buses and it's inside the building.

The other one has minibuses within the municipality.

 Public buses outside Xiamen Island have bus numbers starting with the following: Tong'an 6, Xiangan 7, Haicang 8 and Jimei 9.

Walking straight after the traffic light junction is Xiqiao Lu which will lead to this Xi'an Qiao(Bridge) into the old quarters of Tong'an

 The old quarters have a mixed of modern skyscrapers and old ancient buildings and temples.

 Motor vehicles were allowed in this part of the county and you won't see any traffic congestions.

Modern auto tricycle battery operated rickshaw is also seen in Tong'an similar to the 'tuk-tuk' of Thailand,Laos and Cambodia,'bajaj' in Jakarta,Indonesia and the Filipino traysikel.


China is very particular about green environment to check on vehicle pollutants compared to other Asian countries where such auto rickshaw emit toxic carbon monoxide into the atmosphere.








Old traditional shoplots in the heart of Tong'an old quarters Datong area having distinct similarities seen in Yaowarat in Bangkok and Thonburi,Hanoi Old Quarters,Penang Island,Medan in Sumatera,Indonesia as well as Singapore's Niu Che Shui.




Tong'an District in divided into 2 subdistricts: Datong (大同街道) and Xiangping(祥平街道) Major Towns are: Hongtang (洪塘镇), Tingxi (汀溪镇), Lianhua (莲花镇), Xinmin (新民镇), Wuxian (五显镇), Xike (西柯镇)


Shophouses like these in Singapore and Malaysia are known as pre-war houses and are preserved as heritage buildings.

 Moving east of Tong'an county is Xiang'an District with only one subdistrict called Dadeng(大嶝街道) Major Towns in Xiang'an are: Xindian (新店镇), Xinxu (新圩镇), Maxiang (马巷镇), Neicuo (内厝镇).



This type of building design architecture has been brought along by the Chinese ancestors who migrated to Southeast Asia.

Telok Ayer and Joo Chiat's neighbourhood in Singapore is one typical example with many of these Anglo-Straits Eclectric style.

In Malacca at Kampong Pantai,these type of buildings has been refurbished to become backpackers hostel.



Building with a blend of Anglo-Chinese architecture.







Wooden planks slots being used to cover the shop frontage.

 The door consisted of two bigger wooden planks which are quite heavy and will be slotted in after having completed the other panel slots.

Hanging a red door plaque and banner is an old Chinese custom, a ritual blessing to ensure that only good things come in.



Market street in the Datong prefecture of Tong'an is the businness centre with many shops selling different kind of products.






 Guan Yin Tang(Temple)in Tong'an,Fujian Province is similar to The Goddess of Mercy Temple in Penang George Town.

Located at the juncture where China Street meets Jalan Kapitan Keling (formerly known as Pitt Street).The locals called it as 'Kuan Yin Teng' in Hokkien dialect.

 In Malacca,the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple also has the Guan Yin deity, goddess of mercy and protector.

Singapore's Guan Yin Tang is at Waterloo Street and also the famous Hokkien Temple Thian Hock Keng at Telok Ayer Street.

In Indonesia is the Vihara Bahtra Sasana(天后宫)in Bintan Island,off Sumatera Island with the deity Kwan Im or Dewi Kwan Im .

In Thailand,Wat Mangkon Kamalawa in China Town Bangkok is on Charoen Road. The Chinese name is Leng Noei Yi Temple with the Prah Mae Kuan Eim deity.

The Kheng Hock Keong， 庆福宫 (Qing Fu Gong) in Yangon,Myanmar Chinatown.

The Seng Guan Temple at Narra Street,Tondo in downtown Manila,Phillipines is the most beautiful temple.

 In Vietnamese, the deitys name is Quán Âm or Quán Thế Âm. Guan Yin, 观音, or Avalokiteśvara is one of the most popular and well known female goddess in Asia and probably in the world.

Guan Yin is the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion in Mahayana Buddhism and also worshiped by Taoists.



Zhongshan Yu(travellers) Quan(hotel) is a budget hotel(rates about 60 Yuan) in the busy Zhongshan Lu where there were many shops,restaurants and food stalls.

Cheap budget hotels can be found in many of the main streets.






A new walking street at Tong Xin Lu(near Zhongsan Lu) is near completion and will be the latest nightlife attraction in Tong'an.










Traditional cobbler's sewing gadgets.

Judging from the two spool of nylon thread,this roadside cobbler specialised in sewing leather products.












Typical ancestral house of overseas Chinese.
They are mostly single storey with the walls and foundation built from granite rocks.













Very well maintained ancestral house in the prime land area.Sooner or later this building might have to go when development take place in this area.













The roof of this house has the shape of a chinese temple.












One section of these old ancestral houses have been neglected by the current generations who have left for economic reasons.

 In one of the alleys,there were young chicks luring customers for a 100 Yuan fees. The wording on the wall is one of the contacts.

Tong'an County Tourist Area,Fujian Province

Tong'an Tourist Area is in the northern part of Xiamen Island and faces the sea in the southeast and is surrounded by the mountain on three sides.

 The area has a history of 1,700 years and is the largest administrative district today.

The Han Dynasty collapsed at the end of the 2nd century AD, paving the way for the Three Kingdoms era.

The first wave of immigration of the noble class arrived in the province in the early 4th century AD when the Western Jin Dynasty collapsed and the north was torn apart by invasions by nomadic peoples from the north, as well as civil war.

These immigrants were primarily from eight families in central China: Lin (林), Huang (黄), Chen (陈), Zheng, Zhan (詹), Qiu (邱), He (何), and Hu (胡).

The first four remain as the major surnames of modern Fujian. Population density in Fujian remained low compared to the rest of China.

Like other southern provinces such as Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, and Yunnan, Fujian often served as a destination for exiled prisoners and dissidents at that time.

