GULANGYU

Just mention the name of Xiamen to any Chinese so that he answers immediately by a passionate evocation of the beauty of Gulangyu. In 1841, the British laid siege to the island to seize Xiamen. After the opening of the port one year later, the first foreigners settled there. The many British missionaries were quickly followed by American religious orders: they established church, school and hospital. His Majesty's consulate was erected in 1863 and five other consulates in the following decades (American, French, Spanish, Japanese and Dutch). In the 1920 s, the island became the seaside centre of the local elite and rich Chinese overseas. The island's colonial architecture dates back to the late th century. We particularly appreciate the virtual absence of vehicles on this 2 km ² piece of land. By walking in the shady streets lined with beautiful colonial mansions, we often hear some piano notes coming from open windows. Indeed, the island has long been famous for its musicians. The Island Auditorium (鼓浪屿音乐厅) offers a classical music festival each year as well as regular Chinese and foreign music concerts. Right in front of the pier, the main street, on the right, climbs on the top of a hill. Very lively, it has many shops, souvenir shops and small restaurants. While it is always possible to find itself completely alone in the vicinity of one of the picturesque villages of the island, the moutonnière mass of local tourists remains impressive throughout the year. To satisfy the demand, the latest developments (fast-food, large stores) also gradually change the face of Gulangyu. So we must hurry before overused all the charms of the island!

A path makes the tour of Gulangyu over 4 km. By crossing the island along the clockwise side of a watch, the following tourist sites will follow: Haoyue and Yuyuan Gardens (built in the mid s); the Shuzhuang Garden (菽庄花园), an interesting ensemble commanded by Lin Erjia, a Taiwanese tycoon who had found refuge with his family in Xiamen during the Sino-Japanese war of 1894-1895; sandy beaches; the rock of the Sun Rays (Riguangyan 日光岩: the highest point on the island!), finally the museum of Zheng Chenggong. A little further, the botanical garden has a large variety of tropical and subtropical plants in South-East Asia.