6 days · Unhurried · November–March

Guangzhou's morning tea and Xiamen's coast. A warm-weather route, or a winter escape, built around meals and one ferry.

1. Guangzhou
2. High-speed rail · 4–5 hXiamen

1. Day 1

   Land, then a light dinner

   Guangzhou · 广州

   Do not arrive and attempt ten steamers at 10 p.m. Walk Shamian if it is still light. Save your hunger for the morning.

2. Day 2

   Tea first

   Guangzhou · 广州

   Dim sum early. Chen Clan Hall late morning. Claypot rice at night. That is a full, correct day.

3. Day 3

   Rail down the coast

   Xiamen · 厦门

   High-speed train toward Xiamen, several hours. Evening on the ring road or a simple seafood dinner.

4. Day 4

   The island

   Xiamen · 厦门

   Gulangyu with timed ferries both ways. Villas and banyans. Back on the main island for shacha noodles if you missed them at breakfast.

5. Day 5

   Temple and market

   Xiamen · 厦门

   Nanputuo in the morning, a market lunch, oysters if you still have room. Swim only if the day is actually warm.

6. Day 6

   A short hop home

   Xiamen · 厦门

   Xiamen is one of the easier southern airports to leave from, including toward Taiwan. Gaoqi is close. Still leave a normal buffer.