Tong'an is rich in natural and cultural tourist resources and boasts 51 provincial and county cultural sites under the protection.  
 

Places to Visit:

1) Tong'an Movie and TV City(pinyin:Tong'an Yingshi Cheng) lies on both banks of Dongxi River in Wuxian Town, Tong' an District,bordering the ancient Fantian Temple.
Visitors can enjoy the demonstration of customs and culture of south Fujian Province and acrobatic performances, and participate in other recreational activities such as acting as an emperor, riding horse, shooting and forest exploration.
 Also tourists can buy handicrafts, paintings, calli- graphic works, jewelry and Taiwan products at the Ming-Qing Street and try various kinds of Xiamen local and special dishes and snacks at the Douyichu Restaurant.

Transport,:Taking the public bus Nos. 67, 79, 601,606, 610, 612, 617, 621 and 625

Opening hours: 08:00-18:00 Admission: RMB 30 yuan/person  

2) Dalun Mountain and Fantian Temple The Dalun (Great Wheel) Mountain is located in east Tong' an City and is the main peak in Tong' an District.

It has undulating physical landscapes for several kilometers like a big wheel, so that's where it got its name.
It has attracted many scholars and celebrities who left many poems, calligraphic works and cliff inscriptions here.
The Fantian Temple is located on the southern foot of the Dalun Mountain. It was first built in 581 or the first year of the Kaihuang reign of the Sui Dynasty (581-618) and is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Fujian Province.
Behind the temple stands the Wengong Academy, or Ziyang Academy. It was the earliest one by the Quanzhou Prefecture. It houses the valuable stone statue of Zhu Xi.
The buildings in the temple are in an irregular arrangement and paths winds around buildings. With many trees and bamboos, the temple is quiet enough for cultivation and reading books.
 Opening hours: 06:00-19:00
Admission: Free

 3) Dragon Pools on North Mountain(Beichen Shan)
The North Mountain indicates the Beichen Mountain in Tong'an and the Dragon Pools indicate the 12- pool waterfalls to the north of Beichen Mountain, at its foot. The rushing down water produces a one-kilometer-long valley and makes 1,000- meter-long waterfalls and 12 water pools.
They are one of the 20 famous scenic spots in Xiamen.
 This 122km2 Area is in Wuxianzhen , about 12km from Tong'an.

 4) Tong'an Plum Mountain Temple (Meishan Si )

 Very Scenic. Add: Meishan Lu, Meishan Liansi
Tel: 7026  

5) Wild Valley Ecopark

Famous as "the Lesser Jiuzhai of south Fujian," this Wild Valley Ecopark is on the No. 206 provincial highway, at the one kilometer to the Longmen Tunnel on the highway from Tong'an to Anxi.
This ecopark is composed of five sections: Yongcheng Mountain, Da'annei, Shuangxikou, Caijin Brook and Caiyin Brook.
It covers an area of 415 hectares and is an important part of the Lotus National Forest Park. In three phases, it will be built into a comprehensive tourist area for tourism, amusement, exploration, ecological farming, scientific popularization and inspection, school training and teamwork training.
Opening hours: 08:00-20:00
Admission:
1. A route tour: RMB 50 yuan/person
2. B route tour: RMB 80 yuan/person
3. C route tour: RMB 90 yuan/person
Tel: 86-592-5865371/5865351  

6) Former Residence of Su Song (1020-1101)
Former Residence of Su Song, or Lushan Hall, is located in Yongfeng Township in northwest part of Tong' an City.
It covers an area of 1,700 square meters and stands against the Hulu Hill and faces the Ximo Pool.
The hall houses a model of the first astronomical clock in the world invented by Su Song.
Tel (Science and Technology Hall): 86-592-7025044  

7) Tong'an Confucius Temple (Tong'an Museum)

By Dongxi Stream, the Tong'an Confucius Temple was first constructed in the Five Dynasties (907- 960) and was rebuilt in the 18th year of the Jiaqing reign ( 1813) of the Qing Dynasty, with an area of 1,050 square meters.
Opening hours: 08:00-11:30,15:00-17:30
 Admission: RMB 2 yuan/person  

8) West Mountain Peak Scenic Area (Xishanyan Jingqu )

At 324m above sea level, this is the place to escape to on hot summer days. The peak's White Cloud Crag Temple (Baiyunyan Miao ) was built over 1100 years ago.
Facing the temple is Purple Cloud Cave (Ziyun Dong ). In back are two "Holy Wells" said to never lack sweet water. To the left is a Ming Dynasty cliff inscription.
In back are 18 trees that represent Buddha's 18 disciples, the Arhats (Luohan).
Add: Xinmin Zhen Yili Cun about 20km outside of Tong'an
Tel (Mid-Mountain): 7200516
Tel (Peak ): 7200776

9) Tong'an's Little Plain Provincial Forest Park (Xiaoping Senlin Gongyuan )

25km north of Tong'an, 45 km north of Xiamen, covers about 400, 000 acres, includes tourism facilities, aquatic sports facilities, forestry research facilities,
Tel: 7053878
Bus: Take Daping mini-bus , get off at Xiaoping.  

10) Three Hero Islands (Yingxiong Sandao )

The "3 Hero Islands" of "Big Deng" (Dadeng ), Little Deng (Xiaodeng ) and Horn Islet (Jiaoyu ), lie only 1.8km from Taiwan controlled Jinmen Island.

11) Tong'an Butterfly Valley (Tong'an Hudiegu )

Locals call butterfly valley "Stone Ship Pit "(Shichuan Keng ).

12) Tingxi Kiln Site(Tingxi Yaozhi)

While building the Tingxi reservoir in 1956, workers discovered this kiln, earthenware, kiln equipment, etc. In the excavated dirt were found bowls, plates, trays, pots,daily utensils, the foundation had kiln bricks.
One of the largest of Song Dynasty kilns, produced the pearlescent porcelain (Zhuguangci ) popular in Japan.
This turned out to be invaluable in researching ancient Fujian's economy and foreign trade.  

