Longyan

Longyan (龙岩; Lóngyán) is an inland city in western Fujian, China. For travellers, it is best known as a gateway to the Hakka tulou of Yongding and other rural areas of western Fujian. The city itself is less tourist-oriented than coastal destinations such as Xiamen, but it can be used as a base for exploring the surrounding region.

Longyan has a humid subtropical climate. Summers are hot and humid, with frequent rain, while winters are cooler and comparatively dry. Spring can also be quite wet. Autumn usually has lower rainfall and milder temperatures, making it easier to travel around the city and surrounding rural areas.

Western Fujian has long been associated with Hakka communities, whose language, customs and architecture remain an important part of the region's identity. The best-known examples are the large communal earth buildings known as tulou, many of which are found in the countryside around Yongding.

Longyan later developed as an important regional centre in western Fujian. In the surrounding countryside, many traditional Hakka settlements and tulou have been preserved, while the urban area has become increasingly modern.

Longyan is the main urban centre of a large prefecture-level area in western Fujian. The central city is mainly in Xinluo District, while many of the best-known visitor destinations are outside the centre.

Yongding, south-west of the city, is the main area for visiting Hakka tulou. Liancheng, farther north-west, is known for Mount Guanzhi and other natural attractions. Travellers should check travel times carefully, as some places listed under Longyan are a considerable distance from the city centre.

• 25.6753116.7471 Longyan Guanzhaishan Airport (龙岩冠豸山机场), 288 Lianhang Road, Liancheng County (连城县莲航路288号) (The airport is in Liancheng County, well outside central Longyan. Check current airport bus or road connections before travelling.). The airport resumed commercial service in March 2026 after a major reconstruction. Direct flights include Beijing Daxing, Shanghai Pudong, Nanjing and Kunming, with additional routes added according to season and demand. It is more convenient for travellers visiting Liancheng and northern parts of the Longyan region than for those staying only in central Longyan.  

Longyan Guanzhaishan Airport is the nearest commercial airport, but it is in Liancheng County rather than the city centre. Travellers heading directly to central Longyan should allow additional time for the road journey from the airport.

• 25.1117.00062 Longyan railway station (龙岩站), Renmin Road, Xinluo District(新罗区人民路) (About 3 km west of the central urban area. Local buses and taxis connect the station with other parts of the city.). The main railway station for Longyan. It is served by conventional and high-speed rail services connecting Longyan with cities including Xiamen, Fuzhou, Ganzhou, Shenzhen and other destinations in Fujian and neighbouring provinces. Check China Railway 12306 for current schedules.  

Longyan railway station is generally the most convenient way to reach the city. Several railway lines meet here, including routes towards Xiamen, Ganzhou and other parts of Fujian. The old information about a specific N520 train and fixed journey times should not be relied on, as train numbers and schedules change.

• 25.092495117.0263093 Longyan Bus Station (龙岩汽车站), 119 Xi'an South Road, Xinluo District (新罗区西安南路119号) (In the central urban area, east of Longyan railway station.), ☏ +86 597 3100000. Long-distance buses serve destinations within Fujian and nearby counties and cities. Routes and departure times change, so check the current timetable at the station or through a local transport app before travelling.  

Long-distance buses are useful for places that are not directly served by rail, particularly smaller towns and rural destinations around Longyan. Travellers heading to tulou villages or other countryside areas may need to combine a long-distance bus with a local bus, taxi or ride-hailing service.

Longyan's central urban area is relatively compact, but many attractions listed under Longyan are outside the city centre and may require a longer bus, taxi or road journey.

Local buses cover most parts of the central urban area and connect the railway station, commercial districts and residential neighbourhoods. Bus routes and fares may change, so check the current route and fare through a local map or transport app before boarding.

For destinations outside central Xinluo District, local city buses may not be practical. Intercity or county buses are usually needed for places such as Yongding or Liancheng.

