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I was hesitant at first – many of us Westerners are perhaps prejudiced against China. Reluctantly, but excitedly, I booked with a 16 hour layover in Xiamen – not knowing at all what to expect.
What happened next really blew my mind and I have very much to say – I will help make this easy for you as it is a totally different country than we are used to – even compared to Thailand or other Eastern nations.
By the way, Xiamen is an extremely clean and green, sub-tropical city! Electric vehicles are the vast majority, all scooters are electric, the nature integrated into architecture is beautiful, there is very clean, pollution-free air, and quiet engine-free streets! Very soothing and refreshing as someone coming from Europe/North America.
I will cover essential information such as:
- Navigation/transit/taxis
- Prices & paying
- Airport/security information
- Food
- Things to do in Xiamen
- and more important information!
Lets get right into it, starting with your landing!
Note: I recommend downloading the setting up the AliPay app to make your experience seamless! I used an AirAlo eSIM for data connection right on arrival. SIM cards are readily available in the airport.
Table of Contents
Xiamen Airport (XMN) information
Airport security
In China, they do take their national security very seriously. Be prepared to spend a good amount of time (1-2+ hours) going in and going out of the airport. You will be required to submit full fingerprints and facial scan. Pat downs and item searching is impressively thorough – great security for safety!
Xiamen city transit visa
Xiamen offers a simple 24-hour transit/city Visa which allows you to explore the city.
There are various other short-term and long-term Visas available, but for me since I was in the city for less than 24 hours, I went with the above. Please be very certain of your duration in Xiamen and the legality of your Visa/status before landing!
Xiamen airport baggage storage
On the ground floor in the centre of Terminal 3 next to the convenience store is an airport-run baggage storage. It cost aprox. 30 RMB ($4 USD) to store 2 backpacks all day. Payment via AliPay – keep your receipt and tickets handy! Now, you are ready to leave the airport via Uber, or rather, DiDi!
I would highly recommend to abide by all rules and be courteous – this is not a place to conduct illegal activity or push the limits. Be kind and respectful to our generous hosts!
Taxi/transit/navigation
DiDi is the Uber of China. It is available as a standalone app or is in the AliPay app.
I downloaded both but ended up only using the integrated version in the AliPay app as it was more convenient.
Leaving Xiamen airport, the DiDi pickup point is actually on the -1 level of the airport, on the East side, near the KFC, down the ramp.
Simple DiDi rides cost between 15-50 RMB around the main Xiamen island, that’s 2-$5 per ride!
Public transit is cheaper but much harder to navigate and DiDi is so affordable and convenient that I would not recommend using public transport.
Google Maps is not officially supported in China. I recommend using Apple Maps, Here Maps, or OSMandMaps! I used Apple Maps for most everything.
Prices and paying in Xiamen
China uses the Yuan, also known as Renminbi, or RMB, or CNY.
- $1 USD = ~7 RMB
- €1 = 7.5 RMB
I was astonished by the very affordable nature of the city as a westerner. You can expect a good meal to cost anywhere between 15-100 RMB, or ~$2-$10. Entry to the historic Hulishan Canon fort was around 25RMB. Fresh coconut from street vendors is ~20 RMB, and a full 11-course Michelin meal cost only 299 RMB (barely $40!)
As China is highly digitised, most all payments you will should do is by QR code or barcode with the AliPay app. I was able to add my Wise Visa card without an issue and immediately begin using it. Some places support Visa/MasterCard, but all places accept AliPay. I never ended up withdrawing or needing cash – even the bike-bound coconut seller had a QR code ready to go.
Food
I was not prepared for how excellent the food was in Xiamen! Seriously, the variety of cuisine, drinks, and snacks was very surprising. Xiamen has a sub-tropical climate which bears many delicious fruits, herbs, spices, and teas.
Popping into a local supermarket will display to you a wide variety of local foods ands snacks – flavours of chips, drinks, cold teas, and unique bites which you will not see in the West!
I was incredibly surprised and fell in love with the food in less than a couple hours – Asian food is outstanding as a whole, but Chinese food really took me by surprise – I never had ‘Chinese’ food outside of the West before, and this was incredible!
