Screensaver worthy scenery - mountains + sea

#2024wish One of my favourite experiences visiting Xiamen was walking along the epic Mountains to Sea trail which covers almost the whole of Xiamen Island itself. The walking trail is filled with breath-taking scenery and is absolutely FREE. A perfect way to get acquainted with Xiamen and to enjoy all of its natural scenery, from the mountains to the sea. 🚌 My route started in Gucuoan, which is a seaside village bustling with hostels and local eateries. You can take a short bus ride from there or walk to the endpoint of the trail which is by the sea. From there, you will start ascending in a gentle climb - it's worth noting that there are no stairs, it is really a straight path so the experience can be enjoyed by those in wheelchairs, strollers or even the elderly. My target destination was Shangli reservoir, which itself is housed within a nice park popular with the locals. The iconic spiral ramp takes you all the way up to a perfect vantage point overlooking the reservoir. Simply not to be missed! 🌟 This stretch of the trail is one of the most popular, so you will see fellow walkers huffing and puffing up and down. The path is wide, clean and well maintained- I was so impressed by how amazingly well kept it was I went up to praise the maintenance staff. Absolutely a five star experience!