Annual Family Trip Across Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong (Part 2) - Fujian Chapter (Zhangzhou, Fuzhou, Xiamen)

Leaving Zhejiang, we took the high-speed train into Fujian, starting from Xiapu in Zhangzhou, then the provincial capital Fuzhou, the popular city Xiamen, and also including the lesser-known Dongshan Island in our plans. It was another tightly packed, content-rich itinerary, with beautiful scenery, delicious food, and healthy activities all arranged. Please bear with me as I continue. (If you want to see the first part, please visit: https://you.ctrip.com/travels/yandangshan217/3983295.html)

[Detailed Itinerary]

Day 1: High-speed train from Wenzhou to Xiapu, Zhangzhou; Yangjiaxi Banyan and Maple Park, Dongbi Village, Beiqi Mudflat

Day 2: Self-drive to Fuzhou; Three Lanes and Seven Alleys, Shangxiahang

Day 3: Self-drive to Zhangzhou; Nanjing Tulou; self-drive to Xiamen

Day 4: Xiamen city area

Day 5: Self-drive to Zhangzhou; Dongshan Island (Dongmen Islet, Nanmen Bay, Fishbone Sandbar)

Day 6: Self-drive out of Dongshan Island into Guangdong Province

[An Annoying and Frustrating Interlude]

Starting from Yandang Mountain, I inexplicably developed an allergy all over my body. From scalp to toes, large patches of red rashes appeared, unbearably itchy. I guessed it might be due to eating too much seafood, acclimatization issues, irregular作息, lowered immunity, etc. Even after avoiding seafood, it didn't improve. So, upon arriving in Fuzhou, my first stop was the hospital. I was diagnosed with acute urticaria. The doctor also believed it was caused by multiple factors and advised me to avoid seafood, coffee, spicy food, and exercise... OMG! I, who loves seafood like family, traveled thousands of miles to a coastal city, and now I can't eat seafood! It was a thunderbolt! But the state of being itchy all over, with a face swollen like a pig's head, and feeling miserable, unable to concentrate on anything, was simply unbearable. I had no choice but to strictly follow the doctor's orders. So, in the Fujian chapter, my mental state was not very good. Most of the time I had to wear sunglasses because my eyes were so swollen I looked like I had been beaten. The food content will be less and simpler. Please forgive me!

On the high-speed train from Wenzhou to Xiapu, I was tormented by itching all night, fully armed to catch up on sleep.

[Xiapu: A Humble Town Wearing an Internet-Famous Hat]

Xiapu is a newly emerging internet-famous city, especially popular among photography enthusiasts. We didn't have high expectations, but we were pleasantly surprised, and it became my number one spot in Fujian on this trip.

Highlight 1: Scenery. Let's start with Yangjiaxi. An iconic promotional image of Yangjiaxi shows a giant banyan tree, sunlight streaming through the thick leaves onto an old man and the cow he is leading. We went to Yangjiaxi Banyan and Maple Park specifically for that picture. Unfortunately, there was no sun that day, no light beams, the prop cow was resting on a haystack, and the old man was nowhere to be found. However, we were still amazed by the giant banyan trees. The ground was covered with intertwined roots, and the canopy above spread like an umbrella, completely blocking the sky. These centuries-old trees, if in "Journey to the West," would have been portrayed as spirits.

Thousands-year-old ancient trees are prayed to by everyone as deities.

The prop cow not working today.

As for the seaside scenery, we went to the coast near Dongbi Village and Xiao Hao Village in Xiapu. The landscape development was quite good, with a winding wooden boardwalk leading down to the sea, and specially designed viewing platforms and coffee shops along the way, harmoniously blending with the ocean. The wide sea was filled with drying racks for seaweed; the naturally sun-dried seaweed sold in markets comes from here. If you feel a quick visit like ours is not enough, you can also stay overnight at a homestay in Dongbi Village.

My condition was so bad that I didn't even carry my signature big backpack!

Then there was Beiqі Mudflat, another paradise for photography enthusiasts. Not being into photography, we just checked in. We had planned to go see the sunrise the next morning, but due to my severe allergies, we canceled and headed straight to Fuzhou. A small regret.

Looking at these three spots separately, they might seem average, but it's rare to see all of them in such a small place as Xiapu!

Highlight 2: Accommodation.

Xiapu is not large, and our hotel was conveniently located near the train station and the downtown area. The room was much larger than we expected. For the first time, I slept in a round bed, and a huge bathtub was extravagantly placed in the middle of the room. Unfortunately, due to my allergy symptoms, I didn't get to use the bathtub or properly enjoy the round bed. I could only cry in silence...

Next to the hotel was a large seafood farmers' market with a wide variety of products. The more I wandered, the more aggrieved and sad I felt seeing all the seafood. I quickly fled without buying anything.

Highlight 3: Dinner.

