LXMN-1 – Gulangyu & Xiamen Highlights

Join a public ferry to Gulangyu Island Visit Shuzhuang Gardens via sightseeing cart. The garden was built in the 1930s as a private villa, but was turned into a public park in 1955. The garden is divided into two sections - the Garden of Hiding the Sea (Canghaiyuan) and the Garden of Making-Up Hills (Bushanyuan). The garden is an embodiment of three important principles of garden design - hiding elements, profiting from the natural surroundings and combining movements. The garden's pavilions and a maze of connected caves let visitors experience different atmospheres and make endless new discoveries.

Gulangyu's Piano Museum, opened in 2000, is comprised of two exhibition halls. The collection includes 30 pianos by renowned piano makers from Britain, France, the United States, Austria and Australia. The instruments are all over 100 years old. A large selection of miniature and custom pianos are also on display. During the colonial times, Gulangyu was inhabited by a large community of Westerners. Around 1910, foreign settlers established music schools that taught piano playing and the local Chinese got swept away by this instrument. Many accomplished musicians, such as Yin Chengzong and Xu Feiping are natives of Gulangyu Island. China's first female conductor, Zhou Shuan is also from Gulangyu. No wonder the isle is also known as the "Cradle of Musicians" and "Island of Music." Gulangyu Shopping Street is a wide variety of dry seafood products and local handicrafts are available here. Vegetarian lunch at South Putuo Temple.

South Putuo Temple, which was built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). Upon entering the front gate, you come to the Heavenly King Hall, which houses a huge laughing Buddha, accompanied by the four heavenly kings on either side. Behind the Buddha stands Wei Tuo, another deity, who is safeguarding the Buddhist doctrine. Stepping out of the hall, you enter a courtyard, in front of the Great Heroic Treasure Hall – a two-storey building with three Buddhas representing the past, present and future. The Great Compassion Hall, behind this, houses four statues of Guanyin.

Tian Hou Temple (Tianhou Gong), built in honor of the Sea Goddess who watches over sailors and fishermen at sea and provide for their safely. The magnificent main hall has stood for thousands of years and is still in pristine condition. Here, vividly carved patterns exhibit strong Taoism influences. Shop at Tumen Street, Zhongshang Road. Visit the Confucius Temple, Qingjing Mosque and Guandi Temple.

Kaiyuan Temple, architectural awe reigns at Quanzhou's largest Buddhist temple and top tourist attraction. This ancient worship center dates back to 686 Ad and has a history of over 1,300 years. The buildings in the temple are magnificent, of which the most attractive is the Grand Prayer Hall, which has 86 huge stone pillars. The East and West Pagodas prominently flank the temple's courtyard and feature a convention of sculpted Buddhist figures. They are the highest stone pagodas in all of China, and measure over 40 meters (131 feet) high and are the symbols of the Quanzhou City.

Museum of Maritime Communications, many relics concerning the Maritime Silk Road are on exhibit here, including a large ancient boat that was retrieved from Quanzhou Bay. It had been sitting on the bottom of the sea for 700 years, although damaged, the boat measures 24 metres long and 9 metres wide, consisted of 13 cabins and had a capacity of 200 tons. Had 200 tons of goods been transported via the original Silk Road, 700 camels would have been needed to carry it all. The boat is typical of its time and is a good example of the vessels built in Quanzhou's many shipyards at that time. Buddhism Museum.

Join a public ferry to Meizhou Island Meizhou Island is a small, crescent-shaped island in Meizhou Bay, near the city of Putian. The island is only about 10 square miles, but it draws thousands of visitors each year as followers of Ma Zhu (sometimes also called Tianhou) come to pay their respects.

Ma Zhu Temple, the temple on Meizhou Island is the most important temple for Ma Zhu worshippers because of its connection with her life and because it is located on the very spot where she was taken. Visitors to the temple come first to a set of towering gates that feel like the entrance to a city. A "heavenly ladder" inside the gate confronts visitors with a series of 150 stone steps leading from the gate to the door of the temple. The arched doorways of the temple are modeled on the Forbidden City in Beijing. Once inside the temple, a stairway between two towers leads to the temple's main hall. The main hall's carved columns sport climbing dragons. The hall has a nine-ridged roof and serves as the setting for memorial ceremonies, opera, and other performances throughout the year. Return to Xiamen by local ferry

Qing Jiao Ci Ji Palace, the 800-year-old Ciji Palace is an imposing structure that towers over the Jiulong River in Baijiao Village in Longhai County. Inside the temple is a statue of Wu Tao, a Song-dynasty doctor greatly revered by the local people. A recent face-lift to Ciji Palace has given it an even grander appearance, with colourful decorations and glazed rooftops. The front gate is supported by six stone pillars with exquisitely carved winding dragons, said to be shipped over from Taiwan during the Qing Dynasty. Zhangzhou City, visit the Confucian Temple, Taiwan Street & Hong Kong Street. Shop at Zhangzhou Market.