Chinese mainland

3 Under-the-Radar Xiamen Spots for Your Next Visit

Ann Zhang skips the obvious in favour of Xiamen's elevated walkways, an indie bookshop and Asian culinary treats

1. Xiamen Health Trail

Xiamen-Shanhai-Health-Trail-walkway-nature
Credit: Courtesy of Dissing+Weitling

There’s now a new way to explore Xiamen on foot. Opened in January 2020, this trail runs across Xiamen Island, connecting the Dream Coast at the east to the cruise terminal at the west, passing through a dozen scenic spots in between. Designed by Danish architecture firm Dissing+Weitling, the 23-kilometre-long path features a network of elevated walkways which offer beautiful views of the city.

Xiamen-Shanhai-Health-Trail-walkway-road
Credit: Courtesy of Dissing+Weitling

2. Shidian Reading

Xiamen-10dian-Shidian-Read-at-Ten-bookshop-child
Credit: Courtesy of 10dian.com

Shidian, or Read at Ten, a popular app and social media platform for China’s bibliophiles, has opened its second ever Shidian Reading bookshop in the city. At 21,500 square feet, you’ll find more than 60,000 books and magazines, as well as homeware and lifestyle products from dozens of indie brands. In a tie to the brand’s online origins, the shop’s interactive reading area has dedicated booths where visitors can listen to audiobooks recited by Read at Ten’s narrators.

3. Cheuk Yuet Queen

Xiamen-Vietnamese-Dishes
Credit: Joshua Resnick/Shutterstock

Since opening in 2019, this South East Asian-inspired modern restaurant has become a favourite among Xiamen’s ‘camera eats first’ crowd. Set in a colonial-style villa with an eye-catching turquoise dining room, diners are served creative, Insta-friendly dishes like fried crab cake with curry ice cream, and a vibrant roasted pigeon with a fig and beetroot purée.

8-2 Jianye Lu

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