Just returned from Xiamen, here's a price guide to help you avoid tourist traps!

Xiamen In-Depth Travel Guide | The Artistic Charm and Lively Atmosphere of the "Garden on the Sea" (Includes Practical Price Guide) 1. Essential Pre-Trip Info Location: Southeast coast of Fujian Province, core area of Minnan culture, a "Garden on the Sea" combining mountains, sea, islands, and city Best seasons: March-May/September-November: Pleasant weather (20-28°C), avoiding typhoon season (July-September), ideal for cycling and hiking December-February: Warm winter (10-20°C), fewer tourists, perfect for off-peak slow travel Climate: Subtropical maritime monsoon climate, frequent showers, high humidity (recommend packing foldable umbrellas and dehumidifier bags) Suggested duration: 3-4 days (covering both classic attractions and in-depth experiences) Language: Mainly Hokkien, Mandarin widely used Payment: Mobile payments common, some old shops require cash 2. Transportation Guide 1. Major Transport Flight: Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport: 10km from downtown, ~¥30 taxi (15 minutes) Airport Express: ¥15/person (direct to Zengcuoan, Zhongshan Road, etc.) High-speed rail/train: Xiamen Station (island): Close to downtown, ¥15 taxi to Zhongshan Road Xiamen North Station (off-island): 25km from downtown, take Metro Line 1 into city (~50 minutes, ¥5 fare) 2. City Transport Metro: Lines 1/2/3 cover major attractions (¥2-7 per ride, get "Xiamen e-Metro Card" on Alipay) Bus: ¥1/ride (some tourist routes ¥2, e.g. B3 to Zengcuoan) Ferry: Gulangyu route: ¥35 round-trip (¥8 for locals, ID required) Huanggu Sightseeing Cruise: ¥50/person (1 hour, passes by Shimao Twin Towers) Bike/e-bike rental: Recommended for Huandao Road cycling (Hello Bike ¥1.5/15 minutes, e-bikes ~¥20/hour) 3. Must-Visit Attractions (with ticket prices) 1. Gulangyu (core area) Ticket: Combo pass ¥95 (includes Sunlight Rock, Shuzhuang Garden, Haoyue Park, Organ Museum) Single attractions: Sunlight Rock ¥50, Shuzhuang Garden ¥30 (recommend buying separately to save time) Must-try: Longtou Road snacks: Ye's Mochi (¥10), Shen's Minnan rice rolls (¥12) Bishan Cave graffiti wall: Free photo spot (artsy must-visit) Gulangyu night tour: ¥198 (includes cruise + show, book in advance) 2. Xiamen University (Siming Campus) Ticket: Free (requires 1-3 day advance booking via "XMU Reservation System", daily limit 5000) Hours: Weekdays 12:30-14:00/after 17:30 (open all day weekends) Must-see: Furong Tunnel: Graffiti corridor (free, wear light colors for photos) Shangxian Field: Filming location for "Meteor Shower" Nanputuo Temple: Free (5-minute walk, free incense available) 3. Huandao Road Area Zengcuoan: Free (food street ~¥30-50/person) Recs: Mushroom Legend Tempura (¥25), Ashin Thick Toast (¥20) Huangcuo Beach: Free (best sunrise spot, ~5:30 in summer) Activities: Sand ATV ¥80/10 minutes, sailing ¥150/person Shanhai Health Trail: Free (23km total, recommend "Wanshi Cloud Sea" section for city/sea views) 4. Jimei School Village Ticket: Free (individual attractions may charge) Must-see: Dragon Boat Pool: Light show (free, Fri/Sat 19:30) Aoyuan: Tan Kah Kee Memorial (free, ID required) Shili Long Embankment: Beach camping (free, tents ¥50/hour) Transport: Metro Line 1 "Gaoqi→Jimei School Village" (sea-crossing section, "subway on the sea") 4. Unique Experiences (per person budget) 1. Minnan Culture Nanyin performance: Zhongshan Road Nanyin Pavilion (free, Wed/Fri 