This Popular Cruise Line Started Sailing to Mainland China-and I Went Along for the Ride

"In 1902, more than a century before the Trump tariffs turned global trade upside down, people from around the world were racing to set up shop on the island of Gulangyu. At the time, many of the world's great powers were opening consulates on this islet near Xiamen, China, eager to stake an economic claim on the Middle Kingdom. On Gulangyu, new arrivals from the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and 10 other nations forged a pluralistic society, one that built terraced seaside gardens,"

"If you're anything like me, you've probably never heard of Gulangyu or, for that matter, Xiamen, the city of 5 million just an eight-minute ferry ride away. So, for me, it was a revelation to wander the charming pedestrian streets of Gulangyu, taking photos, ducking into tea shops, and shopping for postcards. Everything-every snippet of Chinese I heard, every pagoda and vista I saw in the Shuzhuang Garden-was wildly novel. It felt completely different from anything I'd ever seen before, an epiphany"

In 1902, global powers established consulates on Gulangyu, an islet near Xiamen, creating a pluralistic enclave of Western and Asian residents. Settlers from the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and ten other nations built terraced seaside gardens, winding lanes, and villas influenced by European styles. The architectural tradition and cultural legacy of the island earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 2017. Modern Gulangyu features pedestrian-only streets, tea shops, Shuzhuang Garden vistas, and a distinctly different atmosphere from mainland cities. Nearby coastal destinations such as Dongtou, Pingtan, and Zhoushan also offer novel experiences, and tour operators have resumed services to the mainland.

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