13) Matang Village —Xiamen's #1 Village About 7km to the east of Tong'an, Matang Village is in a remote valley and covers 1.8km2, with 64 families and 275 people, 435 acres of cultivated land, 944 acres of hilly land.
In 1985 Matang started their break from poverty with the labor-intensive Xinghua canning factory. In 1990 they undertook a Sino-foreign joint venture with Xiamen Tongmao Foodstuffs Canning Company, Ltd., and over the years invested 80 million Yuan improving the technology 3 times.
By 1996, the village's production had reached 122.5 million Yuan, per capital had reached 5250 Yuan (from 170 Yuan—an increase of 1071%).
 Today the workers live in modern apartments and villas, with beautiful gardens and lawns.  

14) Tong'an Lotus Flower Mountain Scenic Area (Lianhua Zhen Houpu Cun )

About 10km from Tong'an with many ancient trees, ancient temples, and the "Holy Spring"—all the things you find on just about any mountain top that has had Chinese for 5, 018 years.

Bus Route Map starts at Yanwu Road near Xiamen University to Tong'an town.
Bus fare is 2 Yuan aircond bus No:657 or 659.
If you were to embark near the starting point,seats were available otherwise you have to stand throughout the journey.

Speech by President Aquino III in Fujian Province

TRANSCRIPT:
Speech of His Excellency Benigno S. Aquino III President of the Philippines

After planting a tree in his ancestral Hongjian Village in Fujian Province [Delivered in Hongjian Village, Zhangzhou municipality, Fujian Province, China on September 3, 2011]


Today, a seed planted by your forefathers far away has come back to sit in the shade of the ancestral tree. It is an honor to see the Ancestral Hall of the family Xu and to see the tree my mother planted 23 years ago.

 I cannot help but recall the gracious words of Premier Wen: the tree your mother planted has flourished and put in deep roots. I am grateful to all of you for the honor you continue to give to my mother. I was particularly happy to hear that the soon-to-be finished Sino-Philippines Friendship Memorial Hall in this park will be dedicated to her memory.

We are in a place steeped in memory and tradition, and rich in legends that continue to tie us together across the seas. Before I arrived here, I was told that years ago, on its own, this tree split in two.

Nature has its own laws and surely this natural phenomenon was not a prophecy—for I never aspired to reach the same heights and achieve the same success as my mother. And yet, by the will of my people, I stand here in the same position she occupied—as President of the Philippines—bearing the same responsibility she had, to change peoples’ lives for the better.

In Beijing and Shanghai, whenever I was asked how I felt about coming here, I said that I wanted to see the land where so many successful Filipino Chinese came from. I wanted to see the landscape that gave birth to so many who braved long journeys, to settle in a foreign land, to build families, homes, and successful enterprises. Their success brought not only prosperity, but honor to their kinsmen, whether in the Philippines or China.

Ours, then, are not only ties of family and blood, they are ties of shared virtues: of hard work, study, loyalty, dedication, and empathy. Our ties are relationships that have transcended kilometers, generations, and borders because they are built on shared principles. What we want to do now is to make these relationships even stronger, and to fulfill our duty to make certain that our friendly relations are built on the shared principle that our efforts ultimately improve the lives of our respective peoples.

This is a collective task. Together with me, hundreds of businessmen from the Philippines went to Beijing to meet your country’s political and economic leaders. And at this very moment, those who accompanied me on this trip are meeting with their counterparts from Fujian to discuss opportunities to further expand the economic exchange between our countries.

In my country we have a saying: that if one is to move forward, one must know how to look back. So I would like to thank the people of Hongjian—all my distant cousins, aunts, and uncles—for their warm welcome, and for being among the many who give me the strength to carry on and succeed.

Hong jian de běn jiārén, zhong xīnyǎn di xiè xiè nǐmen.

Allow me to give you a parting gift—memorabilia from my mother as a reminder to all of us, as well as future generations, of the ties of history that bind us together; of the strong and centuries-old relationship between the Philippines, Hongjian village, and Fujian province.

I leave to your care this tree that I have planted. May its roots also be deep, and may our kinsmen one day, enjoy rest under the shade of what we have planted, as you and I have enjoyed the shade of what my mother planted in her time. Thank you and good day.

Things to do in Xiamen

Xiamen is fast becoming an exciting cosmopolitan city.
Locals, expatriates and tourists are enjoying the glamour the city brings and the exciting nightlife plays a big, if not major role in this.
An evening outing at Zhongshan Lu or Zhongshan Road walking street is a must.
It's a very nice street with many pseudo colonial architecture there that were well lit and glittering during night time with multi coloured LED lights.

This is a boutique Chinatown and every night draws a big crowd as businesses on both sides of the road were still opened offering a variety of choices.

It's really amazing how the local council gave a complete facelifts to most of the older buildings and made the road strictly for pedestian.

Zhongshan Lu is the main commercial street in Xiamen. A large section of the street lies between the ferry landing pier via Siming South Street junction till Xin Hua Lu.

 Between Zhongshan Lu and Shengping Lu, across Shuixian Lu, is the old quarter Zhenbang Lu (镇邦路), where popular Chinese movie Crazy Racer (疯狂的赛车) was filmed.

Shopping malls are at Hualien Commercial Plaza,No 1 Department Store,Paris Spring Department Store and Dafeng Shopping Mall.

Zhongshan Lu also has many restaurants to satisfy the tastebuds. It's a great place to sample some of the local food of Xiamen especially the peanut soup (huasheng tang)at Huangzehe Restaurant which is one of the oldest restaurant serving such delicacies.

