Gulangyu

Kulangsu, a Historic International Settlement

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Location	Xiamen, Fujian, China
Criteria	Cultural: ii, iv
Reference	1541
Inscription	2017 (41st Session)
Area	316.2 hectares (3.162 km2)
Buffer zone	886 ha
Coordinates	24°26′51″N 118°03′43″E / 24.44750°N 118.06194°E / 24.44750; 118.06194
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	鼓浪屿
Traditional Chinese	鼓浪嶼
Hokkien POJ	Kó͘-lōng-sū
Postal	Kulangsu
Literal meaning	Drum Wave Islet
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin gǔlàngyǔ Wu Romanization ku2 laon3 yu2 Yue: Cantonese Jyutping gu2 long6 zeoi6 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Kó͘-lōng-sū
Location of Gulangyu in Fujian Show map of Fujian Gulangyu (China) Show map of China

Gulangyu, Gulang or Kulangsu is a pedestrian-only island off the coast of Xiamen, Fujian Province in southeastern China. A UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, the island is about 2 km² (0.77 sq mi) in area, and is reached by an 8-minute ferry ride from downtown Xiamen. Although only about 20,000 people live on the island, Gulangyu is a major domestic tourist destination, attracting more than 10 million visitors per year, and making it one of China's most visited tourist attractions.^[1] Gulangyu not only bans cars, but also bicycles. The only vehicles permitted are small electric buggies and electric government service vehicles.

Visitors can reach Gulangyu by ferry from the ferry terminal in Xiamen. Local residents are allowed to use a shorter 5-minute ferry to/from the Lun Du Ferry Terminal. During the day (every 20 minutes, from 7:10 AM to 5:30 PM in Winter and Spring / from 7:10 AM to 6:30 PM in Summer and Autumn), tourists and non-locals take a 20-minute ferry ride from the Dongdu International Cruise Terminal to either San Qiu Tian Terminal or Nei Cuo Ao Terminal in Kulangsu Town. A ticket costs 35 CNY. After 6:00 PM, there is a more convenient ferry from Lundu Terminal 2, which drops off at San Qiu Tian Terminal in Kulangsu Town. That service runs all night, and also costs 35 CNY.^[2]

Gulangyu Island is renowned for its beaches, winding lanes and rich architecture. The island is on China's list of National Scenic Spots and is classified as a 5A tourist attraction by the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA). It ranks at the top of the list of the ten most scenic areas in the province.^[3]

Gulangyu covers an area of 1.91 square kilometres (0.74 sq mi), with a household population of 15,373. Administratively, the island constitutes the Gulangyu Subdistrict, part of Xiamen's Siming District.