Gu Lang Yu is a superb magical island off the coast of Xiamen in the Fujian Province of China. To reach it you take a ferry from Xiamen. It's a very different type of island and definitely worth a visit!
There is decent history on Gu Lang Yu, music and colonial wise. Indeed a few countries all influence the architecture on the streets of Gu Lang Yu. If you make it to Xiamen, most people head to Gu Lang Yu anyway and if you read on you'll see why it shouldn't be missed. An unusual part of your trip to Gu Lang Yu is the fact that to get there you have to pass through the island of Xiamen anyway! You can reach Xiamen by bus - I came from Shuyang Town and get a ferry from Xiamen seafront harbour direct to Gu Lang Yu.
Getting there? - The only real option is to take the ferry - it leaves from the port of Xiamen - get yourself to the harbour and you can't miss it. There is a ferry that goes straight to Gu Lang Yu - i.e. directly across, the other option takes a detour and gives you a decent view of the city and the island.
The slow boat is arguably better as it gives you a great view of the city and the bonus being it's also cheaper. At the time we went it was 15 RMB for a return trip, but this does vary and I've even heard it can be free on one of the decks at an off peak time if you stand up.
What to see and do there? Here's a few top tips for Gu Lang Yu!
1. Head to Sunlight Rock - the high point of Gu Lang Yu - excellent views of the city of Xiamen. The price is 60 RMB which is a tad expensive but worth doing just for the view. It includes a small memorial hall as well and it gets busy at the top!
2. All the Colonial Buildings - these buildings all over the streets of Gu Lang Yu have influences from all over the world. The architecture can be seen bearing similarities to Britain, Japan, Holland, Italy and Spain! It's a real special thing to see and rare to get this in China.
3. The little cobbled streets - narrow, busy and with plenty of cafes and restaurants to keep you amused. It doesn't even feel like you're in China!
Just by walking round Gu Lang Yu you will appreciate the finer things in life - such as how pretty and wonderful the street architecture and layout is. Although this type of thing may be common in Europe, it's almost unheard of in parts of China. Walk slowly and take it all in!
4. Musical Island - often nicknamed Piano Island, Gu Lang Yu has lots of musical influences, in fact it's famous for its music - lots of Chinese musicians hail from here. Many of them are famous.
* Aside from this there are museums, a cable car option, even a Protestant Church and some colonial dwelling places to see.
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.
There is decent history on Gu Lang Yu, music and colonial wise. Indeed a few countries all influence the architecture on the streets of Gu Lang Yu. If you make it to Xiamen, most people head to Gu Lang Yu anyway and if you read on you'll see why it shouldn't be missed. An unusual part of your trip to Gu Lang Yu is the fact that to get there you have to pass through the island of Xiamen anyway! You can reach Xiamen by bus - I came from Shuyang Town and get a ferry from Xiamen seafront harbour direct to Gu Lang Yu.
Getting there? - The only real option is to take the ferry - it leaves from the port of Xiamen - get yourself to the harbour and you can't miss it. There is a ferry that goes straight to Gu Lang Yu - i.e. directly across, the other option takes a detour and gives you a decent view of the city and the island.
The slow boat is arguably better as it gives you a great view of the city and the bonus being it's also cheaper. At the time we went it was 15 RMB for a return trip, but this does vary and I've even heard it can be free on one of the decks at an off peak time if you stand up.
What to see and do there? Here's a few top tips for Gu Lang Yu!
1. Head to Sunlight Rock - the high point of Gu Lang Yu - excellent views of the city of Xiamen. The price is 60 RMB which is a tad expensive but worth doing just for the view. It includes a small memorial hall as well and it gets busy at the top!
2. All the Colonial Buildings - these buildings all over the streets of Gu Lang Yu have influences from all over the world. The architecture can be seen bearing similarities to Britain, Japan, Holland, Italy and Spain! It's a real special thing to see and rare to get this in China.
3. The little cobbled streets - narrow, busy and with plenty of cafes and restaurants to keep you amused. It doesn't even feel like you're in China!
Just by walking round Gu Lang Yu you will appreciate the finer things in life - such as how pretty and wonderful the street architecture and layout is. Although this type of thing may be common in Europe, it's almost unheard of in parts of China. Walk slowly and take it all in!
4. Musical Island - often nicknamed Piano Island, Gu Lang Yu has lots of musical influences, in fact it's famous for its music - lots of Chinese musicians hail from here. Many of them are famous.
* Aside from this there are museums, a cable car option, even a Protestant Church and some colonial dwelling places to see.
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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