Live Your Best Lives
Shapowei is a place that must be mentioned in every Xiamen guide and everyone who travels to Xiamen will visit. It is synonymous with literature, fun and photogenic.
Many people who visit Shapowei for the first time always can't find where it is. In fact, Shapowei is just a small block on the map, super small. I personally think that from a tourism perspective, Shapowei is the area of Art West District + University Road.
In the past, Shapowei was just a small fishing port, a haven for fishing boats to take shelter from typhoons. Due to poverty at the time, some people were unable to leave their boats for their entire lives, and were forced to live on their boats for generations. Even now, many small fishing boats still dock at Shapowei.
Tips:
transportation:
The bus and subway are very convenient, but the traffic jam is serious. It is not recommended to take a taxi. If you want to take a taxi, be sure to ask the price. Do not take a taxi that costs 5 yuan.
Suitable for those who love photography and have good physical strength. If you are looking for a unique experience or scenery, this is not recommended. However, if you want to take pictures or want to see the coexistence of art and old Xiamen, this is highly recommended.
Travel essentials:
A beautiful dress (white, yellow, red, or floral dresses are best), attractive makeup, a camera, and mosquito repellent (very important, mosquitoes are terrible, I recommend Radar mosquito repellent), sunscreen, an umbrella, and a hat (it's super hot in the summer, so be sure to wear sunscreen)
cost:
There is no entrance fee to the scenic area, you can just walk around on your own. The prices of items in Shapowei are generally a bit high, you can bargain, but you must buy them after bargaining.
In fact, Xiamen University, Cat Street, Yanwu Bridge Observation Deck, Art West District, Shapowei, and the Twin Towers are all very close to each other. You can spend a day visiting these attractions and walk or ride a bicycle the whole way.
If your destination is Shapowei, go directly to University Road - Art West District - Yanwu Bridge Observation Deck
If you are coming from Xiamen University, go directly to Xiamen University - Cat Street - Art West District - University Road - Yanwu Bridge Observation Deck
I came from Yanwu Bridge, so I went to Yanwu Bridge Observation Deck - Art West District - University Road
The most common Art West District in the travel guide is actually the Creative Park. The decoration of the shops inside is very creative, but it is very small, really small, just two bends. It will be crowded in July and August or on statutory holidays, but it is worth taking pictures inside, every place is worth taking pictures.
Another overlooked spot is the escalator you can see from the big bicycle. Going up the escalator takes you to the upper level. It's air-conditioned and cool, relatively uncrowded, and the interior is beautiful, with every wall worth photographing. There's also a large terrace where you can take photos of Shapowei across the street, and there are plenty of creative shops to browse.
(As soon as you enter Shapowei, you can see a small stage where there are sometimes performances at night)
(Creative market in the Art West District, many fun little things)
(There are many such walls that can be photographed, but they will change after a period of time, so each time you go there is not quite the same)
(You can see the escalator right next to it)
(It’s super easy to take pictures here)
Beyond the Art West District, don't rush. Navigating to the Street Light Plan on your phone will lead you into the residential area of Shapowei. Not far away, in an old factory building, is the Street Light Plan. Behind the orange gate is a shared space, open 24 hours a day. Anyone can enter and rest. You can use the items inside, but you must clean up after use. You can also relax and make tea inside, but please bring your own tea. It's quite charming.
The street light is planned to go out, turn right and go straight, you can enter a sports space, which is very suitable for taking pictures, but few people know about it. If you go back the same way, you can walk to the Chibao in Shapowei, which is said to be full of Minnan snacks.
Then walk into University Road. There is a small path on the side close to the sea. You can walk along the seaside. There are many small shops nearby. It will be hotter in the afternoon, so be careful to prevent heatstroke.
You can walk out of any house on the beach to University Road. There are still a lot of cars on University Road, but the arcades on both sides are very attractive and suitable for taking pictures of the scenery.
University Road Food
I highly recommend the cold drink shop "Qiaomei". Their shaved ice is super delicious, and the watermelon smoothie is also delicious. It doesn't feel like watered-down juice. It's highly recommended. There's also a slide in the shop that lets you slide down from the second floor to the first floor, which is very childish.
Pretend to be in a Korean restaurant
As an internet-famous restaurant, the food tastes pretty good. If you like Korean food, you can try it. The beef bibimbap has a strong peppery flavor, and the fried rice cakes, seafood ramen and fried chicken are delicious. The seafood ramen contains a lot of seafood and is real seafood ramen.
The Xiamen Twin Towers are just 800 meters from Daxue Road. These two towers are a new landmark in Xiamen. Their two independent buildings are connected by a podium, and their sail-like exterior incorporates the visual elements of Xiamen's city flower, bougainvillea. If the weather is good, be sure to visit the 55th-floor Xiamen Observation Deck for an unparalleled view of Gulangyu Island.
After admiring the Twin Towers, you can go to the Yanwu Bridge Observation Deck, where you can see the sea and Shapowei in the distance. It is even more worth seeing at sunset.
If it’s not explained clearly, most people won’t know where to go when they get there, so I hope this guide can help you. I will continue to share interesting places with you in the future.