 Some of the famous Fujian cuisines include Xiamen Glass Noodles (面线糊: mianxian hu),Oyster omelet (海蛎煎 haili jian),Xiamen Wonton soup (扁食汤: bianshitang,Crab porridge (蟹米粥: xiemi zhou),Xiamen Glutinous Rice Wrap (厦门烧肉粽: xiamen shaorou zong)and shrimp noodle soup (虾面: xiamian)

Travellers will surely enjoy walking Zhongshan Lu street a number of times during the night to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of a very active food night market.

Besides,there were also street stalls selling souvenir items.

Closest hotels in the vicinity:
1) Xiamen Kellywood Hotel(Zhongshan Branch): Honghui Mansion, No. 318 of Zhongshan Road, Si Ming District, Xiamen .
Rates from USD30.

2) East Ocean Hotel, (Donghai Mansion Hotel):No.1 Zhongshan Road
Rates from USD58

Just beside Xiamen Railway Terminal along Xianhe Lu is the Walmart SuperCentre World Trade Centre(WTO:ShiMao)Branch,a United States retailing giant founded by Mr. Sam Walton in Arkansas in 1962.

Walmart first entered the Chinese market and opened its first Supercenter and Sam’s Club in Shenzhen in 1996.
 Another 3km nearby is Wal-mart Supercenter Xiamen SM Mall Branch at the Crossroad West Between Fuxia Road And Xianyue Road.

SM Mall is a Philippines retailer giant owned by Mr Henry Sy. Walmart Supercentre outlets in Fujian Province includes three in Fuzhou,one each in Quanzhou,Jinjiang,and Zhangzhou.



Xiahe Road in the heart of Xiamen is one of the most interesting section of Xiamen with bustling activities and nightlife.

In fact most of the local district buses will definitely pass by this road.
Notable bus stop is SM City Mall (SM chengshi guangchang) to shop for mobile phone,tablets and gadgets.
Other shopping malls:
1) Lijing Commercial Plaza : No.358, Xiahe Road 2) Friendship Shopping Mall : No.915, Xiahe Road

Electronic City is at Huadu Department Store : No.51, South Hubin Road
Fushan Chengda Shopping Mall : No.398, South Hubin Road



Carrefour(pinyin:Jialefu)Supermarket is nearby this B&Q home furnishing mall at Mingfa Business Square at the intersection of West Lianqian Road and Jiahe Road, Siming District.

Over here there are lots of restaurants for your evening dinner.Example is Smart Hero Club-Hot n spicy Restaurant (香辣诱惑精品川菜馆) that offers Sichuan dishes like Shuizhu Huoyu (Fish Filets in Hot Chili Oil),Mapu Tofu (Stir-fried tofu in hot sauce),Kungpao chicken cubes (Spicy diced chicken with peanuts),Fuqi Feipian (Pork lungs in Chili Sauce).

Xiamen Mingfa Shopping Mall with a building area about 406,000 square metres is equipped with more than 130 escalators and elevators and nearly 100 thematic pedestrian streets.

 The Mall covers a variety of functions like shopping, entertainment, leisure, catering, tourism, and culture, which is the largest shopping mall in domestic downtown.


Xiamen JINYI Cinemas, Fu Qiao Foot Bath, Huang Jia 1 Hao Bar, SUNING Appliance, Mingfa Art City, Mingfa Food Court & Roast Fish Street, LEKIN Playground, Happyday KTV, Century Beauty, New Century Department Store, B&Q and Carrefour were some of the tenants.

 Accomodation:
Orental Amage Hotel Xiamen (Xiamen Dongfang Haoyue Jiudian 厦门东方豪悦国际酒店)
Add: #8 East Area of Mingfa Commercial Mall, Jiahe Lu 嘉禾路明发商业广场东区8号
Tel: 292 6666 Route Map

Other places with big hypermarkets:
Metro (maidelong:麦德龙):8 Changhao Lu, Huli District, (厦门市湖里区长浩路)near Xinglu Grand Hotel. Open from: 09:00 - 22:00
Members only bulk-goods warehouse shopping. Show your passport for free membership.

Trust-Mart (Chinese:好又多)
Address:5/F Fushan Guomao Building,off Jin Shang Lu 厦门市莲坂富山国贸大厦)
 Hours: 07:00 - 22:00
Getting there: Take bus No.25,26,33,37,42,44,46 to Lianban Guomao  


Places to unwind:
Royal No 1 International Entertainment Club. (Lu Yi One Bar)
 Mingfa Business Square beside Carrefour. Expats hangout many foreign girls.

 KK Recreation Ground (的士高酒吧) No:9,Lianyue Lu, Xiamen (厦门市思明区莲岳路9号)
Tel:-0592- 512 9487 Hours: 20:00 - 02:00
Take bus No.8, 13, 31, 33, 51, 73, 86, 88 to Songbai.

 KK Recreation Ground plays mainly dance music and is popular with ex-pats, college students and tourists.

Elite Yueming Building, 14 Jianye Road, Xiamen
This dance club, featuring both a live band, the Filipino Residence Band.

La Bomba (辣蹦吧) Yueming Building, 14 Jianye Road, Xiamen
Very busy disco, with non-stop hot music, non-stop dancing London Bar (伦敦吧) Guanren Lu (behind Marco Polo Hotel)

True Love(真爱酒吧会所) Donghui Garden, 2-4, Yuandang Road, Xiamen
Tel:0592-5315666
Meet strangers and make them your friends in this venue.

Soul Bar 188 Hubindong Road
Tel: 0592-5075078

Tianlai Bar (天籁酒吧)Address:128 Houdaixi Lu,厦门市后埭溪路
Tel:0592-5151458 From: 20:00 - 03:00
Getting there: Take bus No. 17 to Yinlong Square
Tianlai Bar is reputed to be the oldest bar in Xiamen, and has been open for well over a decade. Listenable live music on weekends and some weekdays.

