Another of my incredible China adventures in recent times involved a visit to this crazy island known as Gu Lang Yu! Basically it's an island off the coast of the Fujian Province and is reached by ferry from the city of Xiamen, itself another interesting Chinese city which I have yet to write about separately!
Gu Lang Yu has fascinating history, splendid views, colonial architecture and quirky restaurants, cafes and shops. It is very touristy and very busy but it is definitely worth checking out. It might be a cliche, but try your best not to miss it when you're in Xiamen (although remember your journey is your own so you don't have to listen to me!!). The oddest part of this bit of travelling is actually that Xiamen the city is on an island itself. Having arrived in Xiamen by bus (from Shuyang Town) we then walked around, had our lunch and headed on a ferry to another Chinese Island, this one is Gu Lang Yu!
How to get to Gu Lang Yu - take the ferry from the harbour front at Xiamen. It's easy to find and the cheapest ferry is not always a direct one - which adds to the journey since you get a great view of the harbour.
I would recommend getting the slower, cheaper boat simply for the view - you can relax and enjoy the views of the harbour and if the weather is good, the city looks stunning. The ferry was 15 RMB return at the time we went almost a year ago, but there are cheaper and even free off peak times so look out for that!
What to see and do there? Here's a few top tips for Gu Lang Yu!
1. Make the climb to Sunlight Rock - this is the peak of the island and is totally sensational for the views! It's an easy walk up and the entrance price of 60 RMB also includes entry to a memorial hall. It is a bit over priced but worth seeing the view!
2. Colonial Style Buildings - Gu Lang Yu features a bizarre varied range of Colonial Style Buildings. For some unknown reason it reminded me of Macau in parts. There are British, Spanish, Dutch, Japanese and Chinese style buildings showing a diverse influence on this island. There is probably not another place in China that is like this (I class Hong Kong and Macau as separate to China).
3. Pretty Cobbled Streets - The pretty, lively cobbled streets are busy but enjoyable to walk down.
You will notice how Gu Lang Yu differs from mainland China particularly in the street layout, style and architecture. Enjoy your walk round it and take it all in - it's a novelty in China!
4. Music - there is a heavy music influence on Gu Lang Yu and it's famous for it. Famous pianists have hailed from this small island and there are regular music events and festivals worth watching.
* You might also want to visit a museum, try the cable car ride, check out a Church (Protestant) and enjoy the gardens by the waterfront.
Where to stay? There's actually a hostel which is quite obvious to see on one of the main streets - I'd say it's probably the cheapest option for overnight stays.
In a nutshell that's actually it - staying the night there could be an option and you could enjoy the bars and restaurants after dark, I visited Gu Lang Yu Island as a day trip only though, and that's enough time to see everything you want. At least in my opinion. For details of the bus trip to Xiamen, check this post here: Shuyang Town to Xiamen and the amazing Fujian Buildings are covered in 9 different posts, here's The Chengqi Building.
Gu Lang Yu has fascinating history, splendid views, colonial architecture and quirky restaurants, cafes and shops. It is very touristy and very busy but it is definitely worth checking out. It might be a cliche, but try your best not to miss it when you're in Xiamen (although remember your journey is your own so you don't have to listen to me!!). The oddest part of this bit of travelling is actually that Xiamen the city is on an island itself. Having arrived in Xiamen by bus (from Shuyang Town) we then walked around, had our lunch and headed on a ferry to another Chinese Island, this one is Gu Lang Yu!
How to get to Gu Lang Yu - take the ferry from the harbour front at Xiamen. It's easy to find and the cheapest ferry is not always a direct one - which adds to the journey since you get a great view of the harbour.
I would recommend getting the slower, cheaper boat simply for the view - you can relax and enjoy the views of the harbour and if the weather is good, the city looks stunning. The ferry was 15 RMB return at the time we went almost a year ago, but there are cheaper and even free off peak times so look out for that!
What to see and do there? Here's a few top tips for Gu Lang Yu!
1. Make the climb to Sunlight Rock - this is the peak of the island and is totally sensational for the views! It's an easy walk up and the entrance price of 60 RMB also includes entry to a memorial hall. It is a bit over priced but worth seeing the view!
2. Colonial Style Buildings - Gu Lang Yu features a bizarre varied range of Colonial Style Buildings. For some unknown reason it reminded me of Macau in parts. There are British, Spanish, Dutch, Japanese and Chinese style buildings showing a diverse influence on this island. There is probably not another place in China that is like this (I class Hong Kong and Macau as separate to China).
3. Pretty Cobbled Streets - The pretty, lively cobbled streets are busy but enjoyable to walk down.
You will notice how Gu Lang Yu differs from mainland China particularly in the street layout, style and architecture. Enjoy your walk round it and take it all in - it's a novelty in China!
4. Music - there is a heavy music influence on Gu Lang Yu and it's famous for it. Famous pianists have hailed from this small island and there are regular music events and festivals worth watching.
* You might also want to visit a museum, try the cable car ride, check out a Church (Protestant) and enjoy the gardens by the waterfront.
Where to stay? There's actually a hostel which is quite obvious to see on one of the main streets - I'd say it's probably the cheapest option for overnight stays.
In a nutshell that's actually it - staying the night there could be an option and you could enjoy the bars and restaurants after dark, I visited Gu Lang Yu Island as a day trip only though, and that's enough time to see everything you want. At least in my opinion. For details of the bus trip to Xiamen, check this post here: Shuyang Town to Xiamen and the amazing Fujian Buildings are covered in 9 different posts, here's The Chengqi Building.
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