Cherry on top, I went to the lovely Michelin starred Wuwei Natural Food for a gorgeous sea-view, organic, seasonal, natural meal – sublime and authentic high-class food for a bargain compared to most western prices (299 RMB/$40 for 11 dishes!).
Whether it was the delicious frozen candied crab apples (15 RMB) at the Hulishan fort or high-class meal – I quickly fell in love with Chinese cuisine and can’t wait to return to taste more!
Things to do in Xiamen
There are very many things to do in Xiamen and a single-day layover leaves only so much time. Here are some things I did and some recommendations!
Hulishan Cannon Fort
For history lovers, this is an excellent dive into cultural knowledge we don’t know. Good demonstrations and education about the success of the Chinese army against the British and Japanese aggressors even against strong odds. There are drum performances with men in traditional attire, cinematic educations, and beautiful views all throughout.
Gulangyu Island
A peaceful, car-free island famous for its mix of architectural styles and love of music. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to attractions like the Piano Museum. Strolling through its quiet streets is a must.
Nanputuo Temple
This historic Buddhist temple, located at the base of Wulao Peaks, is stunning. With its intricate design, peaceful gardens, and views from the nearby hills, it’s a perfect spot for both culture and nature lovers.
Xiamen University
Known as one of the most beautiful campuses in China, Xiamen University is a mix of traditional Chinese and modern architecture. Walk around Furong Lake and enjoy the serene surroundings.
Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street
A lively shopping street lined with old-style arcades. It’s packed with local snacks, shops, and a great atmosphere, especially in the evening when it really comes alive.
Get lost in a mega-mall
Want to scratch that curiosity of a real-life AliExpress? Go to one of the shopping malls like The MIXC to dive deep into a world of bargain-priced items – many thing you’ll have never seen before in your life! Unique foods, affordable clothes, and otherworldly items you’ve only seen on the budget shopping apps!
Spa/Sauna in Xiamen
I opted to visit a spa/sauna in order to freshen up before my next flight – major Western hotels often have a spa which you may use (at a cost, usually ~199 RMB) – contact them to see if they are open or available! Xiamen is quite warm and humid and it is good idea to freshen up to feel better and not offend your neighbours on the airplane!
I spent a very long time going from place to place using Apple Maps to find what was a local ‘spa/sauna’ but could not find the establishment – so it is best to save your time and go direct to one of the western-named hotels.
Safety and security in Xiamen
China has a very thorough and outright impressive surveillance system – from the moment you leave the airport until your departure, you can be peaceful in knowing that every single movement of every individual is tracked in realtime – thus eliminating the possibility of crime and danger.
I felt extremely safe in Xiamen – much more so than any other capital city in Europe or America. There are a plentiful amount cameras on every street, sidewalk, and corner to capture your smile and keep you safe from harm or wrongdoing at all times.
I believe this is a major contributing factor to the rapid propagation of education, manners, and development of China and its people in the last 75, and especially last 10 years; the people are very well-behaved, calm, quiet, and polite, due to the accountability of consequences and impressive tracking. It is definitely a lot food for thought as you become aware of the extreme pros and cons of such a system.
Communicating in Xiamen
Most people do not speak any English. People often use a translator app and speak into the phone which speaks out the translation. It worked fine and the Apple Translate app worked well for me, but DeepL is a good alternative as Google services are not supported in China.
Many people will be eager to help you and the Chinese are very polite, quiet, and well-mannered in Xiamen. I got some excellent recommendations for food while I was there! You are certainly a stark minority in China, but people are very happy to communicate with you.
Overall
I entered Xiamen unsure, and I left – craving to return for much longer! The food, nature, development, prices and complete cleanliness of the city impressed my far more than I thought it would have.
As a Westerner I was very hesitant of course due to fears of my information, safety, or cleanliness/pollution, but I was very comfortable my whole time in Xiamen and was very wrong about many of my perceptions.
There are certainly many things I would like to say about many aspects of Chinese culture and modern values, but I will leave that for another time.
All I will say is that it is extremely impressive how quick the country has developed since Chairman Mao began his total vision of the future, and how Xi Jinping has made large steps into bringing China into an economic and digital prosperity – far greater and faster than the Western world has. It is very visible in a place like Xiamen which is so clean, green, safe, and affordable!
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask down below or on my social medias! Peace 🙂