Dulcet sounds of 'Drum Wave Islet'

A trip to Xiamen is not complete without a stopover at Gulangyu.

Thinking of it, a stopover is not enough. The best way to see this 1.87-sq-km island is to stay a day or two and absorb the sights and sounds of this little gem on the crown that is the coastal city of Xiamen.

Gulangyu is sandwiched between the city proper and the peninsula of Haicang district. And it takes only five minutes by ferry to reach. (The fare is 8 yuan - with 1 yuan more for the upper deck for a better view - charged on the return trip only. You can also take an around-the-island cruise for 15 yuan, but that's another experience.)