Xiamen, or previously known as Amoy, is a laid-back city along Fujian's coast. During the mid-17th century, it was controlled by Koxinga, a rebel who sought to restore a fallen dynasty. He eventually led his army to kick the Dutch out of Taiwan. Following the First Opium War, Xiamen was 1 of 5 ports forced open to foreign trade, which prompted a foreign settlement to be established on Gulangyu.
Xiamen is worth a long weekend and is a good base to explore the historic tulou further inland or Quanzhou, which was previously China's key seaport during the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) and home to a multinational community.
Getting here by high-speed train is quite easy, taking as little as 2.5 hours from Shenzhen and only 1.5 hours from Fuzhou.
Inside the City
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