Xiamen Jimei Family Travel Guide

Do you, like me, think of Gulangyu Island and Zhongshan Road when you mention traveling to Xiamen? These are too common. On this trip to Xiamen, under the guidance of a friend, I discovered a treasure trove – Jimei District. Itinerary: D1: Flight from Shanghai to Xiamen, check-in at Xiamen Jimei Seaview Crowne Plaza Hotel, afternoon visit to the Garden Expo. D2: Experience the sea bike lane, enjoy Cantonese tea at the hotel, and a Western-style buffet cocktail party with bay views. D3: Visit Jimei Academy, enjoy a Chinese-style afternoon tea at low tide, and a buffet dinner. D4: Return to Shanghai from Xiamen. Speaking of traveling to Xiamen, I had been busy with work for a week, with high intensity and feeling a bit tired. After finishing my handwork, I wanted to find a place not far from Shanghai to play for a few days, and Xiamen was the first choice. A flight from Shanghai to Xiamen only takes 2 hours, which is not long and meets my requirement of not wanting to sit on the plane for too long. A friend said this time they would take me to a treasure trove to play. Isn’t traveling to Xiamen just about going to Gulangyu Island, Zhongshan Road, eating satay noodles, seafood? The friend said, ‘You’ll know when you get there,’ which was quite mysterious. After landing, we took a taxi and arrived at the Xiamen Jimei Seaview Crowne Plaza Hotel in less than 30 minutes. The hotel is located on Xingbin Road in Jimei District, bustling outside and quiet inside. It is the first five-star high-end business hotel of the InterContinental Hotel Group in Jimei District. Opening the curtains of my luxurious executive king room’s floor-to-ceiling windows, the first-line sea view is all in sight. The welcome card, welcome snacks, and fruit plate in the room are very warm-hearted. The large bottle of Borghese amenities is very reassuring to use. I particularly like the luxury suite where my friend stayed, with a 180-degree sea view and a 108 square meter room, which is a room where you can see the sunrise. Taking photos in the room is very photogenic, and the room is decorated in a modern, simple, and high-end style, which is my favorite. This sea view hotel in Jimei District is indeed very good. I have been to Xiamen so many times, and this is my first time in Jimei District. I really regret not knowing about this treasure district earlier. The hotel’s location is also good, within a 30-minute drive from Xiamen Station and Xiamen North Station. Surrounding attractions include Xiamen Garden Expo, Jimei Academy, and Xinglin Bay Sea Bicycle Lane, with a drive time of only 10 minutes, which is very convenient to go anywhere. I am very satisfied with the rooms at Xiamen Jimei Seaview Crowne Plaza Hotel, so I am also looking forward to their restaurant. The fact has proven that it did not disappoint me. The second-floor Chao Feng Xuan Chinese restaurant mainly features Cantonese cuisine and combines Xiamen’s local food culture, allowing us to taste a series of exquisite, delicious, and creative innovative dishes. The绣球菌abalone stewed chicken is light and nutritious, and绣球菌is my favorite among mushrooms, crispy and smooth. The satay shrimp balls with milky pancakes are very special, with satay sauce as the base and a layer of Q-elastic shrimp balls on top.
I, who never eats pork knuckles, had my first one at the Jimei Seaview Crowne Plaza Hotel. The Tieguanyin Tea-Scented Pork Knuckle, infused with Tieguanyin tea aroma, was not greasy at all and quite delicious, with a satisfying chewiness. Other dishes such as the Chaofeng Tricolor Plate, Puning Iced Flower Min Dong Yellow Croaker, Sichuan Pepper Jelly All-Flower Bacon Rolls, and Braised Taro with Onion Oil and Meat Juice were all distinctive and delicious. The Chaofeng Xuan · Seaview Cantonese Restaurant at the Jimei Seaview Crowne Plaza Hotel offers exquisite and tasty Cantonese delicacies. The Cantonese morning and evening tea buffet is highly cost-effective with a wide selection of dishes. There are dishes like Shrimp Dumplings with Royal Shrimp, Abalone Rice, Shrimp Balls with Concubine Sauce, and Pan-fried Buns. The sea view dining environment makes enjoying tea and snacks incredibly comfortable. At the Chaofeng Xuan · Bay View 22 Cantonese Restaurant in the Jimei Seaview Crowne Plaza Hotel, I enjoyed a Chinese afternoon tea with friends. The savory snacks were very tasty, and the desserts were not too sweet, just right. Looking at the sea view outside the window and the flying egrets, it was a pleasant afternoon. After dining at Chaofeng Xuan, I was also looking forward to the buffet dinner at the Yue Mei All-Day Restaurant, which did not disappoint. The buffet dinner was highly cost-effective. The variety of dishes was appetizing, including hot dishes, sashimi, and seafood in sauce. The curry crab was particularly delicious. The soup base for the noodles included Tom Yum, coconut chicken soup, and satay sauce, and I also had Bak Kut Teh. The restaurant also gives each guest a serving of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, and the dessert area has delicious Thai mango sticky rice. Although everyone was full, they still did not miss the high-value and tasty desserts. The hotel’s restaurants have truly captured the guests’ appetites, no wonder the occupancy rate is so high. Every day was filled with satisfaction in eating, but there’s a fear of gaining weight. Don’t forget to exercise, the hotel’s recreational facilities are also complete, go to the gym and swim! There is also a children’s paradise that children love, and parents finally have their own time, let the children play to their heart’s content! Xiamen Garden Expo Park Address: Jimei District, Xiamen City, Fujian Province, East Section of Jixing Sea Dike, Garden Expo Park Admission: Free Transportation: Take Xiamen Metro Line 1 to the Garden Expo Park Station to arrive. Xiamen Garden Expo Park is a 10-minute drive from the hotel, very close. It is located in Xinglin Bay, a national 4A-level scenic spot, a national key park, and a national urban wetland park, five times the size of Gulangyu Island, so we chartered an electric cart. It is also known as the ‘Water Grand View Garden’, with the main exhibition island, Min-Tai Island, Education Island, Hot Spring Island, and Ocean Island. The main exhibition island is the largest, and we only covered a third of it in the afternoon. We visited the Ethnic Custom Garden, Water Mill Garden, Beijing Garden, Jinan Garden, and it turns out you can experience the characteristics and styles of various cities here.

