8 Best Places to Visit in Fujian: Where to Go in Fujian, China

Sanfang Qixiang

Yongquan Temple

Located on the east coast, Fuzhou serves as the capital of Fujian Province. Together with Xiamen, Fuzhou is usually the first place of this region you visit as most convenient international and domestic connections start or end here. This city has an eclectic mix of modern skyscrapers combined with historical blocks and ancient temples. If you love China's modern history, you should rank Sanfang Qixiang, Ancestral Hall and Museum of Lin Zexu and Mawei Por at the top your travel list. Sanfang Qixiang, or called Three Lanes and Seven Alleys, is the busiest and best-preserved historical block in Fuzhou downtown. Ancestral Hall and Museum of Lin Zexu is a memorial hall of Lize Xu, a national hero in China who famously suppressed the importation of opium and sparked the First Opium War. Mawei Port is where China's modern navy and ship administration culture begin. Ancient Temples in Fuzhou are also a lot, and the Yongquan Temple settled amidst the forest of Drum Mountain Scenic Area (Gushan) is usually a must visit.

Aside from awesome history and culture, Fuzhou also has a multitude of wonderful costal resorts such as Pingtan Island that offers pristine beaches and broad sea views.

• Highlights: Sanfang Qixiang (Three Lanes and Seven Alleys), Yongquan Temple, Drum Mountain Scenic Area, Ancestral Hall and Museum of Lin Zexu, West Lake Park, Hualin Temple, Jinshan Temple, Pingtan Island, etc.
• Recommended Trip Length: 1~3 days

Carvings of Kaiyuan Temple

Qingyuan Mountain

Quanzhou City north of Xiamen is famous for its rich variety of religious. With a long history of over a thousand years of communications with overseas countries, Quanzhou embraces different religious culture of all over the world in an inclusive manner. Here, you can have a glimpse of almost all the religions in the world, from Buddhist to Islam, Taoism to Christianity, and so on. You can even get all those different religious temples on one single street there. Therefore, Quanzhou is also praised as "The Buddhist Country" and "The Buddhist Museum".

Kaiyuan Temple (or called Kaiyuan Monastery), the largest and most noble temple in the whole Fujian Province, is just located on West Street in Fuzhou. Other famous temples of Fuzhou include Chengtain Temple (承天寺), Guandi Temple (关帝庙), etc. In the northern suburbs of Quanzhou is the wonderful Qingyuan Mountain, where you could not only enjoy leisure hiking but also many religious stone statues of great importance.

• Highlights: Kaiyuan Temple, Qingyuan Mountain, Chengtian Temple, Qingjing Temple, Luoyang Bridge, Tianhou Temple, etc.
• Recommended Trip Length: 1~2 days

Meizhou Island

Meizhou Island

Described as "Macca of the East" by visitors from home and abroad, Meizhou Island has so much variety to offer, from as many as 13 golden beaches to little stone forest, mysterious erosion rocks as well as sacred Mazu Temple Complex. Mazu is Chinese Goodness of the Sea worshiped by the spiritual people spreading the coastal provinces and cities in China and all over the globe where large groups of overseas Chinese settle. In 2009, the Mazu Belief and Custom was included in the List of UNESCO Representatives of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It is said Meizhou Island is the birthplace of Mazu. And the Mazu Temple there is the most holy place to worship Mazu. On the highest point of the majestic temple cluster is a huge Marble Statue of Mazu. Every year, especially during the birthday of Mazu (usually happens in late April or early May) and Ascension Day of Mazu (usually happens in late October or early November), worldwide worshipers will gather in front of the Mazu Statue and show their respects.

• Highlights: Meizhou Island
• Recommended Trip Length: 1 day or so

Big Golden Lake Scenic Area

Shangqing Stream

Seldom visitors know Taining until Taining Danxia Landform, along with Lang Mountain in Hunan, Danxia Mountain in Guangdong, Dragon and Tiger Mountain in Jiangxi, Jianglang Mountain in Zhejiang and Chishui in Guizhou, was inscribed as a member of UNESCO World Natural Heritages as China Danxia in 2010. Danxia Landform is such a breathtaking red-bedded landscaped characterized by steep cliffs. In southern China, there are many Danxia Landform distributed in the mountainous regions, while Taining Danxia is said to the place Where China's Danxia Stories Begin.

For tourists, the best place to admire the magnificent Taining Danxia Landform is Taining Scenic Area with beautiful Water Danxia Landscape and mysterious cave wonders and canyon groups. The whole Taining Scenic Area is relatively large, which is composed of as many as nice scenic areas. And the most popular and beautiful parts are Big Golden Lake Scenic Area and Shangqng Stream.

• Highlights: Big Golden Lake Scenic Area, Ganlu Temple, Shangqing Stream, Taining Old Town, etc.
• Recommended Trip Length: 1~2 days