Taxis are available in central Longyan and at major transport hubs such as Longyan railway station. Ride-hailing services, including Didi, are also widely used and are often more convenient when travelling with luggage or when the destination is not close to a bus route.

For trips to rural villages, tulou areas or attractions outside the urban area, confirm the return journey in advance, as taxis may be harder to find outside the city.

Shared electric bicycles are available in the central urban area of Xinluo District. The main service area covers the central streets and townships of Xinluo, including Dongcheng, Nancheng, Xicheng, Beicheng, Zhongcheng, Xipi, Caoxi, Dongxiao, Longmen, Tieshan and Hongfang.

They are most useful around busy urban areas such as commercial streets, residential districts, university areas and transport hubs. Vehicles are normally found in designated parking areas or through the operator's mobile app rather than at staffed rental shops.

Users must register through the operator's app, unlock the bicycle by phone and return it to an approved parking area. Electronic geofencing is used to prevent parking outside designated zones, so check the app before ending a trip.

For short trips within central Xinluo, shared electric bicycles can be a convenient alternative to buses or taxis. They are less suitable for trips to Yongding, Liancheng or other rural destinations, where distances are much greater.

Electric bicycles or similar rental vehicles inside parks and scenic areas may be operated separately from the city's shared bicycle system. These services are usually limited to the attraction itself and may have their own rental points, operating hours and fees.

Do not assume that a city shared electric bicycle can be ridden into or returned inside a scenic area. Check locally at the entrance or visitor centre for any on-site rental service.

Walking is practical in the central part of Longyan, especially around Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street and Zhongshan Park. Short trips within this area usually take about 10–20 minutes on foot, while a longer walk between several nearby commercial streets and parks may take around 30–45 minutes.

A simple city-centre walk is to start around Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street (中山路步行街), continue past the surrounding shops and food stalls, and then walk towards Zhongshan Park (中山公园). This is an easy route for seeing everyday city life without needing public transport.

The central area is mostly suitable for casual walking and does not require strenuous hiking. However, destinations outside the city centre are much more spread out, so buses, taxis or shared electric bicycles are more convenient for longer trips.

Minnan is the main language spoken in eastern urban areas, while Hakka is the main language in the western rural areas. That said, most younger speakers of those languages are able to speak Mandarin as well. There are very few English speakers.

The best-known tourist attraction in the area are the Fujian Tulou earth houses (土楼 tǔlóu), often round, of the Hakka people (客家人 kèjiārén). These houses are on to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Hakka means "guest"; they arrived in the area (western Fujian and Eastern Guangdong) as refugees from one of Northern China's wars several hundred years ago and still have their own dialect and customs. These houses are quite large, holding an extended family, and built to be easily defended. There are none in the city itself, but there are thousands in villages to the West. Hotels can arrange a car or van to visit these places (¥200-300/day).

• 25.713837116.7814551 Mount Guanzhi National Geopark (冠豸山国家地质公园, Guangzhishan National Geological Park), Liancheng County (连城县) (Take a long-distance bus to Liancheng County. Upon arrival at the Liancheng County Bus Station, you can either catch a taxi or take bus no. 6, which stops within 800 metres of the park entrance. The park entrance is about 2.5 km from the bus station and about 5.5 km from Longyan Guangzhishan Airport.), ☏ +86 597 3128080. 08ː00-17ː30 (May to October), 08ː30-17ː00 (November to April). Longyan's most popular scenic attraction. The two main sights within the park are Mount Guanzhi (冠豸山) and Shimen Lake (石门湖). ¥115 (¥99 if purchased online).  (updated Feb 2019) ^{[dead link]}
• 25.075124117.0137362 ^{[dead link]} Longyan Museum (龙岩市博物馆), No. 2 People's Square, Longyan Avenue, Xinluo District (新罗区龙岩大道人民广场中2号) (Bus nos. 1, 3, 9, 16, 20 and 30), ☏ +86 597 3308908, lysbwg@163.com. 08:30-11:30, 15:00-17:30 (summer), 08:30-11:30, 14:30-17:00 (winter), closed on Mondays. Free.  (updated Apr 2020) ^{[dead link]}

