Xiamen - Amoy's The Merrier
Xiamen, officially China's cleanest city and facing Taiwan across the South China Sea, has much to recommend it.
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Known to westerners, in days gone by, as Amoy, the place has long been a thriving port, visited by Portuguese and later Dutch traders before the British took up residence in the 1840's. Xiamen is situated on a large island joined to the mainland by a 5km long causeway.
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| Images © Daniel Allen |
Most of the island's main historical attractions are situated on the small, pedestrianized islet of Gulangyu or are just around the main waterfront on the main island.
Gulangyu was a foreign concession until the end of World War II and retains a relaxing, peaceful charm - with no cars.
© Beijing-Visitor.com