19:30) Premium: Gulangyu "Nanyin Elegance" private session (¥128, with snacks) Puppet show: Siming Intangible Cultural Heritage Center (¥30, weekends 10:00) 2. Water Sports Sailing: Wuyuan Bay Marina (¥150/50 minutes, life jacket included) Tip: Choose licensed operators, avoid cheap traps Paddleboarding: Guanyinshan Beach (¥200/2 hours, with instructor) 3. Nightlife Shapowei Art Zone: Free (markets, graffiti, trendy shops) Recs: Juice Bakery (¥25/bread), SAKE NOMI BAR (Japanese-style bar) Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street: Free (night photos of arcades, try Huang Shengji pork jerky, 1980 braised pork rice dumplings) 5. Food Guide (¥20-80/person) 1. Must-try Snacks Shacha noodles: Sili Shacha Noodles (¥25/bowl, extra toppings) Tusundong: Tianhe Ximen Tusundong (¥15, with mustard) Ginger Duck: Haodelai Ginger Duck (¥68/half, claypot style) Peanut Soup: Huang Zehe Peanut Soup (¥8, +egg ¥10) 2. Seafood 202 Special Seafood: ~¥80 (try lobster salad, black garlic soup) Shangqing Seafood Processing: ~¥60 (in Ba Shi Market, choose-your-own seafood) 3. Avoid Zengcuoan "10 oysters for ¥10" (often farmed, not fresh) Gulangyu "free samples" (some shops aggressively push overpriced souvenirs) 6. Accommodation (prices vary 3x+ by season) 1. Siming District (convenient) Budget: Jinjiang Inn (Zhongshan Road, ¥400-600/night) Boutique: Gulangyu Lijiazhuang Hotel (republic-era villa, ¥800-1500) Hostel: Zengcuoan Lufei International Youth Hostel (¥80-120/bed) 2. Huli District (near airport/business) Value: Langham Place Xiamen (¥500-800, with pool) Design: NOA Hotel (¥600-1000, industrial style + café) 3. Gulangyu (immersive) B&Bs: Lijiazhuang Hotel or Bishan Mansion (¥600-1200, historic buildings) Tip: Book 1 month ahead, choose places with luggage service 7. Sample Itinerary (3D2N Classic) Day1: Old Town & Sunset AM: Nanputuo Temple → XMU (Furong Tunnel) Noon: Shapowei Art Zone (lunch at Liangfang, ¥50) PM: Huandao Road cycling (Huangcuo→Yefengzhai) Night: Zhongshan Road (dinner: Haoxiang skewers + Bapopo herbal jelly) Day2: Gulangyu AM: Sanqiutian Pier → Most Beautiful Corner → Organ Museum Noon: Longtou Road snacks (Lin's fish balls, Ye's mochi) PM: Shuzhuang Garden → Gangzaihou Beach → Sunlight Rock (panoramic view) Night: Gulangyu Concert Hall (free shows, book ahead) Day3: Culture & Nature AM: Jimei School Village (Dragon Boat Pool → Aoyuan) Noon: Shigu Road snacks (Benshui duck noodles, Senshan herbal jelly) PM: Shili Long Embankment camping → Metro Line 1 sea section Night: Wuyuan Bay Wetland Park (free light show) 8. Practical Tips Clothing: Summer: Sun protection + shorts + sandals Winter: Light down + scarf (windproof jacket needed) Shoes: Comfortable sneakers (Gulangyu requires 20k+ steps) Essentials: Mosquito repellent (aggressive beach mosquitos) Foldable umbrella (frequent showers) Power bank (few rental spots at attractions) Safety: Skip overpriced Gulangyu attractions like Shell Museum Beware taxi drivers pushing "Huangdao sailing" commissions Local customs: Don't step on temple thresholds or point at Buddha statues Xiamen is a romantic poem woven from sea breezes and piano melodies. From Gulangyu's international architecture to Shapowei's fishing port vibes, from Huandao Road's coconut-lined shores to Jimei School Village's Tan Kah Kee spirit—this city embraces all with its artistic charm. Take this guide and visit when the phoenix flowers bloom, for a gentle rendezvous with Xiamen.