Despite the allergy, we still had to eat dinner. After searching on Dianping for a long time, we couldn't find a restaurant that didn't serve seafood. Finally, we chose a seafood stall. Was this asking for trouble? The boss personally received us and helped us order. After learning about my allergy, he didn't show any neglect or perfunctoriness because we didn't order seafood. Instead, he warmly gave us suggestions. Apart from my husband's seafood noodles as his main dish, the table full of non-seafood dishes left me extremely satisfied...

Local dining is mostly like this seafood stall setting. After dark, tables and chairs are lined up, brightly lit and bustling. Under the sea breeze, people eat seafood and drink wine, and the happiness index of small-town life keeps rising.

The portions were surprisingly large. Even without seafood, you could feel the care in cooking. Even a dessert was so exquisite: it used three types of kuey teow stir-fried, with dried fruits, preserved fruits, and sprinkled with sesame seeds. This made me, who usually avoids glutinous rice foods, feel much happier. The regret of not being able to eat seafood was compensated by this bowl of rice cake.

[Fuzhou: Scenery along the Min River]

Fuzhou, the City of Banyans, has few highlights besides the numerous banyan trees in the city. Urban development is slow, and the streetscape and commercial development are similar to those of third- or fourth-tier cities.

A "spirit" banyan tree. Occasionally, you'll see a banyan tree standing abruptly in the middle of the road.

The most famous attraction in Fuzhou is "Three Lanes and Seven Alleys." It has now been renovated into "Two Lanes and Five Alleys," which is a bit unfortunate.

My big backpack "back on duty"

This "ancient street" has been renovated and sells the same souvenirs found on ancient streets all over the country.

Near the hotel, "Shangxiahang" is a place you can stroll around if you have nothing else to do. It's an area that combines nature and culture.

When we visited, it was still under demolition and renovation. I guess this area will continue to expand and become more popular in the future.

I had planned to check the terrain and maybe go for a run along the Min River, so I specifically chose a hotel by the river. But now I could only sigh as I looked at the river...

I took a walk along the Min River, enjoying the daytime and nighttime views, and checked in with a walk.

[Xiamen: Seeking Peace in the Crowd]

Xiamen, with its pleasant climate and beautiful scenery, is a very popular tourist city. The endless stream of tour groups and individual tourists keeps the small Xiamen Island running at full capacity year-round. Urban transportation, famous attractions, and internet-famous commercial areas are nearly saturated. To be honest, the travel experience is getting worse. Since both my husband and I had been to Xiamen before, and the location and schedule of the ferry to Gulangyu Island are too restrictive for tourists, we decisively gave up staying on the island and chose a sea-view room in a hotel directly facing Gulangyu, giving us a panoramic view of the island right before our eyes.

Gulangyu Island seen from the room.

Xiamen's Yanwu Bridge is, in my opinion, the most worthwhile place to visit after seeing the famous attractions. During our two days, we spent two half-days there.

Yanwu Bridge is essentially an overpass built over the sea. In addition to normal vehicle traffic, it has a dedicated pedestrian viewing platform for leisure, sightseeing, walking, and exercise. It's a truly wonderful place.

There were relatively few tourists. We strolled on the bridge for the entire afternoon, also enjoying the beautiful sunset. We discovered it's an excellent spot for watching sunrise and sunset!

Although the doctor said I shouldn't run during the allergy, running by the sea has always been my dream. You know, it's not easy to find a suitable seaside running route. Either you run on the sand, which is heavy and gets your feet full of sand, or you run on asphalt roads separated from the coastline, far from the sea, losing the meaning of seaside running. So, how precious it is to have a boardwalk on the beach in Xiamen! I had been strictly following my diet for a few days just to fulfill this wish. After much persuasion, my husband finally relented, but he demanded that I shorten the distance, slow down the pace, and stop immediately if I felt any discomfort. Ha, I succeeded! I agreed to whatever he said!

The seaside at six in the morning was quiet and beautiful.

Facing the sunrise, we started from Yanwu Bridge. On the beach, locals gathered around the fishing boats returning in the morning to buy fresh seafood. There were a few scattered tourists taking walks, and sanitation workers sweeping fallen leaves. No noise, no hustle and bustle—everything was orderly and peaceful. A good day starts with morning exercise...

The Eighth Seafood Market on Kaihe Road, commonly known as "Bashi," has become a must-visit market for every tourist in Xiamen recently. It is said to be the most down-to-earth place to deeply experience local life. After visiting, I found that there were hardly any locals left; it was all taken over by curious out-of-town tourists. The fried five-spice rolls, traditional bread, and hand-torn chicken mentioned online were all in long queues. Seafood stalls and processing restaurants lined up one after another, making it hard to choose.