 The House Restaurant :老别墅西餐厅
Address:10-1 Baihe Lu, Siming District, Xiamen(opposite Zhongshan Park)
The restaurant is turned into a bar from 18:00p.m. to 2:00 a.m. It serves nice seafood Pizza and cheesecake, Italian noodles.

Olivia European Restaurant and Bar(奥里瓦欧餐会所)
Address:Fuman Jiayuan, 42 Bailuzhou Lu, Xiamen(厦门市白鹭洲路42号福满家园)
Tel:0592-3227523 email:oliva.foodgroup@gmail.com
Getting there: Take bus No.26, 86, 87, 201, 518, 616 to Puli Building
Olivia European Restaurant and Bar is one of Xiamen's classiest eateries serving the finest French cuisine in a setting reminiscent of France's idyllic chateaux.

MASSAGE:
Chinese Traditional Massage(中医推拿按摩)
Address:3 Huachang Lu, Huli District,near Xianyue Park. 厦门市湖里区华昌路3号
Tel:0592-8275363 Getting there: Take bus No.9, 11, 16, 34, 40, 504, 508 to Bailiyuan

Chinese Therapeutic Massage(华医馆中医康复门诊部)
Address:59 Hubin Nanlu, Near Hubin Bus Station, Xiamen 厦门市湖滨南路59号 Contact:0592-2210888 Getting there: Take bus No.10, 15, 23, 43, 45, 99, 501 to Binnandou Xilukou

Blind Body Massage(中医盲人保健推拿中心)
Address:2 Xiangjiang Garden, Xiamen(厦门市嘉禾路香江花园2号楼)
Contact:0592-5133477
Getting there: Take bus No.3, 23, 40, 45, 73, 85, 505 to Lianhua Nanlu The profession of massage has traditionally gone to China's blind. The customers believe that the blind are better able to feel tension, as loss of sight has heightened their other senses, and the self-conscious needn't fear judgmental eyes.
At RMB30/hour, you can afford to spend days getting kneaded for the same price of an hour at one of the pricier hotel spas.

RECREATION

 Huayi Bowling Entertainment Center(华益保龄球娱乐有限公司)
 Address:Near Sports Center,Hubin Beilu, Xiamen(厦门市湖滨北路体育中心旁)
Tel:0592-5121999  Hours: 09:00 - 22:00
Take bus No.31, 36, 51, 530, 805 to Sports Center

Luhui Bowling( 辉保龄球公司)
Address:Haitian Lu, Huli District, Xiamen
Hours: 09:00 - 22:00
Getting there: Take bus No.9, 11, 16, 34, 40, 504, 508 to Xianlu

The People's Pool (人民游泳池)
Address:97 Wenyuan Lu, (Opposite to Xiamen Hotel),
Hours: 06:00 - 07:45 and 16:00 - 21:00 Price: 15Yuan per person.

Ancient Sun Moon Valley Hot Springs (Riyuegu Wenquan Dujiacun 日月谷温泉渡假村)
One of Asia's top ten hot springs resorts,is in Xinglin District (杏林区), just 20 minutes outside of Xiamen!
They have 72 open-air pools and thirty-five specialty hot springs (milk bath, beer bath, rose bath? You name it, they'll soak you in it!).
Address: Haicang District, Dongfuzhen Tang'an 海沧区东孚镇汤岸
Tel: 631 222 2/631 234 5 Bus: 804

Changtai White Water Rafting Club( 福建长泰马洋漂流有限公司)
China's national kayak training center, is 45 km west of Xiamen and 20km north of Zhangzhou City. Called "Xiamen's backyard", it has beautiful scenery - mountains, waterfalls, valleys, trails.
Rafting costs 168 for the 8 km. 3 hour trip.
They also have parasailing, horseback riding, hiking, a firing range (rifles, pistols), archery, etc.
Add: #1 Changtai Yili 福建长泰十里1号 Tel: 0596-8321001 Fax: 0596-8325001
Xiamen Office: #123 Yuehua Rd. Yuehua Bldg. G2 悦华路123号悦华公寓G2
Tel: 565 517 8 Fax: 565 560 8

Yatelanda Water Recreation Chinese Name:亚特兰大活水馆
Address:89 Hubin Zhonglu, Xiamen(厦门市思明区湖滨中路89号)
Tel:0592-2223930 ext. 816 Hours: 06:00 - 23:00
Price: 45RMB per person (weekday) 50RMB per person(holiday)
Getting there: Take bus No.1, 3, 4, 16, 19a, 19b, 21, 507 to Wenzao
Massive indoor water playground with several interconnecting pools and aquatic play-areas for the kids.


 DINING OUT

Thai Cuisine Restaurant
Add: No.9, Zeng Cuo An (Beside the Zeng Cuo An bus stop) Tel: 0592-2090338

Golden Elephant Bay Thai Restaurant
Add: 1F, Manila Building, Huaqiao Haijing Cheng Phase 1, Hexiangxi Er Lu Tel: 0592-2387999
Add: A4-A5, Wuyuan Bay Commercial Street
Tel: 0592- 2067777

Pattaya Thai Restaurant
Add: No.73 Lianyue Road
Tel: 0592-5112993

Lai Thai :金泰苑泰国餐厅
Address:85-87 Hexiang Xi'erlu, Xiamen (off Lujiang Road) 厦门市思明区禾祥西二路华侨海景城85 - 87号 Tel:0592-5596666
Take bus No.10, 11, 45, 48, 54, 102, 504 to Sibei Lukou

Lao Shanghai Restaurant (老上海中餐厅)
Address:2F, Hongdu Hotel, 201 Bailuzhou Lu, Xiamen
Hours: 08:00 - 21:00
Take bus No.35, 48, 97, 509, 528, 808 to Taihu Xincheng

Fengyuan Grandmother's House(凤缘外婆家: Fengyuan Waipo Jia)
Address: 33 Lujiang Avenue, Siming District (思明区鹭江道33号)
Tel: 0592-2032688
The restaurant mainly serves pure Thailand-style dishes, such as curry crab (咖喱蟹), roast chicken with lemon leaves (柠檬叶烤鸡), queen tofu (皇后豆腐), dongyin gong soup (冬阴功汤, vinegar-pepper shrimp soup, the “national soup” of Thailand) and tofu cooked with crab meat (蟹粉豆腐).

