Xiamen Private Day Tour: Gulangyu Island, Temples & Coastal Views

A private guide who knows Xiamen lets you skip the tourist script and see what locals actually do.

A private day tour of Xiamen with a local guide and driver, fully customizable to your pace and interests. The tour typically includes a ferry to Gulangyu Island with its colonial architecture and gardens, the ancient Nanputuo Temple overlooking a lotus lake, the historic fishing village of Zengcuo an, and a stroll along Huandao Road's seaside gardens. You choose what to focus on (or swap in alternatives like Zhongshan Road, the Botanic Garden, or local markets), and your guide adjusts the route accordingly. Hotel or cruise port pickup and drop-off are included. Lunch or dinner can be added at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Gulangyu Island4h
2. South Putuo Temple1h

Explore Xiamen's old and new highlights

• Pick up by guide and driver
• Ferry ride to Gulangyu Island
• Visit Shuzhuang Garden and colonial architecture
• Explore museums on Gulangyu Island
• Return to Xiamen Island for local lunch
• Visit Nanputuo Temple and lotus lake
• Optional hike to Wuluo Mountain summit
• Explore Zengcuo'an village and food markets
• Stroll along Huandao Road beach
• Return to hotel or downtown area

The experience

The tour starts with pickup from your Xiamen hotel or cruise port, then heads to the ferry terminal for Gulangyu Island. This UNESCO site sits just offshore and holds the city's colonial past: you'll walk through Shuzhuang Garden with its traditional Southern China design, wander alleyways lined with old architecture and trees, and pass museums like the Piano Museum. The ferry ride itself is part of the experience: short enough to feel like a local commute, long enough to see the harbor shift as you approach the island.

After returning to Xiamen, you visit Nanputuo Temple, a 1500-year-old Buddhist complex where monks chant and incense burns as you explore the courtyards and statues. A lotus-filled lake surrounds the temple grounds. If you want to hike, a stone pathway climbs Wuluo Mountain for a view of the whole city. Next comes Zengcuo an village, once a quiet fishing settlement and now known as "China's most artistic fishing village": narrow lanes between brick houses, small food markets, and a real sense of how the city's working neighborhoods actually function. Your guide explains the local customs and history as you walk.

The afternoon takes you to Huandao Road, a coastal drive lined with trees and flowers where you can stroll the beaches and feel the seaside air. Because this is a private tour, you set the pace and can linger where you want or skip sites that don't interest you. If Gulangyu Island isn't on your list, or if you'd rather see Zhongshan Road's pedestrian shopping street, Jimei School Village, the Botanic Garden, Bailuzhou Park, or a local seafood market instead, your guide reroutes the day around your preferences. The tour runs 6 to 8 hours depending on what you choose. After that, you're dropped back at your hotel or downtown area.

What’s included

• Experienced driver with air-conditioned vehicle.
• hotel or cruise port pickup and drop-off.
• local guide fluent in English or Chinese.
• lunch or dinner at a local restaurant if you choose that option at checkout.

Options for this experience

2 options

Itinerary without a visit to Gulangyu IslandGuide in English, Chinese or Chinese · 12 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 14:30Xiamen city tour only: includes a knowledgeable local guide and a driver with a comfortable car. Entrance fees, meals and the ferry ride are not included. Includes pickup

Itinerary including a visit to Gulangyu IslandGuide in English, Chinese or Chinese · 5 departure times: the first at 12:30, the last at 14:30Tour with dinner: includes a knowledgeable local guide, a driver with a comfortable car and Gulangyu ferry tickets. Meals and entrance fees are at your own expense. Includes pickup

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day12 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 14:30

AgesAdult (8 to 88 years) · Child (3 to 7 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Sunny Private Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to move at your own pace and decide what to see as you go, rather than follow a fixed itinerary. A private guide means you're not waiting for a group, and the full customization works whether you're solo, traveling with family, or on a short business visit to Xiamen.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Chinese and Chinese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 7 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What's actually on Gulangyu Island that makes it worth the ferry ride?

Gulangyu Island holds Xiamen's colonial architecture, old alleyways shaded by trees, and the Shuzhuang Garden, a traditional Southern China garden with pavilions and water features. The Piano Museum and other small museums are scattered across the island, and the whole place feels quieter and older than the main city. That's why it's a UNESCO site.

Can I customize the tour if I don't want to see everything on the standard itinerary?

Yes. This is a fully private tour, so you tell your guide what interests you before the day starts or as you go. If you'd rather skip Gulangyu Island, swap in Zhongshan Road's pedestrian shopping street, the Xiamen Botanic Garden, Bailuzhou Park, Jimei School Village, a local seafood market, or Huli Mountain Fort instead. Your guide adjusts the route to fit your preferences.

Is lunch included, or do I pay separately?

Lunch or dinner is optional and added at checkout. If you book "Tour with Lunch" or "Tour with Dinner," your guide recommends a local restaurant and the meal is included. Otherwise, you can eat on your own or skip it.

How long does the tour actually take?

The tour runs 6 to 8 hours depending on which sites you visit and how long you spend at each one. If you want an extra hour beyond 8 hours, that costs an additional USD 25.

What's Nanputuo Temple like, and is there a hiking option there?

Nanputuo Temple is a 1500-year-old Buddhist complex with courtyards, statues, and a lotus-filled lake. Monks chant and burn incense as you walk the grounds. If you enjoy hiking, a stone pathway climbs Wuluo Mountain from the temple for a panoramic view of Xiamen's cityscape.

Does the tour include getting to Gulangyu Island, or do I pay for the ferry separately?

If you book "Tour with Gulangyu Island," the ferry tickets are included. The "Tour without Gulangyu Island" option skips the island and focuses on other parts of the city instead.