Gulangyu Island is a car free island located to southwest of Xiamen City. It only takes five minutes to get to Gulangyu by ferry. Gu in Chinese means drum and Lang literally means waves. Gulangyu vividly describes when the waves pound the reef, it creates sounds similar to the beating of a drum.
Why Gulangyu is special
Xiamen became a treaty port resulting from China's loss in the First Opium War and the Treaty of Nanking in 1842. With well preserved classical and romantic European-style architecture built by the war time, the island is reputed as Architecture Museum. It is also well known for delicate natural scenery, leisure atmosphere, and hospitable people.
Gulangyu highlights
Haoyue Garden
It is located in the east of the island. In the park stands a giant bronze statue of Zheng Chenggong, who is a famous general in Chinese History. Founded in 1985, the garden also highlights the sandy beach, rocks, trees and pavilions. Walking alone the park tourists could enjoy the beautiful scenery of Xiamen Island in another side of the sea.
Sunlight Rock
Sunlight Rock is located in the south-central part of the island. It is the highest point of Gulangyu with an altitude of 92.7 meters. Most tourists who stay overnight at Gulangyu climb Sunlight Rock in the early morning to touch the first light of the sun. The name of the rock comes from a sun-shaped formation in the granite. When the sun rises, the morning light illuminates the granite in Sunlight Temple and the rocks are bathed with sunlight.
Shuzhuang Garden
Shuzhuang Garden is divided into two main sections, The Canghai Garden (Hidden Sea Garden) faces the sea and the Bushan Garden (No Hills Garden) faces the hills. What’s interesting is that in Canghai garden visitor actually has a bright view of the sea while in Bushan Garden tourists could enjoy the beautiful scenery of green hills.