My friend from Shanghai thought I went to Thailand when seeing this photo of mine. Here, you can take pictures in different styles. The key point is that it’s free of charge. This place is so suitable for taking pictures. There is also Jiangnan Water Street which is suitable for taking pictures in Hanfu. It turns out that you can also experience Jiangnan charm in Xiamen. It’s a pity that the park is too large and I didn’t visit it. The regret is left to be made up next time. I harvested a large purple flower field on Ocean Island. Playing the piano in the romantic sea of flowers, the sweet floral fragrance penetrated into the tip of my nose. It is a highly recommended photo spot. Here, you can harvest a set of beautiful portrait photos like me. The eight scenic spots of the Garden Expo Park must not be missed either. There are also voice-activated flowers to experience. At night, when people stand under the flowers, they will bloom. It’s very interesting. At night, this is also a good place for Xiamen citizens to take a walk. The night view is also very beautiful. In addition to battery cars, you can also choose to take a small train. This way of experiencing the Garden Expo Park is also good. Xinglin Bay Sea Bicycle Path. The sea bicycle path is located on the shoreline of Xinglin Bay in Jimei, Xiamen. It is 20.6 kilometers long in total and is a waterfront leisure belt with ecological sports as the theme. We set off from the hotel and drove a Tesla to go there. Seagulls glide across the water surface on the sea. The sea breeze gently blows long hair. Cycling on the sea bicycle path is really a special experience. This leisurely way of traveling is what I like and cannot be experienced in Shanghai. The high-intensity work pressure sometimes makes people breathless. Looking at the beautiful sea view, I know I made the right choice by choosing Xiamen. Jimei School Village. Address: No. 183 Yinjiang Road, Jimei District, Xiamen City, Fujian Province. Transportation: Jimei School Village Station on Metro Line 1. My friend in Xiamen told me long ago that this place is very worth visiting. There are many beautiful buildings. This is too suitable for me who likes to take pictures of buildings. It was founded by Mr. Tan Kah Kee in 1913. It is the general name of all kinds of schools and various cultural institutions in Jimei. It is a century-old school village. Located on Jimei Peninsula in Xiamen and located in Jimei Village, there is the most beautiful middle school here. The architectural style here integrates Chinese and Western elements. It is a typical architectural style of overseas Chinese hometowns in southern Fujian and is also known as the ‘Kah Kee style’. Dragon Boat Pool. Here in the Dragon Boat Pool, the dragon boat race in Jimei School Village is held grandly almost every year during the Dragon Boat Festival. In addition to commemorating Qu Yuan, holding the dragon boat race also especially advocates the spirit of ‘sincerity and perseverance’. Mr. Tan Kah Kee hopes that students will have strong physiques while reading good books. Return Hall. Entering the former residence of Mr. Tan Kah Kee, this is a two-story small building. On the second floor, there are a reception room, a dining room, a workroom, a bedroom, etc. A three-story building on the west side is the ‘Exhibition Hall of Mr. Tan Kah Kee’s Life Story’. The former residence of Mr. Tan Kah Kee, this small blue and white building is very elegant. Nanxun Tower was built under the personal supervision of Mr. Tan Kah Kee. It is 15 stories high and was completed in 1959. It was the tallest building in Fujian Province at that time and is also one of the landmark buildings of Jimei School Village.
JiaGeng Park is located to the north of AoYuan and is connected to it. Within the park, the pavilions and buildings with red columns, flying eaves, and colored glaze tiles are connected one after another, forming a dragon-like display along the winding corridors. The park is primarily designed in the style of a traditional Chinese courtyard, and it also features ponds, winding bridges, stone railings, and lawns in its structural arrangement. The architecture here is truly remarkable. There are also ponds, winding bridges, stone railings, and lawns within the park. Visitors can enjoy the sea view here, although the beach is currently under construction and cannot be approached closely. In Jimei Academy, there are also recommended places to visit such as AoYuan, GuiLai Garden, and the Cultural and Creative Park. One can experience the cultural history and the humanistic atmosphere of Xiamen here. Previously, I thought that Xiamen only had a few places to play and three days would be enough. This time, I discovered the treasure trove of Jimei, and after spending four days and three nights, I still haven’t fully explored it. Next time, I will plan my trip better for a more in-depth exploration of Jimei District. Xiamen is truly a city suitable for family vacations. Whether it’s the Gulangyu architecture with a history older than Shanghai’s old houses, the most beautiful university in China – Xiamen University, or the Jimei Academy with its rich cultural and historical background, they are all worth exploring with children and family. This summer vacation, consider Xiamen for a family trip!

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