XIAMEN

EPIC SIGHTS, GUSTATORY DELIGHTS

Just two hours away from Manila, this gateway to the Middle Kingdom is an easy escape for those looking for adventures of the culinary kind and those chasing after Instagram-worthy snapshots, as in the case of writer-photographer Marco Misa Torres.

Words and Images by Marco Misa Torres

To the rest of the world, there are many other cities in China that come to mind before Xiamen. Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and a host of others would normally come first. In Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines, however, Xiamen seems to be at the forefront. Xiamen is where the ancestry of most Filipino-Chinese hail from. The city is progressive owing to investments pouring in from overseas Chinese who consider it their ancestral home. Thankfully now, you won’t need to tread dangerous waters and risk your life to go to Xiamen as they did in the olden days. You can just book one of many flights that go to Xiamen and be there in just two hours.

I have always been intrigued by Xiamen. Aside from the food that’s considered to be one of China’s eight major flavors, I wanted to see the city called home by my many Filipino-Chinese friends. What made a trip to Xiamen mandatory for me, however, was to see the tulous. These UFO shaped ancient condominium-type dwellings were indeed bucket-list worthy.

Wonderful sights

Xiamen is not very big so it’s easy to navigate. Formerly known as ‘Amoy’, Xiamen is a port city on China’s southeast coast, which encompasses two main islands and a region in the mainland. On a clear day, you can even see Taiwan across the strait.

I started my adventure with Nan Putuo Temple, Xiamen’s oldest site at 1,000 years old. It can be extremely crowded, making it difficult to take photos. It seems that if you take photos from the opposite end of the entrance just by the perimeter wall, you’ll be able to take clean, unobstructed and extremely dramatic photos. The view, showing the temple nestled on a hazy, foggy mountain, was ethereal.

Immediately after I exited the temple was Xiamen University, an interesting campus featuring Minnan (Southern Fujian) and Western architecture. At the opposite end of the campus was Huli Shan, a fortress turned cannon museum boasting Asia’s biggest cannon. After I’ve had enough sightseeing, I basked in the sun at Baicheng Beach and cycled for a while along the scenic Island Ring Road.

I then took the short ferry ride to vehicle-free Gulangyu island. Once inhabited strictly by foreigners, it is now bursting with locals. With colonial buildings in winding streets, I imagined it to be quite a pleasant stroll if one could escape the crowds who arrived in ferry boats by the hundreds every day. Since it didn’t seem like the crowds would thin out any moment, I headed straight for the giant monument that intrigued me on the boat ride. In Haoyue Park, I found the gigantic statue of Koxinga, the entrepreneur-turned-liberator of Gulangyu. He stood like a giant ready to slash the alien invaders with his sword.

I found Shuguang, with its oriental gardens and cozy beach, an ideal place to chill. I meandered along Fujian and Lujiao Roads where its finest mansions were located. I also checked out Gulangyu’s other tourist spots: High Heaven, Sunlight Rock and the Organ Museum.

Heritage sights

I was up bright and early the next day for the main purpose of my trip – to finally see Fujian’s pride, the tulous.

Soup bowls? Cockpits? Donuts? Or UFO’s? They’re none of those. They’re merely Fujian tulou (earthen structures) in Hakka (Han Chinese who share a common language, Hakka) villages. Xiamen is the portal to these amazing heritage sites, which weren’t in any tourist maps until 2008 when UNESCO recognized it for its unique architectural design and construction.

Built by Hakkas from the 12th to the 20th centuries, these fortified vertical villages are scattered all over Fujian’s mountainous regions. These alone are enough reasons to go to Fujian. At three to five storeys high, a single tulou can house up to 80 families. With some walls as thick as meters and a single steel egress, it is practically impenetrable to invaders.

Just three to four hours away from the city, a tulou visit can be done in a day, though if you have the luxury of time, staying overnight makes for a far more memorable experience. Check out appletravel.cn for English arrangements. There are thousands of tulous but only 46 recognized by UNESCO. Here are some of the more popular ones: Tianluokeng Tulou in Nanjing country, dubbed, “Four Dishes and a Soup” is probably the most photogenic; Yuchanglou built in 1308, is ageing quite gracefully despite being the oldest; Chengqilou in Yongding County, the largest and grandest (able to house up to 400 families) is considered the “King of the Tulous.”

Culinary heaven

You’ll be feasting in Xiamen. After all, Fujian cuisine is considered one of China’s eight major flavors. Known for seafood, soups and hearty snacks that stay true to their flavors, the dishes are kept subtle and clean.

With great food, classy ambience and superb views, I quite agree why many consider Lujiang Harborview Hotel Restaurant the city’s best restaurant. They serve all the Fujian mandatories but with a five-star touch.

Huangzehe Peanut Food Shop specializes in peanut-based dishes, and is said to have the city’s best huasheng tang (peanut soup) and zhazao (sweet sticky rice with filling like buchi). Aside from the yummy snacks, I found most other famous Fujian snacks here at a bargain.

Not for the faint of heart, I forgot I was actually eating worms because of its delicious taste. Tianhe Ximen Tusundong serves the best sandworm jelly aside from delicious octopus. I recommend this legendary Fujian dish, taken with sweetened mustard sauce, turnips and radishes, as a must for those who like extreme culinary challenges.

Wutang Shachamian and Kaihe Shachamian are holes-in-the-wall where locals queue for bowls of satay-inspired noodles. With very flavorful, frothy bowls, it’s easy to understand why the locals love it.

Other than those mentioned above, you should go to Zhongshan Lu to indulge yourself in these tasty street food: hezaijian (oyster omelet), Baobing (Amoy lumpia in Manila), ban mian (egg noodle soup), baoxin yuan (stuffed fish balls), wuxian (kikiam) and mian xian (misua). You’ll know the best food stalls from their long queues, which could mean that netizens in Chinese restaurant guide websites, such as dianping.com, rate them five-stars.

Shopping, shopping!

As in China’s bigger cities, I found most global brands also available in Xiamen. This means serious buyers will have a ball here. Uniquely Xiamen souvenirs include gold-plated lacquer ware, pearl embroidery and Wenxing porcelain. However, this gastronomic destination’s bestsellers are still its food. Teas of different varieties and snacks in pretty packages are perfect pasalubong.

Zhongshan Pedestrian Shopping Street is the liveliest place in Xiamen owing to its infinite shopping and food choices. This shopper’s paradise built in 1925 can be quite picturesque. In here, I found shops of all sizes, merchandise of all kinds and brands of all styles.

Longtou Road in Gulangyu is the place for keepsakes, arts and handicrafts, beaded embroidery, varnished yam sculptures, colored pottery, calligraphy and paintings.

If you want the comforts of air conditioning, Philippine-grown brands: Robinsons Galleria, SM Lifestyle Center and SM City are the go-to malls. Here, you might find a few fashionable yet reasonably priced brands such as Selected, Jack & Jones and Vero Moda, not found in Manila so it may still be worth rummaging through.

With my appetite for adventure, food and shopping fully satiated by Xiamen’s many wonders, I can only wish that I stayed for a few more days, maybe even weeks. ‘Til we meet again, Xiamen! Zai jian!