Stretching to the total length of 43 kilometers with 60-meter width, Xiamen Island Ring Road, or Island Ring Boulevard is a two-way six-lane along the southeast coast of Xiamen Island. It is a seaside ecological promenade integrating tourism, sightseeing, and leisure. The road connects many major attractions in Xiamen like the Conference&Exhibition Center, Xiamen University and Huilishan Fortress.
The road from the Xiamen University to Qinbu is also nicknamed as the Golden Coastline which visitors could enjoy the most beautiful sea views. The construction of the Island Ring Road includes several periods. The earliest part of the boulevard started construction in 1997 from Baicheng Beach to Huangcu.
Along the Island Ring Road, there are many artistic sculptors in different styles but with the same theme about the sea. The most popular attraction on the Island Ring Road is the Calligraphy Square located in the Tsan Tshu Uann Bay. With an area of 30000 square meters, it contains many stone sculptures of the Chinese traditional calligraphy art.
The area of Baicheng Beach and Pearl Bay is a natural beach which attracts crowds through the year. There are also open parks suitable for kite flying, running and skating.
In recent years, the city Xiamen holds the international Marathons yearly. The Whole course passes by the major scenic area of the city including the smooth and flat Island Ring Road, which is considered ideal for a marathon race. In the normal days, you could also see the locals jogging along the Island Ring Road for exercise. A bicycle trip is recommended for visitors to enjoy leisure time along the bay.