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Xiamen and Hakka toulous of Yong Ding, April 2009
by:mgoodwin-ad on: May 1 2009
We spent a very pleasant 3 days in Xiamen and Gulang Yu, plus a side trip of 2 days to the Hakka villages and Toulou clusters of earth buildings around Yong Ding which are fascinating and well worth a visit..
Not to be Missed when in Xiamen:
A trip on the ferry to Gulang Yu is a must, not only for the island destination of Gulang Yu, but to experience how quickly and efficiently they unload and reload the crowds of passengers. The variety of shops was also a big surprise - as were their prices. We had a great time shopping for bargains in Zhongshan Lu which happened to be closed to traffic for a shopping promotion while we were there and consequently was packed with locals enjoying their shopping too.
Hints for Future Travelers:
Try to avoid holiday times (and therefore large tour groups from other provinces) for visiting Yong Ding and Gulang Yu. The crowds and noisy tour guide microphones can distract from the marvellous experiences of Xiamen and Yong Ding.
mgoodwin-ad's Travel Reviews related to this Journal
Ferry Fee for Gulang Island
China Travel Journals > Xiamen > AttractionsOnly a six minute trip, but we paid the extra 1 yuan to go upstairs & experience the views. Waiting passengers crowd the gates while the ferry unloads, then all rush on at once when the gates open. The ferry is on its way again in less than 10 minutes - very efficient for a service that runs non stop for 2 hours.
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Suzhuang garden
China Travel Journals > Xiamen > AttractionsDespite the thunder storms, we loved this garden & marvelled that it had once been a private garden. Its position on the island, with the walkway over the sea to the beach is lovely.
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Yong Ding Earth Buildings
China Travel Journals > Xiamen > AttractionsThese earth buildings are out of this world and are definitely a must see. The trip to the Yong Ding area is an easy one, but we stayed overnight in Hang Keng village at the ChengDi Inn, which we would recommend. The proprietor is very friendly and helpful and food is good. Although basic, our room had an old traditional Chinese bed. The outside toilets were also basic, but we expected this & enjoyed the experience of village living. On an early morning walk around the village, we met the locals going about their daily chores, and all were most welcoming to us 2 Westerners.
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GulangYu Island
China Travel Journals > Xiamen > AttractionsA trip to this island is a very pleasant day's outing. The old colonial buildings give a glimpse of how the wealthy lived, and the large collection of instruments in the piano museum is fascinating, but you must see the puppet show! Exquisite costumes and the fantastic skill of the puppeteers make the puppets come to life - so lifelike and like no puppet show we have ever seen before.
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Lujiang Harborview Hotel
China Travel Journals > Xiamen > LodgingA very good hotel with an excellent location across the road from the ferry terminal and at the start of Zhongshan Lu shopping street. We stayed at this older hotel (1940s) twice and liked its old time charm. We had a super sea view room both times. They were large and airy with modern furniture and all the amenities you need.
The lobby restaurant does a good buffet breakfast and excellent, really cheap snacks. We tried the sixth floor restaurant for both dinner & lunch, but found it did not live up to reviews we'd read of it. Food was Ok, but service was slow, although the restaurant was very busy at dinner. The view from its verandah to Gulang Yu is great, even at night when the island and ferries are lit up
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Traveler's Comments on this Travel Journal
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mgoodwin ,Aug 9 2009
Hi Sue, As older travellers, we''d organised a guide & driver thro China Highlights. Both were excellent at their job & saved us time booking & checking transport options.
Sue ,Aug 1 2009
Hi there, I was wondering how you managed to get from Xiamen to Yongding. I read that you can grab a bus that runs twice a day, and was planning to do that.
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