Where to Stay in Quanzhou: Old Town or Coast

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 01:40:00 +0800

Contents

Quick overview: which area is for you?
1. West Street and Kaiyuan Temple: the old town core
2. The West Street homestays worth paying for
3. Outside the old town: Wanda Plaza, Xunpu village and the InterContinental
4. West Lake Park and Qingyuan Mountain: the quiet side
5. Arriving: which Quanzhou station to book around
Quick budget breakdown
Practical tips for Quanzhou
FAQ
My final recommendation

I got Quanzhou wrong the first time in a way that cost me an evening. I booked in the modern city because the room was $20 cheaper, then took a taxi to West Street and spent the ride looking at the old town I could have been sleeping in. The historic core is not a district you visit; it is a knot of lanes around Kaiyuan Temple where the temples, the seafood stalls and the evening walk sit inside fifteen minutes on foot.

Where to Stay in Xiamen: Harbour vs Campus

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:11:00 +0800

Contents

Quick overview: which area is for you?
1. Zhongshan Road and the old harbour: the downtown base
2. Xiamen University and Nanputuo: the campus side
3. Zengcuoan and the south coast: village alleys and sea views
4. The Gaoqi airport belt: for transit nights
5. The Gulangyu ferry side and the ring road
What a $23 room actually gets you
Quick budget breakdown
Practical tips for Xiamen
FAQ
My final recommendation

I made the mistake of booking out in Jimei on my first trip to Xiamen, because the rate was half of anything on the island and the map made it look close. It wasn’t. I spent 40 minutes each way crossing the bay, and on the second morning I queued for a Gulangyu sailing that had sold out three days earlier — tickets go on sale 15 days ahead, which you only learn once.

Fujian on China Travel Guide

Where to Stay in Quanzhou: Old Town or Coast

Where to Stay in Xiamen: Harbour vs Campus