About Xiamen
Located at the southeast coast of China, Xiamen
is a tourist city of Fujian Province famous for its attractive
seascape. As one of the major seaports since ancient times, it
boasts a wide gulf with deep water but without freezing and silting.
The name of 'Xiamen' was consequently given, which means 'a gate of
China'. As one of the forerunners of the special economic zones of
China, the city mainly consisting of Xiamen Island, Gulangyu Island,
the north bank area of the Jiulong River and Tong'an County, is
connected with the mainland by the Gaoji Seawall, Xiamen Bridge,
etc. The city has been called the Egret Island because of the
hundreds of thousands of egrets inhabiting there. This is due to the
beautiful natural scenery, the fresh air and the clean environment
of the city.
Being of a subtropical monsoon climate with mild weather all year
round expect the typhoon months, Xiamen is an ideal tourist
destination for you. It is a typical littoral city with abundant
tourist attractions such as islands, mountains, temples and parks,
etc., providing you with a full sightseeing schedule. The well-known
Gulangyu Island, South Putuo Temple and other tourist areas like
Jimei, Hulishan Battery, Wanshiyan, etc. are highly recommended. A
sea tourist line is also available for you to enjoy the amazing
scenery of many beautiful small islands around.
Xiamen enjoys convenient transportation. You can go there by air, by
train, by coach or by sea. The transportation within the city is
also satisfying. Most tourists consider the accommodation,
consisting of many star rated hotels, convenient. Meanwhile there
are plenty of special local products to be added to your shopping
list, including various kinds of tealeaves, fruits like sugarcanes,
olives and longans as well as sea products such as fish, prawns,
crabs, abalones and lancelets.
Being the hometown of many overseas Chinese, Xiamen has actually
benefited from the contribution of overseas Chinese and its economy
has undertaken great advancement. To promote its tourism industry,
it has established not only the corresponding infrastructures, but
also a great variety of entertainment centers. The folk customs of
the minorities, varied local festivals and especially the particular
local dishes and snacks are also appealing to visitors. Xiamen, with
distinct oriental culture and southern Fujian features, welcomes you
from all over the world.
Time Zone
Time Zone: GMT plus 8 hours
Useful Numbers:
Telephone country code: +86
Telephone area code: 592
Police: 110
Fire Department: 119
Ambulance: 120
Local directory assistance: 114 (service in Chinese only)
Currency and Bank Information:
The RMB (Renminbi) is the official currency, also called Chinese
Yuan. Only RMB can be used when you are in China. Major credit cards
including VISA, MasterCard, and American Express are accepted at
some hotels, department stores and restaurants.
Exchange rate is now about（Dec 24th, 2016）
1 Euro = 7.263 RMB
1 USD= 6.946 RMB
The universal Currency Converter: http://www.xe.com/ucc/
Currency exchange service is available at the airport Office of the
Bank of China. Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of
China, Construction Bank of China, and Guangda Bank also provide ATM
service in the terminal.
There are a few banks on the Xiang'an campus of Xiamen University.
Most of banks are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. on
weekdays, and close earlier on Saturdays and Sundays.
Tipping
Tipping is not a part of Chinese custom. A 10% to 15% service charge
may be added to your bill at some tourist hotels thus no tipping is
expected unless you are provided with extra service. It is not
necessary to tip a taxi driver unless he/she assists with luggage or
provides extra service.
Electricity
The standard domestic power supply in China is 220 V AC at 50 Hz.
The standard sockets are two parallel lines
and three lines as shown on the right photo.
Insurance
No responsibility can be assured for any kind of personal accidents,
sickness, theft, or property damage suffered by conference
participants. Participants are advised to arrange whatever insurance
they consider it necessary.
Weather
Xiamen is a subtropical coastal city. The temperature in Jan is
between 10-17 ℃, with an average of 15℃ (59°F). The average
precipitation in Jan is about 37 mm. Yahoo’s 5-day Xiamen weather
report:
http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/CHXX0140_f.html
For more useful and interesting local information, visit
http://amoymagic.com/.