The decoration and the services there are quite good. Outside seats are quite near the ocean, and guests can enjoy the whole view of Gulangyu Island.

Little Sheep Hot Pot (小肥羊: Xiao Fei Yang)
Address: Floor 1-2, 80-82 Hexiang West Road, Siming District (思明区禾祥西路80-82号1-2楼)
Tel: 0592-2226498
It is a nice place to eat hot pot in winter for its delicious food and affordable price.
Recommended dishes for hot pot are beef, mutton, frozen tofu, potato, taro root and sweet potato. Roast mutton cubes on skewers (烤羊肉串) and roast mutton chops (烤羊排) are worthy to relish.

Little Glass Food Stall(小眼镜大排档: Xiao Yanjing Da Paidang)
Address: 7 Hubin Middle Road, Siming District (思明区湖滨中路7号)
Tel: 0592-2054568, 8988835
Opening hours: 11am-2pm and 4:30pm–10pm (from Monday to Friday); 10:30am-2:30pm and 4:30pm11:30pm (during weekends)
 A very popular restaurant in Xiamen for the delicious food and the affordable price.
Sleeve-fish cooked with soy sauce (酱油水鱿鱼) is the most famous dish.
Solen (竹蛭), clam (花蛤), sea cucumber (海瓜子), steamed crab (清蒸蟹), fried rice-flour noodles (炒米粉), shrimps (沙虾) and steamed sleeve-fish (清蒸鱿鱼) are highly recommended by customers having been there.

Shuyou Seafood Grand Restaurant(舒友海鲜大酒楼: Shuyou Haixian Da Jiulou)
Address: 97 Hubin North Road, Siming District (思明区湖滨北路97)
Tel: 0592-5338899, 5033888
Dishes made with lobsters, scallops or abalones are really delicious and fresh. The most popular snack should be sandworm jerry (土笋冻, a kind of jerry made with sandworms in sand beach).
Octopus and goose liver are also worthy to have a try.

 Lujiang Hotel Ocean View Restaurant(鹭江宾馆观海厅: Lujiang Binguan Guanhai Ting)
 Address: Floor 7, Lujiang Hotel, 54 Lujiang Avenue, Siming District (思明区鹭江道54号鹭江宾馆7楼)
Tel: 0592-2022 922, 2662668
Ocean view restaurant.Serves mainly Hong Kong style tea and pastries and some Xiamen style snacks. Shrimp dumplings (虾饺), sea sedge cake (海苔饼), Xuemeiniang wrapped with durian (榴莲雪梅娘, Xuemeiniang is a kind of desert which is made with sticky rice and wrapped with cream or something else inside), shrimp cake (虾饼), fried oyster (海蛎煎), chicken claws (凤爪) and Mianxian paste (面线糊, a kind of Xiamen-style snack and the main ingredient is sweet potato powder and vermicelli) are the most popular kinds of food.

Marlon Islam Restaurant(马尔龙新疆伊斯兰饭庄 :Ma’erlong Xinjiang Yisilan Fanzhuang)
Address: Youjianli Mansion, 180 Changqing Road, Siming District (思明区长青路180号优佳丽大厦)
Tel: 0592-5046 879, 8669 192
Serves typical halal food. lamb shashlik (羊肉串), braised chicken with potatoes and green peppers (大盘鸡), roast whole lamb (烤全羊)
Average price per person: 57 yuan
Bus routes: 3, 6, 10, 27, 42, 44, 46, 507, 511, 513, 518, 524, 526, 532, 534, 617 or 808

A Da Xi Restaurant(新疆阿达西饭庄: Xinjiang A’daxi Fanzhuang)
Address: 21 to 22 Fuxing Mansion, 1126 Xiahe Road, Siming District (思明区厦禾路1126号富兴大厦21-22) Tel: 0592-3858 558
Run by a Uygur person,
Bus routes: 3，6，19a, 19b, 37, 42, 44, 46, 507, 508, 511, 515, 519, 522, 524, 526, 529, 804, 806, or 808

Xinjiang Avanti Restaurant(新疆阿凡提饭馆: Xinjiang A’fanti Fanguan)
Address: 13 Yuanchang Square, East 170 Hexiang Road, Siming District (思明区禾祥东路170号源昌广场13) Tel: 0592-5819 220
 Bus routes: 511，522，513，515，519，or 524

LASAGNA Italian Restaurant(拉桑雅意大利餐厅)
Address:2F, Chunguang Hotel, Xiamen Lundu, Xiamen 厦门市思明区海后路36号春光酒店2楼 Tel:0592-2101327, 2101337
Take bus No.3, 8, 10, 11, 12, 19a, 19b, 27 to Lundu

Bologna Italian Western Restaurant(波若尼亚意大利西餐厅)
Address:10-115 Tongheng Building, Luling Lu (Besides the Alishang Building)near Songbai Park(厦门市吕岭路同享大厦10 - 115号)
Contact:0592-5593777
Getting there: Take bus No.6, 10, 36, 42, 46, 88, 108 to Lvcuo

Changbai Mountain Korean Restaurant(长白山韩国料理)
Address:69 - 7,C University City,Yanwu Lu,Xiamen(厦门市思明区演武路大学城C栋69号之7) Contact:0592-8560219
Take bus No.1, 15, 18, 21, 29, 35, 45, 47 to Xiamen University

Indiano Johns--Indian Cuisine off Xianyue Lu Chinese Name:印度风
Address:69 Jiangtou Beilu, Xiamen off Xianyue Lu 厦门市湖里区江头北路69号
Contact:0592-5557699
Take bus No.6, 7, 10, 34, 39, 42, 81, 89 to Tiandi Garden

Taotai Lang Japanese Food Square(桃太郎日本美食广场)
 Address:109 Houlixi Lu,Siming District, Xiamen off Xianhe Lu 厦门市思明区后埭溪路109号
Tel:0592 5165919
Take bus No.1, 3, 4, 16, 19a, 19b, 21, 507 to Wenzao

Momotaro Japanese Restaurant(松鹤日本料理)
Address:1F, Fanrong Plaza, 267-24 Hexiang Xilu off Bailuzhou Lu, Siming District, (厦门市思明区禾祥西路267之24繁荣广场1层)
Take bus No.8, 26, 86, 87, 201, 518, 526 to Yuancuo
Offers complimentary sake.

