It's a bumpy first few hours in China as we land in Xiamen for the FIRST time, coming to China it's like a NEW country every time, because the country is so vast and it moves so quickly that it's changed since you were last here. <br><br> We get first impressions of Xiamen a holiday destination for Chinese, meet the locals of Xiamen, go drinking with locals and we get a taste of what some of the local food tastes like. <br><br> Join us as we visit Xiamen for the first time, China's popular island, a beautiful city that has blossomed from a fishing port into a stunning city, where beaches meet skyscrapers. We'll be checking out Xiamen over the next few days.
Pat & Giulia's chaotic first day in Xiamen includes SIM card struggles, a lucky local whiskey session, and a stunning exploration of the Shapowei art district.
Travel Guides & Tips in this video
Pat & Giulia kick off their first trip to Xiamen with a classic mix of travel chaos and serendipity. After a long, food-poisoning-plagued flight from Indonesia, they land to find a city of stark contrasts—ancient temples rise next to gleaming skyscrapers. Their hunt for a SIM card ends in failure but leads to an unforgettable evening: local strangers pour them whiskey and serve 20-year-old radish soup, showcasing genuine Chinese hospitality. The next day, they explore the hipster Shapowei art district, a transformed fishing village, where they discover oolong tea ice cream and a dizzying vegetarian buffet for just 38 yuan. Despite a misleading hotel room (pool not included), the couple's arrival is a messy, delicious, and heartwarming welcome back to China.
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29 min
2025
First Impressions of Xiamen China Bumpy Arrival & Local Food
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It's a bumpy first few hours in China as we land in Xiamen for the FIRST time, coming to China it's like a NEW country every time, because the country is so vast and it moves...
First Impressions of Xiamen: Local Whiskey, Art & Street Food
Pat & Giulia describe their arrival in Xiamen as a bumpy first few hours in China. They note that coming to China feels like visiting a new country every time because the country is so vast and moves so quickly that it has changed since your last visit. They share their first impressions of Xiamen, a holiday destination for Chinese people, meet locals, go drinking with them, and get a taste of local food. They highlight that Xiamen is a popular island city that has blossomed from a fishing port into a stunning city where beaches meet skyscrapers.
Attractions in this video: Shapowei Art District, Oolong Tea Ice Cream
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More about the current video:(Published on 2025-10-31)
Pat & Giulia's first hours in Xiamen are a whirlwind of travel chaos and genuine human connection. The couple arrives from Indonesia after a six-hour flight, with Pat suffering from food poisoning, but the joy of being back in China is immediate. They note how smooth the immigration process is, praising the e-hailing app DiDi for eliminating taxi scams. After checking into a hotel that doesn't quite match its photos—the promised pool is 200 meters away—they head out for their first meal. A simple bowl of noodles feels 'mindblowingly good,' a testament to the high quality of even basic Chinese fare. The real magic happens when their quest for a SIM card fails. Lost in a residential area, they are invited to sit with friendly locals, who pour them large cups of whiskey and share a 20-year-old radish soup, a gesture of incredible hospitality. The next day, they explore the Shapowei art district, a former fishing village transformed into a hipster enclave with street art, vintage shops, and cafes. They marvel at the contrast between old fishing boats and modern towers. A standout moment is the discovery of oolong tea ice cream. For dinner, they dive into a vegetarian buffet, loading up on a mountain of dishes and desserts for just 38 yuan, a highlight of their food adventures. Throughout, Pat & Giulia are charmed by the city's blend of history and modernity, and by the warmth of its people.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
Q: What was the first meal like in Xiamen?
A: Even simple noodles were mindblowingly good, with fantastic quality like Italian pasta.
Q: What was the most surprising cultural encounter?
A: Locals invited us to sit with them, poured us large cups of whiskey, and shared 20-year-old radish soup.
Q: How much was the vegetarian buffet?
A: It was only 38 yuan for a huge mountain of food including desserts and ice cream.
Q: Was the hotel room as expected?
A: No, the room overlooked a street instead of mountains, and the pool was 200 meters away at a different location.
