Shenzhen Self-Driving Tour to Xiamen and Quanzhou: A Super Detailed 5-Day, 4-Night Itinerary

Shenzhen self-driving tour to Xiamen and Quanzhou: A super detailed 5-day, 4-night itinerary‼️ My first trip to Xiamen was after the high school entrance exam. I joined a tour group with my classmates and took a long bus ride🚌 to visit Gulangyu Island, which was a popular destination nationwide at the time. This time, it was just the two of us in an electric car, starting from Shenzhen and traveling along the coastline! 🚘Self-driving route: Day 1️⃣: Shenzhen┅approx. 3.5h┅Shantou🏨 We departed in the evening and arrived in Shantou at 9pm. We had dinner at Tianshan Beef Hot Pot, where the beef was fresh and the portions were generous. They're open until 2am. After dinner, we stayed overnight in the city center. Day 2️⃣: Shantou┅approx. 2h┅Dongshan Island, Zhangzhou🏨 We left for Dongshan Island at 10am and rented a small electric scooter🛵 for CNY30/day. What a bargain! We first went to the Nanwang Pavilion, where the movie *The Left Ear* was filmed. Just follow the signs to get there. The pavilion is actually an old man's house. You can buy a bottle of water or a creative ice cream to visit, or take photos next to the cafe. After visiting the pavilion, we went to Ding Street and Nanmen Bay. We stayed near Jinluan Bay that night so we could watch the sunrise🌅 the next day. Day 3️⃣: Dongshan Island, Zhangzhou┅approx. 2h┅Xiamen Huandao Road┅approx. 1.5h┅Quanzhou🏨 We got up at 5:40am to watch the sunrise. The mirror-like sunrise on the beach was truly beautiful! I think it's the most worthwhile sight on Dongshan Island😎, but it depends on the weather. After watching the sunrise, we went back to the hotel to catch up on sleep and left for Xiamen around 10am. (There's a one-day itinerary for Xiamen Huandao Road on my homepage. If you're interested, you can check it out and save it.) We had both lunch and dinner in Zengcuoan🥣. Lunch: Chenxi Satay Noodles, delicious and I loved it. Dinner: No. 6 Private Kitchen, seafood restaurant, fresh ingredients but there was a queue. After dinner, we drove directly to Quanzhou and stayed at a B&B near the ancient city. Day 4️⃣: Quanzhou Ancient City┅approx. 1h┅Shishi┅approx. 4h┅Chaozhou🏨 We went out at 9am and checked in at some photo spots on West Street. I personally think the best photo spot is the No. 7 store on the Meichaofeng rooftop. The only problem with West Street is that it's crowded. I also couldn't stand the smell of ginger duck😂. In the afternoon, we went to Shishi to see the sea and chilled at the Tangerine Lighthouse Cafe for an afternoon. The winter sea in Quanzhou is charming. I'd call it a branch of Jeju Island, but unfortunately, it was cloudy that day and there was no sunset. In the evening, we drove directly to Chaozhou. Day 5️⃣: Chaozhou┅approx. 4h┅Shenzhen There's a one-day itinerary for Chaozhou on my homepage. If you're interested, you can check it out and save it. In Chaozhou, we ate casserole porridge, rice noodle rolls, and kway teow soup. I wish I had a bigger stomach! Before leaving, we also went to the local market and bought beef and beef tendon balls, and Chaozhou's "three treasures"😄. 💕What a wonderful trip! Eating, drinking, seeing the sea, and experiencing Minnan culture, so relaxing!! Although it was my second time in Fujian, it gave me a different experience. Friends in nearby cities can definitely consider Fujian as a destination for their first self-driving trip. The fun of traveling and exploring along the way is really interesting.