Sakura Restaurant
1/F Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen,
12 - 8 Zhenhai Lu, Xiamen
Tel:0592-2023333 ext. 6616,6862

Miyabi Japanese Restaurant(雅日本料理)
Address:3F, Jinyan Hotel, 99 Hubin Nanlu, Siming District, Xiamen
Tel:0592-223 8101

Located along busy Xianhe Lu is also the Xiamen Railway Station beside Walmart Supercentre.
 It is the also dead-end of the terminal line as it was an extension of the Yingtan–Xiamen Railway or Yingxia Railway.

Yingtan in Jiangxi Province being the Eastern Route of the existing Zhejiang-Jiangxi Railway, to Zixi and then entering northern Fujian and passing through Nanping and Sanming in central Fujian before reaching Zhangzhou and Xiamen in southern Fujian.
Kecun Long Distance Bus Station across the road from Xiamen Railway Station.

If you plan to head for Fuzhou,the capital city of Fujian buses available here.

Otherwise try the following bullet trains available at Xiamen Railway Station:
Fuzhou-Xiamen：Several bullet trains run between Fuzhou and Xiamen every day, with a train ride less than two hours.

Shanghai South Railway Station-Xiamen: Travelers can take trains D3202, D3203, or D3204. The train ride takes 8 hours.

 Hangzhou-Xiamen: Travelers can take train D3212, which takes 6 and a half hours
Passengers in Xiamen Railway Station can take bus 37 to the airport, and that for passengers in Ferry Terminal is bus 27.


PARKS
 Jinbang Park is less than a kilometre from Xiamen Railway Station and the main entrance is beside the Lianhua Hospital Jinbang Branch.
Entrance is free and this is a beautiful greenlungs of Xiamen covering an area of 910,000 square meters, which is the largest comprehensive cultural park in Xiamen.

The park includes many historical sites, beautiful natural scenery, green trees and oddly shaped rocks, in addition to lots of cultural sites from the Tang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty.

 If you were to descend on the other side of this small hill after exiting will be the railway track dead end and turning back into Houdaixi Lu(Road) onto Xianhe Lu again.

 Houdai Xilu is where you can find bars like Sky Word (Tel:+86(0)592-5851458) and Vincent van Gogh Tel:(0)592-388 8808(Ladies night every Wednesday)

Nearby accomodation:
Xiamen Rushi Hotel
No.35 Wen Ping Road., Si Ming District

Teaching:

Xiamen Foreign Service Center (厦门对外服务中心)
Address:15A, Bldg A, Atlantic Center, 9 Hubin Xilu, Xiamen(厦门市湖滨西路9号大西洋中心A座15A) Contact:0592 2386720 (Tel)
Take bus No.10, 11, 45, 48, 54, 102, 504 to Sibei Lukou  

READING
 Xiamen Library(厦门图书馆)
Address:95 Tiyu Lu, Xiamen(厦门市体育路95号)
Contact:0592-2665267 Hours: 08:30 - 20:00(Mon. to Thu.)08:00 - 12:00(Fri.)08:00 - 20:00(Sat. to Sun./Holiday)
Take bus No.13 to Xianyue Garden

Xiamen Children's Library(厦门少儿图书馆)
Address:No:2 Gongyuan DongLu (厦门市公园南路2号)
Tel:0592 5825012 Hours: 12:00 - 18:30(Mon. to Fri. except Thu.) 15:00 - 18:00(Thu.)08:00 - 18:30(Sat;Sun./Holiday)
Take bus No.3, 4, 8, 12, 18, 19a, 19b to Zhongshan Park

PLACES OF WORSHIP

Xiamen Mosque (厦门清真寺)
Address:27 Gongyuan Nanlu, Xiamen
Tel:0592-2034471, 2028617, 2028615
Getting there: Take bus No.3, 4, 8, 12, 18, 19a, 19b, 19 to Xinhua Lukou

Xinjie (New Street Chapel:新街礼拜堂) — 1st Church of China
Address:29 Taiguang Jie,Xiamen(厦门市台光街29号) Tel:0592-2072383
Take bus No.1, 3, 8, 10, 11, 12, 15, 18, 19a to Zhongshan Lu

Built in 1848 only 6 years after David Abeel (Xiamen's first missionary) arrived (and left), New Street Chapel is the first Protestant Church ever built on the Chinese mainland.
Its present-day architecture is remarkably similar to that of the original, and boasts a lovely white colonnade that's vaguely reminiscent of the American colonial style

Zhushu Church (Bamboo Church /Zhushutang)(基督教厦门竹树堂)
Address:129 Kaihe Lu off Xianhe Lu, Xiamen
Tel:0592 2987381 2987382
Take bus No.11, 504, 506, 507, 509, 528 to Kaihe Lukou

POSTAL SERVICE:

Xiamen Post Office(厦门邮政局)
458 Xianyue Lu,Xiamen
Take bus No.24, 40, 51, 54, 201, 506, 515 to Xianyue Garden
They are open from 9:00-17:00 seven days a week. (Some only from Monday to Friday)  

ARTS

Xiamen Wushipu Oil Painting Village(厦门乌石埔油画村)
Address:Xingshan Lu, Huli District, Xiamen
Tel:0592-5229359 Hours: 08:30 - 11:30 and 14:00 - 18:00
Take bus No.10, 34, 39, 41, 82, 510 to Wushipu Oil Painting Village
Over 5000 artists are based in the Xiamen Wushipu Oil Painting Village, utilizing diverse techniques to produce a wide range of paintings, which can be bought "off the shelf" or specially ordered. Accompanying products can also be found here, such as frames, brushes and oils.

