Xiamen: The city to watch

Located in the southeast coastland of China, between Hong Kong and Shanghai and facing Taiwan island to the east, Xiamen is now considered as one of the most cultured and economically powerful cities in China. An ideal destination for investment, this highly modernized seaport city boasts of a rapid economic development which is very visible and transparent if you get to visit the place. In fact, some Filipino businessmen have invested there. To name a few, SM Department Store and Supermarket - Xiamen is one of the biggest malls in the city. Bench has also an outlet there in the shopping district.

A door in China's southeast coast, Xiamen, is one of China's famous tourist destinations and model cities for environmental protection. With a balmy climate, egrets fly freely along the beaches and harbors, lush flower and plant species adorn the city, definitely adding beauty and color all year round.

I have heard a lot of good things about this place during my teenage years, the time when my father, Vicente A. Kintanar, Jr., was Vice Mayor of the City of Cebu for it was then that the City of Xiamen and the City of Cebu formalized a "sister city" agreement. It was more on stories from him of how beautiful the city was and how pleasant and hospitable the locals were...not until Philippine Airlines and Cebu Fortune Travel, Incorporated invited yours truly to be one of the participants of a Xiamen City fam tour last month did I get to experience Xiamen! It was an opportunity I grabbed with no second thoughts. And as expected, it was truly worth it!

Considering the little time we had (four days and three nights), the group managed to go around the city and did the major tourist spots, in between experiencing real Chinese cuisine with our charming and efficient guide, Maggie (who definitely did her homework.) We gazed with awe and admiration, wide-eyed to all the magnificent, well-manicured parks, majestic palaces that took centuries to build, educational and interesting museums, world-class hotels and resorts, etc.

I highly recommend the following places to every tourist in Xiamen: Riyuego Hotsprings. A national AAAA rated attraction, Riyuego Hotsprings has more than 100 pools with natural hot spring water. Riyuego Hotsprings definitely transformed the age-old tradition of bathing in natural hot springs into an art.

Having a serene ambiance within a tropical garden setting of extraordinary beauty, Riyuego offers glorious milk bath which kept Cleopatra's skin soft and supple and at the same time one can inhale sweet floral scents, seek natural remedies in the herbal garden, relax and have a full-body massage on hot spring heated granite or simply dip into one of the three huge swimming pools after a hearty and sumptuous meal in one of the dining outlets of the resort. Gulangyu Islet. With an area of 1.78 square kilometers, a good 10-minute ferry ride from the mainland, Gulangyo Islet is surrounded with fine sand beaches with a lot of unique rocks of natural design including the Sunlight Rock which is the highest and the symbol of Xiamen. There, you will find the Piano Musuem which houses a collection of pianos from all over the world of different sizes and in unusual designs! Have you seen a corner piano formed like a letter L? well, its there!

The Shuzhuang Garden, the Moonlight Garden, the Yu Garden are all there, too. As the common saying in Xiamen goes, "you haven't been to Xiamen if you haven't been to Gulangyu". Jimei School Village. It is the hometown of Tan Ka-Kee who is a well renowned leader of the Chinese. It is filled with structures of typical ancient Chinese architecture. Aside from being the breeding ground for talents, it is also a place of tourist interest with the Dragon Boat Pond where you will find two pavilions in the center resembling two flying birds.

There, too, is another major spot, the Ao(turtle) Garden which was built by Tan Ka-Kee in 1950 of an area of 8,990 square meters where you'll find stone relief porches, the monument of Jimei's liberation and the tomb of Tan Ka-Kee and some carved stone characters. Nan Putuo Temple. Built during the Tang Dynasty, it is one of the famous ancient temples in Minnan(south Fujian), and known as "The Ancient Temple of One Thousand Years". Buddhists often visit the place and pay homage and pray to the Smiling Buddha, Weltuo(the garden warrior), Sanbao, the 1,000 Goddess of Mercy, 18 arhats, etc.

There, too, are various precious Buddist relics such as the Buddhist scripture, the bells of the Song Dynasty, the Jade Buddha, to name a few, which are kept at the Cangjing Palace. From the tip of the Nan Putuo Mountain is a vantage point of the Xiamen University campus and the Xiamen port area. Zhongshan Road. A must-go destination for shopaholics! There you will find anything you want! Souvenir items, designer, not-so expensive and cheap clothes, bags and shoes, electronics, and what have you!

In general, Xiamen is a place to be. A place for business or for pleasure. It is definitely one peaceful and beautiful city which I'm looking forward to go for another visit! Xiamen! Amen!