The seafood processing restaurants in the market were so dense and tiny that there were basically no reviews on Dianping. Which one to choose was entirely up to you: either you know seafood well and can pick precisely, or you rely on "visual fate." We belonged to the latter. We ignored those who were aggressively touting or using flashy gimmicks to attract customers. Finally, we chose a gentle, bespectacled young woman who was neither humble nor pushy, answered questions patiently, and gave a relatively honest impression. It turned out to be true: the ingredients were fresh, and the prices were fair. Since there was no review on Dianping, I'll recommend it here.

Although I couldn't eat seafood, our duo was joined by two relatives, so we could order more dishes and try more flavors. I was delighted. A full table of seafood feast was satisfying just to look at.

I've attached the prices for everyone to see.

This is the internet-famous item from Bashi that I queued for: fried five-spice rolls, basically fried vegetarian ham; hand-torn chicken and dried tofu. When I got them, I noticed the bag said "Shanghai Special." I was stunned...

[Zhangzhou: A Must-Visit Place in Fujian]

I had never been to Zhangzhou before. Apart from narcissus flowers, I had no other memories. This trip really left a deep impression on me.

It's 160 km from Xiamen and over 300 km from Fuzhou—not close. But if the weather is particularly good, I strongly recommend you make the effort to go. The unique architecture and the living environment of the Hakka people are worth seeing. There are many tulou clusters in the area, all similar in style, so you don't need to visit every one. Just choose one, like "Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster" that we visited.

It consists of five tulou: three round, one square, and one oval. Seen from above, it's exactly "four dishes and one soup"!

View of the tulou cluster from below

The mottled yellow earth buildings stand out spectacularly against the blue sky and white clouds, majestic!

[Dongshan Island: An Unexpected Treasure Island]

It's simply a treasure island, completely beyond our expectations. We stayed overnight on Dongshan Island, so we had plenty of time to fully experience its unique scenery and food.

Scenery 1: Dongmen Islet. An "islet" is a small island completely surrounded by water in a river, lake, or sea. Dongmen Islet, along with Gulangyu Island, Wenzhou's Jiangxin Islet, and Taiwan's Lanyu, are known as China's Four Famous Islets (I've inadvertently visited three on this trip). You need to take a ten-minute boat from Dongshan Island to reach the islet. The entire island is less than one square kilometer. If you have time, you can choose to visit.

The islet's advantage is its tranquility, with few tourists. You can walk along the seaside and climb the small hills. The downside is that the ferry schedule is not fixed; it only departs when enough passengers are on board. So, if you're in a hurry, it's not recommended.

Scenery 2: Nanmen Bay. A very artistic harbor. There, you just need to feel the blue sky, the waves, the sea breeze, and the peace.

Scenery 3: Fishbone Sandbar. Definitely the highlight of Dongshan Island. Not many people promote it online, but everyone who has been there marvels at it. The Fishbone Sandbar gets its name because the sandbar resembles a fish tail. The timing of the visit is crucial. The sandbar fully emerges only during the two low tides each day (morning and afternoon) and is gradually covered by the rising tide. We timed our visit to arrive just before sunset and high tide, so we could enjoy the fish-tail sandbar at sunset.

You need to take a boat ride of about twenty minutes round trip between the shore and the sandbar.

Water houses along the way.

The fish-tail sandbar at sunset, with the land gradually being encroached by the rising tide. Unfortunately, the sea water was a bit cold, so we couldn't walk barefoot on the sandbar freely. There aren't many photos because we couldn't capture the full view of the fish-tail sandbar. So, I highly recommend the drone filming service on the sandbar. From action guidance to post-editing and music, for a hundred yuan, it will absolutely amaze you. The full view of the fish tail, which you can't capture in photos, is fully displayed in the video. This is the most worthwhile activity of the entire trip and a must-do at Fishbone Sandbar. Trust me!

In the evening, Dongshan Island became even quieter and more desolate. Near our hotel, we found a seafood restaurant (it's hard to find anything else on the island; seafood dominates). We directly bought a set meal for 4-5 people. We didn't have high expectations, but we were shocked by the generous portions of fresh seafood. Not only were the ingredients fresh, but the flavors were also excellent! Especially the seafood chicken—the tender, juicy chicken was infused with seafood soup, adding extra umami; the chilled abalone was incredibly chewy and had an unbeatable texture. As my allergy symptoms gradually improved, I surrendered in the face of such a feast!

My favorite steamed sea fish. I love the sea flavor, so I enjoyed it all by myself. Haha, I finally satisfied my craving for seafood after a few days of abstinence.

The cheese crab ribs given by the boss were also top-notch!

The price for this table was 200 yuan. What do you think?

The next day, we drove directly from Dongshan Island into Guangdong Province. My travelogue will continue in the next part. This is my first time in Guangdong Province. Although there aren't many natural landscapes or famous attractions, I am full of anticipation for Guangdong's urban development, customs, and Cantonese cuisine... See you in the next part!