Seafood galore in Gulangyu Island

Along the narrow streets of Gulangyu Island near the ferry wharf were many seafood stalls.

 Seafood (pinyin:haixian) is all over the place in Xiamen, and especially in Gulangyu.

Xiamen Island physical features is like the shape of an oyster (pinyin:Muli) surrounded by sea on all sides so daily supplies of fresh seafood is in abundance.

To most tourists browsing the many seafood stalls,the temptation and urge to try out some of the cuisines is unavoidable.


Most of the university students from other provinces spent their summer vacation here and they were so used to the queing system when ordering meals.

 Economy take-away meal such as these stalls were most sort after by budget travellers .

Almost all the restaurants have menu prices with photos of the cuisines.
 Deep-fried five-flavor rolls is one of Xiamen’s most famous delicacies.
 Xiamen food is dominated by South Fujian cuisine, comblined with Taiwan and Chaoshan flavor. The cooking methods include frying, steaming, boiling, sauting, and others.
The seafood cooking in Xiamen is particularly outstanding with its freshness and slight spice.






These are Three Spot Crabs (pangxie)  are rich in protein.Scientific name:Portunus sanguinolentus.

 One particular restaurant on the mainland Xiao Yan Jing Da Pai Dang at No. 7 Middle Hubin Road, Siming District, Xiamen has the most exceptional seafood cookings so it's not necessary to join the tourists crowds here.










Crispy fried oysters mixed with eggs,sweet potato flour,and minced garlic specially prepared and placed on large oyster shells.










Steamed crabs ready to serve.
These crabs are the common mud crabs which are also abundant in Phuket,Pattaya,Surathani and a large section of Indonesian islands.










Grilled squids and threaded pork meat.
The use of traditional wooden  skewers in grilling  is a common street stalls food display throughout Asia.











 Grilled seabass fishes. Seabass are found in the shallower regions of warm and tropical seas.Sea bass are rather perchlike fish. The more or less elongated body has small scales, the mouth is large.






A variety of seafood selection.
 Seafood is a part of a healthy balanced diet. The American Heart Association recommends that no more than 300 mg of cholesterol per day is healthy for adults. Most of the commonly eaten seafood selections are well below this parameter.
 For example, 3 oz. of lobster contains 61 mg of cholesterol; 3 oz. of crab contains 80 mg of cholesterol. There are 166 mg in a serving of 15 shrimp, and 48 mg in a serving of five mussels. Six oysters contain 58 mg of cholesterol, and a serving of four scallops has less than 34 mg.







Abalone salad. In Chinese speaking regions, abalone are commonly known as 'bao yu', and sometimes forms part of a Chinese banquet. Similar to shark fin soup or bird's nest soup, it is considered a luxury item, and is traditionally reserved for special occasions such as weddings and other celebrations. However, the availability of commercially farmed abalone has allowed more common consumption of this once rare delicacy.

 Jellyfish and octopus salad. Korean jellyfish dish are called "haepari naegnchi. On the whole,jellyfish is tasteless but has its crunchy texture.







Shellfish is often avoided by many because of the thought that it raises bad cholesterol levels. According to a study at the University of Washington, this is a misconception and shellfish pose no danger to cholesterol levels. This study found that some of the most commonly eaten shellfish, including oysters, crabs, clams, shrimp and mussels, showed no evidence of raising cholesterol levels. Shrimp had no effect on cholesterol levels. Crabs and clams actually lowered the LDL levels (bad cholesterol). Mussels and oysters also lowered LDL, while raising HDLs. Fish is also good for increasing good cholesterol in your blood.













































































Beautiful Island Hotel Bread and Breakfast. (Lizhi Dao Jiudian, 丽之岛酒店)
5 minute walk from ferry.
Small rooms but clean and cheap.
Tel: 206-3309
Add: #133 Longtou Lu (龙头路),








Gulangyu Giant sea snails.













Grilled lobsters and crabs. Deep frying, and using butter and sauces will increase the cholesterol content of seafood or any other food. Try broiling, grilling or baking when preparing seafood and cook with very little oil. 

















Dried sea cucumber.











Spotted Anguilla eel.
Price:228 Yuan per half kilogram.







Large oyster can fetch a price of 198Yuan per 500gm while the smaller species are 38 Yuan per half kilograms .




















Ray fish, price:128 Yuan per half kilo












Grouper fish normally prepared as stir-fried or steamed .













'da zha xie' - the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir Sinensis). The most expensive crabs in the country come from Yangcheng Lake,Jiangsu Province, which is close to Shanghai and is credited with being the cradle of China's crab culture. Price:318 Yuan per half kilo.















Mantis shrimp priced at 39Yuan per half kilo.


















Fresh lively lobster at 398 Yuan per half kilo.













Clams and sea snails priced at 88 Yuan and 98 yuan per half kilos respectively.

bamboo clams.




















Live eel.









There is one shop selling old antiques items and among them was this Old portable gramophone.
These were common entertaining home gadgets way back in the early 60s and 70s before the emergence of compact disc.
The needle head or stylus that transmit the soundwaves from the phonogram is quite costly to replace.
Those days we will always hunt for albums sung by Elvis Presley,Neil Sedaka,Frank Sinatra,Stevie Wonder,Simon & Garfunkel,the Beatles,the Rolling Stones and many other legendary singers.