Trip to Xiamen

The company kickoff meeting was held in Xiamen. So I attended the meeting.

The following are some notes from the trip.

The Voyage to Xiamen

This is the first time I realized that Xiamen is a small island – I didn’t noticed it in my last trip there. The Xiamen Island definitely looks like a garden on the sea.

screen-xiamen.map.gif

Credit: Xiamen Map

The distantages to travel by air is, the ignorance of the geographical relationships between the cities and the land. I didn’t realize it when I went by air. Regarding travel, if time and whether permit, I prefer to go by bike (I did before for my Taihu Lake trip) or even by foot (within the city), so the sense of the distance and directions is more clear. If I can drive (I am learning driving now), driving may also be a good choice. To take on a car driven by others will confuse me a lot, actually.

There are many flights to Xiamen everyday. Besides MU (Eastern Airlines) and FM (Shanghai Airlines), Xiamen Airlines offer most of the flights between Shanghai and Xiamen. Based in Xiamen, the MF (Xiamen Airlines) is a new airline and I never flew with them before. We were hosted in Jin Yan Hotel, an hotel setup by the Xiamen Airlines. It is interesting that airlines even operate hotels.

I read on this website about the ship M.V. Min Nam operating between Xiamen and Hongkong. I am very interested in it. I maybe will choose a route other than Xiamen to Hong Kong – maybe from Shanghai to Qingdao or Singapore….

The City

People in Xiamen is nice and all the services people were most gracious and hospitable. It may because of the beautiful scene and the comfort whether where they grow up. This is my second trip to Xiamen so I didn’t visit places like Gulang Yu for the second time.

Bicycle Friendly City

Xiamen is clear and clean, as island in the sea. The most impressive characteristic of Xiamen is, however, the bicycle friendly city. Most of the city in China are lack of the care for common residents in the city. We can see the inconvienience and unconsiderate for passengers, for buses…

In Xiamen, it is the first place I see to have special bicycle lane. It is built within the pedestrian. See the picture below. The red road is specially designed for bicycles, like a red carpet. The left side of the road is for walkers. As the effort to give more roads to cars, the original bicycle lane are marked as veichal lane. I think it is an innovative and good design.

xiamen-bicycle.lane.jpg

© Jian Shuo Wang

Xiamen International Exhibition and Conference Center

My meeting was hosted in the XIECC. It is a very nice place for large scale meetings. In my oppion, it is even better than the Shanghai International Exhibition Center. The center has very nice view, with sea shores just near by.

© Jian Shuo Wang

The nearby Yue Hua Hotel.

© Jian Shuo Wang

Xiamen at Night

The night of the exhibition center. It was very nice time for me to seat on the grass before the center and face the wind from the sea.

© Jian Shuo Wang

© Jian Shuo Wang

Below: If you are curious, this picture is taken by myself – the person on the picture. I held the camera toward myself and clicked on the shutter button. The lights were from the exhibition center, the building behind me.

This effect is attributed to the scene mode of my Sony P8. It offers portrait and scene at night mode. In this mode, the camera first flash to lighten the foregroud portrait and then open the shutter for about 1 second to allow enough exposure for the scene at the background. At this time, I just moved the camera to produce the lines of the lights.

© Jian Shuo Wang

© Jian Shuo Wang

© Jian Shuo Wang

Below: Class and steel are widely used in the airport, conference centers and other buildings in Xiamen.

© Jian Shuo Wang

25 thoughts on “Trip to Xiamen

  1. Awesome website! I’m going to Xiamen in November, and I have a few questions. It would be greatly appreciated

    How far is Xiamen from Shanghai?

    Are there any website where I can purchase tickets from Shanghai from Xiamen?

    How much would it cost (USD)?

    Thank you so much!

  2. Awesome website! I’m going to Xiamen in November, and I have a few questions. It would be greatly appreciated

    How far is Xiamen from Shanghai?

    Are there any website where I can purchase tickets from Shanghai from Xiamen?

    How much would it cost (USD)?

    Thank you so much!

    PS. You can look me up at that email address for IM.

  3. Hello. My name is Tiurlan. You can call me Tiur. I am an indonesian woman living in Jakarta.

    I am interested to travel to China on the third week of November. My frist city will be Xiamen.

