Haitan Ancient City | Travel Through a Millennium of Min Culture | Home to Fujian’s Most Vibrant Fishing Village Spirit

“Pingtan Haitan Ancient City Travel Guide | Travel Through a Millennium of Min Culture, Meet a Storytelling City in the Capital of Blue Tears”---
> “It’s not a truly ‘ancient’ city, > yet it holds the most vibrant fishing village spirit of Fujian; > built in modern times, > it makes time flow back to the lively scenes of the Tang, Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties.”
**Haitan Ancient City**, located in the heart of the “International Tourism Island” — **Fujian Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone**, is a cultural tourism project newly built after 2016. It adopts **Ming and Qing architectural styles as its form and Min-Taiwan culture as its soul**, blending historical restoration, intangible cultural heritage experiences, specialty cuisine, and nighttime performances, making it a must-visit “cultural reception hall” in Pingtan.
This place is perfect for: ✅ Those who want to take beautiful photos in Hanfu 📸 ✅ Families with kids who want to learn while playing 👨‍👩‍👧 ✅ Couples who love seafood and night views 💑 ✅ Cultural travelers interested in Min-Taiwan heritage
📚 In a nutshell: > **By day, it’s a time-travel drama set; by night, a feast of lights and shadows; on the palate, a full banquet of island flavors.** ---
Suitable for: - Hanfu/Qipao enthusiasts (high photo success rate) 👘 - Families with children (many interactive activities) 👨‍👩‍👧 - Couples on dates (romantic night views) 🌙 - Middle-aged and elderly tourists (easy walking, resting areas) 👵 - Travelers interested in Minnan culture
Best travel time: | Season | Recommendation | Features ||------|--------------|----------|| ✅ **Spring and Autumn (March–May / September–November)** |⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Pleasant climate, avoids heat and typhoons || ✅ **Holidays (Spring Festival / National Day / Mid-Autumn Festival)** |⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ | Upgraded night shows, rich folk activities || ⚠️ **Summer (June–August)** |⭐⭐⭐ | Can be combined with beach activities, but midday is hot || ❌ Typhoon season or rainy days |⭐⭐ | Some outdoor shows suspended, slippery ground |
🚗 How to get there?
By car (recommended) - Navigation: “**Haitan Ancient City · Visitor Center**” or “Pingtan Haitan Ancient City” - Sample route: - From Fuzhou → Changping Expressway → Pingtan Strait Bridge → Haitan Ancient City (about 1.5 hours total) - 🅿️ The scenic area has a large underground parking lot, charging ¥5–10/hour, capped at ¥30/day
Public transportation - Pingtan bus: take **K1, 6, or 8** to “Haitan Ancient City Station” and get off right there - Taxi from **Pingtan High-Speed Rail Station** takes about 20 minutes, costs ¥30–40 - Taxi from **Longwangtou Beach / Tannan Bay** takes about 15 minutes, costs ¥20–30 -
Core activities | Four must-experience highlights
1. 【Wear Hanfu Once · Be a Min Capital Gentleman/Lady for a Day】👘 - Several Hanfu rental shops inside the ancient city (e.g., “Shiguangji,” “Huajianxu”) - Rental price: ¥68–128/set (includes makeup + accessories) - You can bring your own photographer or book a shoot (the ancient city offers professional photography services starting at ¥299)
🔥 Recommended photo spots: | Landmark | Style ||------|-------|| **Ancient City Gate Tower** | Grand and solemn, great for wide-angle low shots || **Confucian Temple Square + Pan Pool Arch Bridge** | Elegant and poetic, Jiangnan charm || **Covered Corridor + Red Lantern Street** | Night atmosphere at its peak || **Riverside Street Walkway** | Reflection compositions, fresh and delicate style |---
2. 【Watch “Haitan Storm” · 5D Immersive Live Drama】🎬 - Similar to the “Impression” series, telling the story of Pingtan fishermen fighting pirates - Venue: Ancient City Grand Theater (ticket required) - Duration: about 60 minutes - Features: water screen projection + real battle ships + flying stunts + wind, rain, thunder, and lightning effects 🎫 Ticket prices reference: - Regular ticket: ¥168/person - VIP seat: ¥238/person (best front-row view) - Discounts for children/elderly (with ID) 📌 Viewing tips: - Usually 1 show daily, time **19:30–20:30** (extra shows on holidays) - Arrive 30 minutes early, bring a light jacket (theater is air-conditioned) - The finale is spectacular, recommended to sit in the middle area ---
3. 【Stroll Through the Intangible Cultural Heritage Market · Taste Authentic Min Snacks】🍜 The ancient city gathers dozens of traditional Fujian crafts and foods, known as “The Taste of Eight Min.”
