Xiamen Xianyue Mountain Travel Guide: Enjoying Leisure Time in the Urban Forest

Xianyue Mountain, located at the junction of Huli District and Siming District in Xiamen City, is like a green gem in the urban area, exuding a unique charm. It not only serves as the boundary mountain between Siming District and Huli District but is also an excellent destination that combines natural scenery, cultural landscapes, and recreational fitness. Next, I'll present a detailed travel guide to Xianyue Mountain to help you experience its distinctive charm. I. Attraction Introduction 1. Mountain-Sea Health Trail: The Xianyue Mountain section of the Mountain-Sea Health Trail is a highlight, with a total length of about 23 kilometers. Entering from the east gate of Xianyue Park, you can begin your journey on the amazing "viral spiral slope" of Youran Garden. Walking along the trail, you'll have lush forests on one side and bustling city views on the other, while also enjoying special attractions such as the glass viewing platform and Buyun Bridge. The glass viewing platform is located near the Songyun Garden station, offering a bird's-eye view of the forest landscape; Buyun Bridge spans across Xianyue Mountain forest, allowing you to overlook the slightly intoxicating Yundang Lake from above. 2. Tianzhu Rock Temple: Originally built during the Kangxi period, it was reconstructed to showcase its initial Buddhist architectural splendor with a strong Southern Fujian style. The temple environment is serene with photogenic yellow walls and tiles. When tired from sightseeing, you can enjoy vegetarian cuisine at the Zhuyuan Pavilion Vegetarian Restaurant inside the temple, where the vegetarian meals are both delicious and healthy. Alternatively, you can buy some vegetarian pastries at Tianzhu Blessing Bakery and sit in the corridor to drink tea, enjoying a leisurely time. 3. Earth God Temple: This temple, built during the Song Dynasty, is extremely popular among worshippers and is said to be effective for praying for wealth and love. The temple buildings are exquisite. Don't forget to touch the Earth God's gold ingot for good luck when entering the temple, and you can also visit the Matchmaker Hall. Outside the temple, there is a field of flowers that bloom in different seasons, making it a beautiful spot for photography. II. Itinerary Planning One-day Tour Route Arrive at the east gate of Xianyue Park around 9 AM and start your journey on the Mountain-Sea Health Trail, strolling to enjoy the forest and city views, which takes about 2-3 hours. After coming down from the trail, walk for about 15 minutes to reach Tianzhu Rock Temple, visit the temple, enjoy vegetarian food, and experience the peaceful atmosphere for about 1.5 hours. From Tianzhu Rock Temple, walk for about 10 minutes to reach the Earth God Temple, pray for blessings, admire the flower fields, and spend 1-2 hours there. Extended Multi-day Tour If you have more time, you can connect Xianyue Mountain with surrounding attractions. For example, on the second day, you can visit the adjacent SM City Plaza for shopping and dining; on the third day, go to Xiamen Cultural and Art Center to visit museums, libraries, science and technology museums, etc. III. Practical Information 1. Tickets: All attractions on Xianyue Mountain are free to enter. 2. Opening Hours: It is recommended to check with the scenic area for specific opening hours. Generally, it is open all day, but some temples may have specific opening periods. 3. Transportation Guide: ◦ Guanyin Mountain Gate (East Gate): Take Metro Line 1 to Wushi Pu Station, or bus to SM City Plaza Station. ◦ Qiaoyue Road Entrance (South Gate): Bus stations include Cultural Palace Station and North Lianyue Road Station. You can drive in from this entrance, and Tianzhu Rock Temple provides parking services. ◦ West Gate: Located outside Dongdu No. 2 Primary School, rarely used by tourists except for nearby residents. 4. Accommodation Recommendations: It is recommended to stay at Le Méridien Hotel located halfway up Xianyue Mountain, surrounded by forests, a natural oxygen bar. Room balconies overlook hillsides or courtyards with views of mountains, sea, and city. It's a 15-minute drive from the airport, close to popular attractions, and offers electric cart service up and down the mountain. 5. Food Recommendations: Besides the vegetarian cuisine at Tianzhu Rock Temple, there are many dining options around Xianyue Mountain. For example, Xiaohutong Trip.Gourmet offers honey-glazed roast goose, shark's fin with rice, dry pot chicken giblets, etc.; Xinxi Private Kitchen serves signature dishes like secret recipe spare ribs and fragrant tea shrimp, which are characteristic Fujian dishes worth trying. IV. Travel Tips 1. Check the weather in advance and choose a sunny day for your visit to enjoy better scenery and take better photos. 2. Keep quiet in the temples, respect religious beliefs and customs, and follow instructions for orderly visits and prayers. 3. The Mountain-Sea Health Trail is quite long. If you have limited energy, you can choose to explore only certain sections and rest at stations along the way. 4. Prepare for sun protection and mosquito repellent, and bring an adequate amount of drinking water and snacks to replenish your energy.