    So I need information on how can I go to neighbouring cities with the chapest transportation and accomodation.

    Thank you.

    I am interested in knowing the people and the culture.

  4. Hello,

    I hope this thread is still alive.

    I am interested to know where I can rent a bike in Xiamen. I’m visiting Xiamen in two weeks and will be staying at Lujiang Hotel, but based on their website, they don’t have bikes for rent.

    Thanks for your help

    Jeremy

  5. Hi,my name is Anett.

    I’m a child and I studie in a secondary school.

    Next year I go to Xiamen with a chorus (We are sing very much :) ) to a Vocal festival…but I don’t find nothing these program.

    Please help me… :)

    By

    Anett

    P.S.: Sorry I don’t knew in english…..:)

  6. Hi…nice blog. I’m bringing my 5 American friends to Xiamen. Can u recommend a nice teahouse in Xiamen where they show the traditional way of preparing tea?

    Thanks!

  7. What is the approxiamte distance between Xiamen and Shanghai?

    Please respond the soonest it is possible to you?

    Admasu

  8. Very nice blog! A lot of good information. one question! I want to fly in october from Beijing to Xiamen. Is the wacts.com a reliable company to book on the internet?

  9. Xiamen is my hometown!!!!! Wish you all have a nice trip in Xiamen!

    If you fly to Xiamen from BeiJing,The full ticket will cost 1710RMB+150RMB

    If you take a train.It will take nearly 34 hours!!! 10:00am~8:00pm(next day)

  10. Very nice blog. I will keep close eyes to your blog.I thought it was done by a traveler from overseas.At last i find you are a chinese. good windows here for introduce beautiful xiamen city. Cindy liu.xiamen

  11. Very nice blog. I will keep close eyes to your blog.I thought it was done by a traveler from overseas.At last i find you are a chinese. good windows here for introduce beautiful xiamen city. Cindy liu.xiamen

  12. hey this is tuba!

    I am form pakistan. i’ll be visiting China (bejing) next month. Will visit Xiamen. I wanted to know going Xiamen by train from Bejing is Good option? how much it will cost? In how many hrs i’ll reach xiamen if i take train from Bejing?

    Want to know about Ximen University? is it good for Economic studies?

    Is there Muslim food (halal) easily available in Xiamen?

    Thanks.

  13. HI great info on Xiamen i am thinking of visiting there and found your information very helpful, it looks like a lovely city. I am a regular traveller to China and live in sydney if you would like any info on sydney please feel free to contact me!

    Thanks

    Maria

  14. Hello,

    I am interested to know where I can rent a van in Xiamen. I’m visiting Xiamen in 4 days.

    Thanks for your help

    Elaine

  15. Dear All.

    good time.

    me and my friend will take a trip to China on May 2008.

    we will arrive to Fujian Province around the 8th of may , we will be on Xiamen at 10th of may. we want to find a good choice of a enjoyable tour for just 2 days.

    not including feeding. plz inform us about your service ability.

    looking forward to your early reply

    best regards

    jafari

  16. i just bck frm xiamen after 8days trip with colourland c0mpany…well,it was a great trip , great n nice xiamen..

  17. Im in Xiamen,Fujian is my hometown, I like Xiamen, and welcome all the people to visit Xiamen. Im living near the Exhibition Center and also working nearby. You can go to visit my Google Picasa, I have many nice pictures of Xiamen.

    I can be your friend.

    My msn: Katherinelvy@hotmail.com

    Skype: Katherine221

  18. Dear Friends,

    I am Mr. Ashwin.. from India. I am visiting Xiamen next month.

    I need your help, Can you please help me with the available Buses from Guangzhou to Xiamen. The Timings and the Rates, and the addresses of the Bus Terminus.

    Please give me the Information. Will be grateful.

  19. I will be visiting Xiamen next week and will spend 2 days there. Please help me find a cheap good hotel along the coast. Also what is teh best and cheapest way to get to Hong Kong From Xiamen. Thanks

    SHADA

  20. I will be spending almost 2 weeks in Xiamen the end of January 2010. We are looking for an affordable place to stay for 4 people. We thought we could find a 2 bedroom and kitchen apt. near the beach….or even two rooms that would accommodate 2 people. Can you suggest anything to us?

    Grateful for any help here,

    Linda

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