Zhangzhou Old Town & Volcanic Island

Next door to Xiamen, Zhangzhou's old town of Hokkien arcade buildings, Dongshan Island's bays ("the Kenting of the south") and the Volcanic Island have become the hottest add-on trip for Xiamen visitors in recent years.

Zhangzhou lies in southern Fujian, bordering Xiamen to the east. It is one of the key birthplaces of Minnan (Hokkien) culture and the main ancestral home of many people in Taiwan. The city's Xiangcheng District is known for its well-preserved arcade-lined old streets and stone memorial arches from the Song and Ming dynasties, while the southern coast, from Longhai through Zhangpu to Dongshan County, is deeply indented, with both sandy beaches and volcanic landforms. It borders the Fujian Tulou area (Nanjing, Hua'an), but the tulou are covered separately; this entry focuses on Zhangzhou's old town and coast.

Where to go: first, Zhangzhou Old Town (around Taiwan Road, Hong Kong Road and Xiuwen West Road), where you can explore arcade buildings, stone arches and the Confucian Temple, with Nanshan Temple nearby. Second, the Zhangpu and Longhai coast, with the Volcanic Island (Coastal Volcano National Geopark) and Zhenhai Cape (cliff coastline and lighthouse, great for sunrise and sunset). Third, Dongshan Island, Fujian's second-largest island, with the Guandi Temple and the Wind-Moved Rock, Nanmen Bay fishing harbor, the Jinluan Bay and Maluan Bay beaches, and the Instagram-famous "Fishbone Sandbar" (reached by boat; check the tides; not listed separately because Commons has no suitably licensed images).

Seasons: the climate is subtropical maritime with mild winters, so you can visit year-round. Coastal trips are best in Apr–Oct, though typhoons are more common in Jul–Sep; autumn and winter (Oct–Feb) are the most comfortable for cycling around Dongshan Island.

Getting there: bullet trains serve Zhangzhou and Zhangzhou East stations, about 20 minutes from Xiamen North. From Zhangzhou to Dongshan Island, take a coach (about 2.5 hours) or a train to Yunxiao or Zhao'an Station and transfer. The Volcanic Island and Zhenhai Cape are about a 1-hour drive from Xiamen. Suggested 3 days: 1 day for the old town and Nanshan Temple, 1 day for the Volcanic Island and Zhenhai Cape, and 1–2 days on Dongshan Island. Local food includes four-fruit soup, braised noodles, hand-held noodles, "kitten" congee, Dongshan seafood and baby squid; the long-established snack shops in the old town are mostly frequented by locals.

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