World Heritage Town·Quanzhou Easy Two-Day Tour with Guide

Do not go during the peak season! Restaurants and temples are crowded, which diminishes the experience. Try to take a day or two off, like I did with a weekend + Monday; two to three days is enough. - 🏠Accommodation: Most online recommendations suggest staying away from the attractions, but I prefer the opposite. Staying in the old town is so convenient! I stayed at the intersection of Zhongshan Road and West Street, where several temples and popular snack shops are within walking distance. It only takes a few minutes by 'little white car', freeing up more time for my overnight trip. The only downside to this hotel is the price; otherwise, the experience is very good. You can also look for homestays with better environments. - 🚗Transportation: Walk or take the 'little white car' in the old town. These cars are readily available throughout the old town, with a wait of just a minute or two, or even less. Just wave your hand, tell the driver where you want to go, and if it's reachable within the old town, they'll invite you aboard. It costs 2 yuan per person, and you can pay with Quanzhou's Alipay transportation card when getting off, which is super convenient. For longer distances, take a taxi. - 🚶Strolling the Streets and Alleys: Staying near the bell tower, start from there and embark on this citywalk along West Street and Zhongshan Road. Wander into any lively alleys you see, like Goldfish Alley, Flower Alley, Chengtian Alley, etc. There's no need to follow various routes found online; this area is actually quite small. As you shuttle between temples and attractions, you'll inadvertently explore these places, so just go with the flow. - 🪷Temples: I visited three temples in the old town, all close to each other, which can be toured in a morning or an afternoon. They are Kaiyuan Temple, Guanyue Temple, and Chengtian Temple. They are quite different from many temples I've visited in Hangzhou, and seeing them in person is quite impressive. P45 is Kaiyuan Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in Fujian Province, so it's super crowded! Going early in the morning can help avoid the crowds for a more comfortable visit. I went on a rainy Monday, arriving at 8 am, so there weren't many people. You can scan the QR codes at various points for explanations, which is really interesting! You can allocate about 1.5-2h for it. P3 is a photo taken through the incense burner at Chengtian Temple, which is second only to Kaiyuan Temple in size. It felt similar, and I left after half an hour. If you're short on time, you might choose one of the two! P10 is Guanyue Temple, where the incense is really strong. Even the rain can't stop everyone's sincere devotion. It's said that the fortune-telling is very accurate, and during off-peak seasons, praying and fortune-telling take about half an hour. Make sure to research the fortune-telling process in advance! If you get the steps wrong, it might not be accurate. - 🍜Food: I tried Zhang Lin A Shan Ginger Duck, Shuimen Guozi Mianxianhu, and Dongxing Beef Shop, and both my friend and I agreed they were delicious!