One Day Quanzhou Private Tour from Xiamen

Meet your tour guide in your Xiamen downtown hotel at your chosen departure time and aboard a comfortable private vehicle to Quanzhou (about 90 minutes). Once arrive, you’ll first visit Qingyuan Mountain which is considered to be the best natural and cultural landscape in Quanzhou and is known as “No.1 Penglai Mountain in Fujian Province” and the “Back garden of Quanzhou”. The mountains are not high, the trees are lush and the water is murmuring. There is an old monarch rock which is famous all over the world. It is a statue of Taoist Lao Tzu shaped by a huge mountain body. It has also become a landmark landscape of Qingyuan Mountain. The mountain has gathered rock calligraphies of Taoism, Confucius, Buddhism, Muslim, Muni, as well as many fine calligraphies since Tang and Song Dynasties, hence the name of “Museum of Stone Carving”. Next enjoy a delightful local lunch with the recommendation from your guide.

As the largest Buddhist temple in Fujian, Kaiyuan Temple has attracted many domestic and foreign travelers who are interested in Buddhist culture. After lunch you will follow your guide to explore this fairly complete se t of courtyard galleries. Major buildings in Kaiyuan Temple include Tianwang Hall, Daxiong Palace, the Sweet Dew Temple, the Sutra Depository, and Gongde Tang. Two long corridors and two stone towers date from the Song Dynasty (960-1279). In addition, many cultural relics are kept in the temple. Kaiyuan Temple is a must for visitors to learn the local culture. After exploring the entire complex, you will surely appreciate the Buddhist culture exemplified by the Kaiyuan Temple.

The last attraction is the Quanzhou Maritime Museum which is an ideal place for tourists to have a panorama view of trading history of Quanzhou and the development of Chinese shipbuilding. It is the only museum in China specializing in exhibitions of historical relics relating to overseas transportation. The Museum consists of an old and a new section. The old section, housed in the former Kaiyuan Temple, is used for exhibiting ancient boats. The new section, completed in 1991 and located on the scenic banks of East Lake, resembles a large sailing ship afloat on the sea. It covers an area of 3,000 square meters (32,000 sq. ft) with a built-up area of up to 7,300 square meters (79,000 sq. ft). There are four exhibition halls in the new section named “Quanzhou Maritime Exhibition Hall”, “Quanzhou Religious Stone Carving Hall”, “Quanzhou Ethnic Culture Exhibition Hall” and “Ancient Chinese Model Hall”. Afterwards, the driver will transfer you back to Xiamen and drop off at your hotel.