• 24.7506116.75921 Tianzi Hot Spring Resort (天子温泉), 4 Jiantan Group, Dongxi Village, Chengjiao Township, Yongding District (永定区城郊乡东溪村箭滩组4号) (Take bus no. 2 from the Yongding Bus Station.), ☏ +86 597 3350888. 08ː30-23ː00. Tianzi Hot Spring Resort is a resort with 4/5-star hotel and 90 different style hot spring pools. ¥238.  (updated Jan 2019)

There are a large number of beautiful Hakka villages in the area that are worth exploring. There's a particularly large grouping of tulou in the village of Hukeng, to the south-west of Longyan. Entrance fee is ¥90 for Hukeng (called the Earth House Culture Village), and for an additional ¥10 you can add the neighboring tulou cluster of Gao Bei Tu Lou (高北土楼). Hukeng offers a quiet and sincere glimpse of tulou life, while Gao Bei is more geared to tourists and shopping. There are several restaurants in Hukeng catering to tourists, and prices can be higher (¥90-120/meal). Many restaurants offer homemade rice wine. Hotels surrounding Hukeng and Gao Bei are also plentiful. As in Longyan, don't expect any English to be spoken.

There is an amusement park called Zhigao Amusement Park (志高游乐园) in the west part of town. It features rollercoasters and Disneyland-like architecture. Opening times: 15:00-22:30 (workdays), 9:30-22:30 (weekends and holidays). Admission: ¥120 for adults, ¥50 for children.

Longyan's city center in itself is small, but has many places where designer brand and mobile phones etc. can be bought.

There is a walking street area (中山路步行街 Zhongshanlu Buxingjie) at Zhongshan Street (中山路), north of the river and next to Zhongshan Park (中山公园 Zhongshan Gongyuan), with many shops and food stalls that are open till late in the evening.

There is also the wholesale district of Jiaoyi Cheng which sells everything from shoes and tea to electronics at wholesale prices. As of June 2018, many massive furniture and home appliance outlets have opened in the area. Jiaoyi Cheng can be reached by catching the No.10, No.12 and No.19 buses. There is also a several-building clothing market in the Jaioyi area called Bai Ma (白吗). Go early— shops tend to close by 16:00, though many on the street level stay open later.

There are casual food stalls and eateries all around the city, serving a variety of regional cuisines but especially focused on Hakka cooking. A large number can be found at the walking street mentioned in the Buy section above.

There are also country-restaurants where you can select whichever meats and vegetables look good and they'll stir-fry them in a large amount of oil. Expect to pay around ¥20/meal.

There is a number of tea farms in the area, and Fujian is well known for its Oolong tea, and to a lesser extent its Iron Guanyin Tea (铁观音茶). Fujian has what might be called a tea-ceremony, where water is poured into a pot full of tea leaves, immediately poured into another pot, and then poured into thimble-sized tea glasses. It's likely any restaurants, lodging, or private residence you enter, will offer you this style of tea. The tea itself varies wildly in both quality and price.

Additionally, many private residences will have a large jug of baijiu, with Chinese medicinals steeped inside.

Most soft drinks and especially beer will be served room-temperature.

There are hotels in Longyan and the nearby city of Yongding. There is a number of cheap hotels just opposite the train station, any of the buildings with red or blue signs on top. Price ¥40-60 for a double.

Many tulou offer accommodation to tourists, ranging from very simple (plain rooms, no bathroom) to beautifully decorated rooms with airconditioning and private bathrooms. See Fujian Tulou for detailed information.

• Fujian Tulou in Yongding County and Nanjing County, just south-east of Longyan, are amazing earth structures where a number of residences are built inside a single fortified compound.
• Xiamen
• Wuyi Mountain
• Guangdong