Xià Mén 厦门

Xia Men University 厦门大学

I have heard that the campus of Xia Men University is very beautiful. I myself have never been there so I can neither confirm nor deny this claim. I have added pictures from Google images of what Xia Men University looks like below.

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Nan Pu Tuo Temple (Nán Pǔ Tuó Sì) 南普陀寺

To tell the truth Nan Pu Tuo Temple is one of my favorite temples in all of China. There are some temples in China that seem to be more for tourist than for spiritual purposes, this temple is not like that. This temple is more than just a tourist attraction. There are monks that live in the temple and dedicate their lives to the practice of Buddhism. The monks dress in their traditional robes and conduct their prayer rituals in the temple. For those interested in Buddhism or that would just like to see what a Buddhist prayer ritual looks like this is the place to visit.

This temple was built into the side of a mountain so there is a nice balance between the natural ambience of the mountain and the atmosphere of a traditional Buddhist temple, which gives the temple a very serene and tranquil feeling.

In the last hall of the temple there is a large Buddha (it is not jaw droppingly big, but it is still very impressive). Once visitors to the temple have finished admiring all that the temple has to offer, they have the option to continue walking towards the back of the temple and proceeding up the mountain.

To climb to the top of the mountain may take around an a little more than an hour. However, you do not need to climb to the very top of the mountain to enjoy some of the best views that there are to be had of both Nan Pu Tuo Temple and the city of Xia Men.

How much time should I allot to spend in Nan Pu Tuo Temple?

I would say ½ day should be enough time to enjoy this temple without being rushed nor bored. In this temple I recommend taking your time to enjoy the peaceful and tranquil atmosphere that this temple provides.

Meow Street 厦门猫街

If you’re a cat person in Xiamen with a bit of extra time and in the city and are not sure what to do, consider Meow Street. Here you will find all of the cat memorabilia and other cat accessories to satisfy your needs. There is also a few places on this street that you can come into contact with actual cats such as Cat Cafes. There is a cat museum as well, but I am unsure as to whether or not they have actual cats in there or not (as in a cat cafe type setting).

The short story of Meow street is that because Xiamen was/is a major port city for China, sometimes seafarers would bring over cats from their countries. Due to the climate of Xiamen (being warm for the majority of the time) the cats of varying species thrived. Meow Street was once know for being a place where the fishermen would take their catch. This attracted these cats and it was said that this street was once filled with cats.

Meow Street is very close to Xiamen University. In the event that a trip to Xiamen University was being planned you could kill two birds with one stone and see both sites.