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The Island Ring Road is Xiamen's 31-kilometre coastal boulevard, tracing white-sand beaches, palm-lined boardwalks and the South China Sea from Hulishan Fort to the arts village of Zengcuoan. It is the city's favourite sunset drive and cycling route, best experienced without traffic stress. Our private driver-guide handles the one-way coastal logistics so you can simply ride, stop and photograph at will.
Built in stages from the late 1990s and completed in 2003, the Island Ring Road (Huandao Lu) was designed as both a scenic corridor and a symbol of Xiamen's modernisation. It hugs the island's southeastern shore for roughly 31 kilometres, linking the Ming-dynasty Hulishan Fort, the old fishing village of Zengcuoan, the international conference centre and the ferry piers for Gulangyu. Along the way, landscaped promenades, sculpture parks and a dedicated cycling lane run almost continuously beside the water, making it one of the few Chinese coastal roads where pedestrians and cyclists genuinely come first.
The road is more than a transport link: it is where Xiamen residents jog at dawn, fly kites in the afternoon and gather for sunset. Its most photographed stretch, near 'One Country, Two Systems' beach, faces Kinmen Island and the slogan billboard that once defined cross-strait politics. For visitors, the appeal is the freedom to hop between beaches, seafood stalls and heritage sites without retreating into the city centre. Our guides know which bays are quiet at which hour, and how to stitch the road into a half-day that also includes Hulishan Fort and Zengcuoan.
The road curves along Xiamen's southeast coast, about 15–20 minutes by taxi from Zhongshan Road or the Gulangyu ferry terminal. Public buses (e.g. 29, 47, 87, 112) stop at Hulishan, Zengcuoan and Huangcuo, but a private car is far easier for a one-way coastal run. We usually pair it with Hulishan Fort in the morning and Zengcuoan for lunch, then continue to Yefengzhai for sunset before returning to your hotel.
The road itself is free and open 24 hours. Individual stops charge separately: Hulishan Fort ¥25, while Zengcuoan and the beaches are free. Book Hulishan tickets via the official WeChat account or Trip.com; foreign cards work on Trip.com, and WeChat Pay/Alipay now accept international cards for most on-site payments.
Visit between October and April, when humidity drops and skies are clearest. Late afternoon is ideal: start at Hulishan around 15:00, linger in Zengcuoan, then reach Yefengzhai by 17:30 for sunset. Avoid summer weekends and public holidays, when the cycling lane and beaches become genuinely crowded.
A relaxed half-day covers Hulishan Fort, Zengcuoan and one beach. Cycling the full 31 kilometres takes about three hours without stops, but most visitors prefer a one-way drive with selected stops.
Yes. The cycling lane is flat and traffic-free in most sections, and the beaches have calm, shallow water. Bring sun hats and avoid midday heat in summer.
Absolutely, but public buses are slow and taxis can be hard to flag on the return leg. A private driver-guide removes the logistics and adds historical context at Hulishan and Zengcuoan.
Zengcuoan is the food hub: try oyster omelette, sand tea noodles and peanut soup. Seafood restaurants near Huangcuo beach are fresher and less crowded than village stalls.
Tell us your dates, group size and preferences — a dedicated consultant will reach out within 24 hours.