✅ Must-try snacks list: | Snack | Recommended Stall | Features ||------|----------------|----------|| **Pingtan Salted Rice Cake** | “Amei Snacks” | Rice batter wrapped with oysters and shrimp, fresh and soft || **Shilaiyunzhuan (another name for Salted Rice Cake)** | Available at many stalls | Lucky name, local favorite || **Oyster Omelette** | “Old Minnan Flavor” | Crispy outside, tender inside, perfect with sweet chili sauce || **Fish Ball Soup** | “Tanxi Ji” | Handmade, chewy and juicy || **Peanut Candy & Sesame Cake** | “Ancient Method Workshop” | Made fresh, sweet but not greasy || **Ice Jelly with Cool Shrimp** | Summer-only stall | Refreshing, brown sugar osmanthus flavor most popular |
4. 【Enjoy a Light Show · Dream Back to a Thousand-Year-Old Splendid Night】✨ Every night from **7:00 PM**, the entire ancient city enters a dreamlike mode: - Main building light show: dynamic performance of Mazu legend and Maritime Silk Road - Floating lanterns on the river: lotus lanterns drift slowly with the water - Red lantern corridor lights up, like a scene from a Studio Ghibli animation - Drone shows on holidays (common during Spring Festival)
📸 Photography tips: - Use a tripod for long exposure light trails on water - Use arch bridge reflections for composition - Have family wear Hanfu and walk into the center of the frame ---
🛍 Specialty shopping | Take home a piece of Pingtan memory The ancient city has many cultural and creative shops, perfect for souvenirs: - **Lanyu**: Pingtan dialect-themed cultural shop (canvas bags, badges, postcards) - **The Stone Sings**: Shell crafts, coral decorations - **Fisherwoman’s Workshop**: Handmade woven fishing net ornaments, shell wind chimes - **Sea Salt Skincare Pavilion**: Local sea salt soaps, scrubs, natural and gentle 🎁 Recommended gifts: - A set of “Blue Tears” themed bookmarks (fluorescent material) - A personalized safety charm (available for purchase at the Confucian Temple) ---
Accommodation suggestions Although Haitan Ancient City itself **does not offer lodging**, it is located in the core of Pingtan with mature surrounding facilities: | Type | Recommended Area | Advantages ||------|-----------------|----------|| Boutique guesthouses | West/South side of the ancient city residential area | Walkable, cost-effective || Design hotels | Along the island ring road (e.g., “Pingtan Baixiang Seaview”) | Sea view rooms + good service || Guesthouse clusters | Near Beibu Bay Ecological Corridor | Close to the most beautiful coastline | 📌 If planning an in-depth Pingtan trip (chasing blue tears, island cycling), staying one night or more is recommended ---
5. **Recommended linked activities**: - **Longwangtou Beach** (10-minute walk): swimming, beach ATV riding - **Tannan Bay** (20-minute drive): hotspot for blue tears, camping paradise - **Beibu Bay Ecological Corridor**: China’s version of “Highway 1,” perfect for cycling ---
> Take a walk through Haitan Ancient City at night, > and you will suddenly understand: > cultural revival > is not about copying an old city, > but about making us today > still willing to wear Hanfu, > cross a bridge, > listen to a play, > and taste a bite of the flavors from mom’s childhood. ---
I am Deepseek, a city wanderer who always believes “a true ancient city is not in bricks and tiles, but deep in the heart.”
🏮 Once in a lifetime encounter, may you one night carry a paper lantern, walk along the long street under red walls and flying eaves, and hear the distant sound of Nanyin music. At that moment, you finally understand:
Nostalgia is nothing but — a city remembers you, and you are willing to stay for a while.
Haitan has no ancient past, yet it tells an ancient dream.
In the heart of Pingtan, the pulse of a thousand years beats.