Xiamen & Fujian: Tulou Fortresses & Island Life — 5 Days
Architecture unlike anything else on earth
The Fujian Tulou are the strangest, most beautiful dwellings you’ve never heard of. Imagine a circular fortress five stories tall, built of rammed earth, with a single courtyard in the center, housing an entire clan — sometimes 80 families — under one roof.
Built between the 12th and 20th centuries by the Hakka people, they were so imposing on Cold War satellite imagery that Western intelligence briefly mistook them for missile silos.
Today, dozens are UNESCO World Heritage. Some are still lived in. This tour takes you inside them.
The two sides of Fujian
- Xiamen — a relaxed coastal city with the car-free island of Gulangyu, colonial history, and the best seafood in southeast China
- The Tulou region — mountain villages where time has barely moved, centered around these architectural miracles
Why this tour is special
Most China tours skip Fujian entirely. That’s a mistake. This is the China of green mountains, clan fortresses, island sunsets, and a way of life that feels centuries older than Beijing or Shanghai.
Day-by-day itinerary
- 1
Day 1: Arrival & Gulangyu
Ferry to Gulangyu — a car-free island of colonial architecture and piano museums, a UNESCO site.
- 2
Day 2: Xiamen City
Walk scenic Huandao Road along the coast. Visit the centuries-old Nanputuo Temple and the university district.
- 3
Day 3: Journey to the Tulou
Drive into the Fujian mountains to the Yongding Tulou cluster — huge circular earthen fortresses, some housing 80 families under one roof, built 400-700 years ago. UNESCO-listed.
- 4
Day 4: Inside a Tulou
Breakfast with a Hakka family inside one of the roundhouses. Walk between several Tulou of different sizes and shapes. Afternoon return to Xiamen.
- 5
Day 5: Departure
Free morning, airport transfer.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Tulou and why are they famous? +
The Fujian Tulou are massive circular or square earthen fortresses, built by Hakka clans from the 12th century onward. Some are 5 stories tall and housed hundreds of people. They're so unusual they were briefly rumored by Cold War satellites to be missile silos. Today they're UNESCO-listed.
Is Gulangyu worth a full day? +
Absolutely. It's a car-free island with colonial architecture, no traffic, dozens of piano museums (it was historically China's piano capital), and ocean views. A rare peaceful corner of urban China.
How far is the Tulou from Xiamen? +
About 2.5-3 hours by car into the mountains. We do it as an overnight journey so you can experience a Tulou at dawn, which is magical, rather than rushing back.