Xiamen Travel Guide 2026: 2-Day Itinerary, Budget & $30 Mega Spa
Is Xiamen really worth adding to your China itinerary This Xiamen travel guide answers that question honestly — with real costs included.
or should you spend those days in Shanghai or Guangzhou instead? This Xiamen travel guide breaks down everything we did in 2 days, exactly what it cost, and whether the famous $30 “mega spa” actually lives up to the hype.
Watch the full Xiamen episode here:
Xiamen on a Budget: How We Spent Only $207 in 2 Days
If you’re searching for things to do in Xiamen or planning a short Xiamen itinerary, here’s what 2 days for 2 people really cost us:
| Expense (2 people) | Cost (CAD) | Cost (USD) |
| Hotel | 76 | 56 |
| Meals | 54 | 25 |
| Spa | 81 | 60 |
| Cable Car | 79 | 57 |
| Local Transport | 14 | 10 |
| Misc | 9 | 6 |
| TOTAL | 280 | 207 |
Day 1: Best Things to Do in Xiamen (Food, Views & Nightlife)
1. Xiamen Food Tour Stop 1 – Danmanguan (蛋满贯)
We started our Xiamen itinerary with a local favorite.
Perfect for: Budget travel in Xiamen and a realistic local breakfast.
What we ordered: Combo A – dumplings, noodles, soup
Cost: 33 RMB (~$5 USD) for both of us
Why go: This place served the best Zhajiangmian noodles we had in Xiamen. The sauce was bold and savory with a strong nutty aroma and a silky, umami-rich depth that coated every strand perfectly.
2. Xiamen Food Tour Stop 2 – Huang Zehe Peanut Soup (黄则和花生汤)
A must-try if you’re curious about traditional Xiamen food.
Our take: Dumplings were the standout; peanut soup is more of a “try once” local experience than a repeat order.
Dishes: Peanut soup, dumplings, fried donut-style snack
Price: Most dishes 3–5 RMB
3. Zhonggu Cable Car (钟鼓索道) – Xiamen Scenic Viewpoint
This is one of the top Xiamen attractions for views.
Tip: Go for sunset if you can—better value when the city lights come on.
Cost: 80 RMB per person (~$15 USD)
Wait: ~20 minutes
Duration: ~40 minutes round trip
Views: Coastline, city, and the famous Xiamen Twin Towers
4. Nanputuo Temple (南普陀寺) – Best Free Thing to Do in Xiamen
If you’re building a Xiamen travel guide 2026 or planning your own route, don’t skip this.
One of the most beautiful temples we visited in China and it’s free.
Cost: Free
Location: Next to Xiamen University
Highlights: Incredibly detailed and colorful temple architecture
5. Shapowei Art Zone & Baicheng Beach
- Shapowei Art Zone – Converted fishing area with murals, cafés, bars, and old boats. Great for a slow wander and photos.
- Baicheng Beach – Wide sandy beach, kites, bubbles, and a soft “weekend getaway” vibe with city views.
If you want a Xiamen walking tour that mixes food, culture, and sea views, this combo is perfect.
6. Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street
If you’re Googling “things to do in Xiamen at night”, Zhongshan Road needs to be on your list.
Why it’s worth it: This area turns into a full-on street food festival after dark and is the easiest way to feel Xiamen’s energy.
Vibe: Mix of European and Asian architecture, neon lights, random performances (yes, including a dancing robot)
Cost: Free to walk, pay-as-you-go snacks
Day 2: Xiamen Mega Spa – Su Ke Spa Review
Su Ke Spa (素可汤泉): $30 For 10 Hours in a Xiamen Bathhouse
This is the star of the video and the most unique item in this Xiamen itinerary.
- Entry fee: 199 RMB (~$30 USD) per person
- Time inside: 10 hours (afternoon to 11:30 PM)
At first, we were confused—no massages included, and it felt pricey. Then we found the buffet.
Food – Where the Value Explodes
All included in the 199 RMB:
- Big hot food buffet of Chinese dishes
- Fresh seafood: oysters, hairy crab, shrimp
- Sushi station
- Noodle bar & claypot rice
- Juice and fruit bar (including unlimited Shine Muscat grapes, which are crazy expensive back home)
- Ice cream bar
If you’re into China food + spa experiences, this place is wild value for money—especially if you treat it as both lunch and dinner.
Facilities – What This Xiamen Spa Includes
- hot spring pools
- Saunas
- Individual tubs
- Movie room with recliners
- Showers, full toiletries, and rest areas
It’s basically an all-day Xiamen bathhouse + buffet combo. Massages are extra, but even without them, this is one of the best-value spa experiences we’ve had in Asia.
