Gulangyu Island, Xiamen 25 Jan 2025

This morning my intention was to get on the hop on hop off bus for a tour of Xiamen. As I walked out just after 9, thinking I might catch the 9.30 bus, it was quiet and peaceful. They do wash part of the street here too! I arrived at the other end of ZhongShan Road, where the bus terminated last night and for an Americano from the nearby Starbucks and proceeded to wait for the bus to arrive. I decided to sit on one of the metal cylinders that blocked off traffic from entering and then later was told by the security personnel that I wasn’t to sit on it. After a total of about 40 minutes the bus turned up and then stopped at the International Cruise Terminal at Dongdu and told us to disembark and wait for the next bus.
So I thought I would go across to the island of Gulangyu now rather than later, which was a good idea, as it turned out, because there’s so much to see and do there. I couldn’t depend on the ‘mañana’ schedule of the bus.
The terminal is huge, like with everything, so it would seem. I found the ticket office and bought my ticket for the 11.30 sailing. It cost me 80 yuan return. The horizontal turnstile at the queueing lane was interesting. I had some time, so I decided to get a 2nd cup of coffee.
The sailing took about 20 minutes and it really was lovely in the sunshine sailing on Xiamen Bay. The sandy Baicheng beach is also on the Xiamen Bay.
Gulangyu Island is a small, pedestrian-only island off the coast of Xiamen. Gulangyu is famous for its colonial architecture, serene beaches, and vibrant cultural heritage. It’s like stepping back in time with its charming old buildings and winding lanes. The island is also known for its musical heritage, with the nickname "Piano Island" due to the many pianos per capita. Sometimes Gulangyu is spelt with the letter K.
I selected from a long list, a few things I wanted to see and do. I made a beeline for the Sunlight Rock. It's the highest point on the island and offers a panoramic view of Gulangyu and Xiamen. It was a bit of a climb, but totally worth it for the views!