Tong'an

Tong'an (同安, Tâng-oaⁿ in Minnan, Tóng'ān in Mandarin) is a suburb of Xiamen.

Understand

Roadside shrine

Administratively, Tong'an is part of Xiamen but geographically, it is distinct; the local dialect even has noticeable differences from that of Xiamen island. It is on the most northerly of several mainland suburbs, the largest by land area, and the only one not connected directly by a bridge or tunnel to Xiamen Island where the center of the city is. There is a map in the Xiamen article.

Like the adjacent mainland suburb Jimei, Tong'an is on the Xiamen Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. See the get around section of the Xiamen article for details including a link to a map.

It the last few years, Tong'an has been growing quickly. There are quite a few new buildings, especially highrise apartment developments along the BRT line. Places out here are much cheaper than downtown Xiamen.

Get in

Go to Xiamen. If you are travelling by road, either cross a bridge to Jimei or take the tunnel to Xiang'an; both of those suburbs are adjacent to Tong'an and well connected to it.

From Xiamen Airport, city bus #105 goes to Tong'an. From downtown Xiamen, the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) goes to Tong'an.

Get around

There are taxis and buses.

See

• Tong'an TV & Movie City (同安影視城), No.339 Lunsan Road,Tong'an District (Bus 655). 09:00-17:20. A replica of Tian'anmen Square and the parts of the Forbidden City used for TV and movie shoots. The Tian'anmen Square replica is about 1/4th the size of the original square in Beijing and looks very similar, so good be an interesting place to visit if you haven't seen the real thing. There are some information in Chinese and English as well. Located in Northeastern Tong'an, about a 15-20 min bus ride from the BRT terminus. 25RMB. (updated Dec 2023)
• The central parts of Tong'an (along the river bank north of the BRT terminus) are generally quite pleasant with some older houses and art murals remaining, although much of it is newer architecture as well.
• The Northern and Western parts (out in the countryside) of Tong'an has some nice villages and hills with beautiful views and terraced farms. Buses run in varying frequency (not very often to some of the more remote villages) from the Tong'an main bus station.

Do

• 1 Fantawild Oriental Heritage (厦门方特东方神画), 1111 Haixun Road South (石浔南路1111号) (Bus routes 601, 604, 618, 631, 636, 653, 691, 762 and 765. If you're coming from Xiamen Island, you can take bus no. 653 from the Xiamen International Conference & Exhibition Center), toll-free: +86 400 1660006. 09:30-17:30 (Monday to Friday), 09:30-18:00 (weekends and public holidays). Some things don't open until 10:00 or 10:30. A major theme park. Part of the Fantawild chain. ¥280 (adults), ¥210 (persons aged between 60 and 70 as well as children between 1.2 and 1.5 metres in height). Persons over 70 and children under 1.2 metres in height are granted free admission. (updated Feb 2019)