Is Xiamen Worth Adding to Your China Travel Itinerary?
If you’re planning China travel on a budget and searching for a coastal city with good food, easy sightseeing, and one unforgettable mega spa, Xiamen is a strong yes.
- Great for: Value hunters, food lovers, and first-time China travelers
- Not for: People expecting a Maldives-style beach resort
You can watch our full Xiamen travel guide and Su Ke Spa review here:
$30 FOR 10HRS?! China’s INSANE Mega Spa (Unlimited Everything!)
🏙️ Why Xiamen Deserves a Spot on Your China Itinerary
Xiamen is one of China’s most livable and most visitor-friendly cities. Unlike Beijing or Shanghai, it’s compact, coastal, and almost entirely walkable in its most interesting areas. The air quality is noticeably better than in the inland mega-cities, the food culture is distinct — shaped by Fujian province’s Hokkien heritage and centuries of trade with Southeast Asia — and the pace is relaxed enough that you actually enjoy yourself instead of just ticking boxes. The mix of colonial architecture on Gulangyu Island, the Buddhist energy of Nanputuo Temple, and the sheer indulgence of a $30 all-day spa is why Xiamen keeps appearing on “underrated China destinations” lists. It genuinely earns that label.
✈️ Getting to Xiamen
Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport (XMN) has direct flights to most major Chinese cities and a growing number of international routes, including direct connections to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and Taipei. If you’re coming from other parts of China, the high-speed rail is the smart move — Xiamen North Station connects to Fuzhou (45 minutes), Guangzhou (3.5 hours), and Shenzhen (3 hours) via the Fuzhou–Xiamen–Shenzhen HSR line. From Shanghai it’s about 5 hours by high-speed train. Train tickets are cheap, comfortable, and bookable through Trip.com or the China Railway 12306 app (which requires a Chinese mobile number; Trip.com is easier for foreigners).
Within the city, DiDi (China’s Uber equivalent) is the easiest way to get around once you have a local SIM card. The Xiamen Metro is clean and easy to navigate with English signage. Most tourist sites are clustered on the southwestern side of the island, so a single metro line covers most of a day’s sightseeing.
🛕 Nanputuo Temple: What to Know Before You Go
Nanputuo Temple (南普陀寺) is a functioning Buddhist temple that dates back over 1,300 years, built on the slopes of Wulao Mountain. Entry is free, and the temple complex is large enough to absorb crowds comfortably. The highlight beyond the ornate hall architecture is the hike up Wulao Mountain directly behind the temple — the trail takes 45-60 minutes to the summit and rewards you with panoramic views of the Xiamen harbor, the university campus, and the Taiwanese-controlled island of Kinmen on a clear day. 📌 Address: 515 Siming South Road, Siming District, Xiamen
📱 Practical Tips: Payments, SIM Cards & Navigating China
Xiamen runs almost entirely on WeChat Pay and Alipay. Unlike some tourist-heavy cities, many smaller street food stalls in Xiamen don’t always have physical card readers for international cards, so setting up WeChat Pay with a foreign card before arrival (now possible for most international Mastercard/Visa users) saves headaches. A local SIM card from the airport or any China Unicom/China Mobile store is essential — WeChat and DiDi both require a Chinese phone number to function fully, and without them, navigation becomes significantly harder.
For the Xiamen travel guide essentials: download Google Maps offline before you land (it works in China via a VPN, or switch to Baidu Maps as a backup). Most hotels have staff who speak some English. Restaurant menus often have photos but rarely English translations — Google Translate’s camera function is indispensable.
🔗 Planning More of Your Asia Trip?
If you’re traveling through Asia and adding China to your route, Xiamen pairs well with a Hong Kong stop for dim sum and dumplings. And if Japan is on the itinerary, our Tokyo food experiences guide covers five unique restaurants worth planning your trip around.
📋 Xiamen 2-Day Itinerary: Quick Summary
- Day 1: Danmanguan breakfast, Huang Zehe peanut soup, Zhonggu Cable Car, Nanputuo Temple + Wulao Mountain hike, Shapowei Art Zone, Zhongshan Road night
- Day 2: Su Ke Spa — 199 RMB ($30 USD) covers 10 hours, full food buffet with seafood, sushi, noodle bar, unlimited Shine Muscat grapes, ice cream
- Total budget (2 people, 2 days): ~$207 USD including hotel, meals, spa, transport
- Getting there: Direct flights to XMN or high-speed rail from Guangzhou (3.5h), Shenzhen (3h), Fuzhou (45min)
- Best for: Budget travelers, food lovers, anyone wanting a relaxed China city that isn’t overwhelming
