Xiamen Garden Expo Park is located in Jimei District, Xiamen City, Fujian Province. It is a national 4A-level tourist attraction and an important landmark of ecological leisure and garden culture display in Xiamen. The park is built on Zhongzhou Island and surrounding islets within Xinglin Bay Reservoir, featuring the core characteristic of a "waterborne garden expo." It integrates traditional Chinese garden art, modern landscape design, coastal wetland ecology, and Minnan regional culture. It is a large-scale comprehensive urban garden attraction that combines garden exhibition, ecological conservation, leisure tourism, science education, and cultural exchange. The total area covers approximately 3.35 square kilometers, of which about 1.73 square kilometers is land and 1.62 square kilometers is water. The park encompasses 9 islands and 16 landscaped bridges, with architectural styles ranging from Minnan, Lingnan, Jiangnan, and Bashu, complemented by extensive wetlands, flower seas, lawns, and waterfront landscapes. It is one of China's largest waterborne garden expo parks.
History and Culture
Construction of Xiamen Garden Expo Park began in 2004 as the venue for the 6th China International Garden & Flower Expo. The expo officially opened in September 2007, and afterward, the park was permanently opened to the public as a city park, marking an important milestone in Xiamen's urban ecological construction and garden culture development. Built upon the wetland ecological foundation of Xinglin Bay, the park preserves the original water areas, tidal flats, and natural vegetation, adhering to principles of ecological priority and cultural integration, perfectly blending artificial landscaping with the natural environment.
The park carries the diverse heritage of Chinese garden culture, gathering characteristic garden exhibits from various provinces and cities across the country, showcasing different regional gardening techniques, folk customs, and architectural aesthetics. It also incorporates local cultural symbols such as Minnan red-brick ancestral houses and Jiageng-style architecture, forming a garden cultural pattern that combines Chinese and Western elements and blends northern and southern styles. As a model project of ecological restoration in Xiamen, the park transformed abandoned water areas into an urban green core, becoming a symbol of Xiamen's ecological civilization construction and urban landscape enhancement, as well as a core destination for citizens' leisure and tourists' experience of coastal garden scenery.
Major Attractions
Main Gate
The main gate is the park's iconic entrance structure, blending Minnan traditional architecture with modern design. Grand and imposing, it is both functional and ornamental, serving as the first stop for visitors and a prime photo spot.
Xinglin Pavilion
Xinglin Pavilion is the highest point in the park, located at its core. It is a multi-story antique pavilion-style building, approximately 50 meters tall. From the top, visitors can overlook the entire waterborne garden landscape, the panoramic view of Xinglin Bay, and the urban scenery of Jimei District, making it the park's central viewing attraction.
Moonlight Ring
Situated in the middle of the park's waters, the Moonlight Ring is China's first水上 landscape installation, with a diameter of about 36 meters. It features water curtains, lighting, and a ring-shaped structure to create a dreamy scene. At night, with light shows, it presents a visual effect of a full moon reflected in the water, making it the park's most distinctive internet-famous attraction.
Ecological Wetland
The ecological wetland is the park's core ecological area, covering a vast expanse with rich aquatic plants, tidal flat vegetation, and bird resources. It is an important habitat for egrets and other waterbirds. The wetland features wooden boardwalks and bird-watching platforms, allowing visitors to closely observe the pristine coastal wetland landscape.
Minnan Folk Garden
This area showcases Minnan regional culture and architectural features, with red-brick ancestral houses, swallowtail ridges, stone carvings, and brick carvings as core elements. It recreates traditional Minnan residential courtyards and garden layouts, displaying Minnan folk customs, intangible cultural heritage, and overseas Chinese culture.
Jiangnan Water Street
Replicating the graceful and refined style of Jiangnan gardens, this area features small bridges, flowing water, white walls, black tiles, pavilions, and waterside terraces. Meandering waterways and lush greenery create a poetic atmosphere reminiscent of the water towns of the Yangtze River Delta, offering a gentle and elegant charm.
Lingnan Garden
The Lingnan Garden showcases the exquisite and transparent gardening style of Lingnan, with rockeries, ponds, carved doors and windows, and tropical plants. It integrates Cantonese garden art and Lingnan folk culture, presenting delicate and distinctive regional characteristics.
Landscape Bridge Cluster
The park contains 16 landscape bridges of various styles connecting the islands. The bridge designs include antique stone arch bridges, modern steel structures, and covered bridges, each serving both passage and scenic functions, forming a unique "one bridge, one view" feature.
Lantern Paradise
Built upon the waterborne garden and wetland ecology, this attraction combines traditional intangible-cultural-heritage lantern crafts with modern acousto-optic-electronic technology. It features nine themed lighting zones and dozens of large-scale water and land lantern installations, complemented by live performances, folk parades, and interactive light-shadow experiences. Blending traditional New Year festive spirit, Minnan culture, and trendy night tours, it is a popular nighttime cultural destination in Xiamen.
Suggested Tour Route：
Main Gate → Minnan Folk Garden → Jiangnan Water Street → Lingnan Garden → Ecological Wetland → Moonlight Ring → Xinglin Pavilion → Landscape Bridge Cluster → Park Exit
Evening: Lantern Paradise night tour.
Visiting Tips：
Recommended visit duration: 4 to 6 hours for a comprehensive tour of core attractions without rushing.
Best seasons: Spring (March–May) and Autumn (September–November) for comfortable weather and the best flower displays.
Visit the Ecological Wetland and Moonlight Ring in the late afternoon to enjoy both daytime scenery and the night light show.
The park is large; consider taking the sightseeing shuttle to save time and energy.
Bring sunscreen, drinking water, and comfortable walking shoes for extended outdoor activities.
Photography enthusiasts should focus on the Moonlight Ring, Xinglin Pavilion, Ecological Wetland, and the landscape bridges.
Important Notices：
Pets are not allowed in the park. Climbing on landscape structures, trees, or bridge railings is prohibited.
The ecological wetland is a bird protection area; feeding wildlife, trampling vegetation, or wading in the water is forbidden.
Smoking, spitting, and littering are prohibited; please keep the park clean.
The Moonlight Ring's lighting effects are only available at night; during the day, only the installation itself can be viewed.
On holidays, visitor numbers are high; it is recommended to avoid peak hours and follow the park's crowd-control directions.
The park has extensive water areas; children must be accompanied by adults at all times and kept away from dangerous water edges.
Flammable, explosive, or controlled items are prohibited.
Transportation：
Metro: Take Xiamen Metro Line 1 to Yuanboyuan Station, then walk about 500 meters to the main gate.
Bus: Take buses 791, 892, 903, 921, 922, 930, 941, 942, 951, or 952 to Yuanboyuan Station, then walk to the entrance.
Driving: Navigate to Xiamen Garden Expo Park Parking Lot. There is a large paid parking lot; spaces may be limited on holidays, so plan to arrive early.
Ride-hailing/Taxi: Set your destination to the South Gate of Xiamen Garden Expo Park for direct drop-off at the entrance.
Opening Hours：
Daily park hours: 06:00–24:00.
Indoor venues such as the Xinglin Pavilion: 08:30–17:30.
Moonlight Ring light show: 19:00–21:00.
Hours may be adjusted on holidays and during special events.
Tickets：
Admission to the park is free, but tickets are required for Lantern Paradise.