SHAPOWEI - Xiamen’s Cool Vibrant Art District
If I had one day in Xiamen, I would spend it in Shapowei.
Shapowei is lauded by many locals in Xiamen for being the go-to place for experiencing the local creative culture, therefore it will probably be at least one of the places to come highly recommended to visit in Xiamen.
Its position at the Xiamen harbor has since antiquity made the area a melting pot for merchant culture, for brands that called Shapowei home, and for those that have come along in recent years and stayed.
A bus ride away from the famous Xiamen University, Shapowei also benefits from the creative youth culture and entrepreneurial drive for students to sell crafts and exhibit talents, while providing a constant party and hang-out destination.
I have been to this area twice, right before the start of the Autumn holidays in late September and more recently in November. In September, the shops were bustling with activity from the crowds of Chinese tourists arriving for the holidays, and many food stalls had customers flowing out onto the streets.
I had only just arrived in Xiamen and at the time I found it overwhelming to be around locals and tourists who were clearly surprised at the sight of an African foreigner. I did not linger long.
In November, while the weather is fine, yet a little chilly, the atmosphere is more subdued, and many shops are undergoing seasonal renovations. I managed to stroll along the streets, boardwalks and avenues without the fear of attracting too much attention. Or atleast I was better braced to handle it.
📍LOCATION
Daxue Road and Minzu Road Intersection Southeast 120 meters
Siming Xiamen Fujian
Shapowei is located on one of Xiamen's harbors, its community under the Xiagang (夏港) jurisdiction of Xiamen local government. Shapowei 沙坡尾 translates to "end of a sandy incline" as it is located at the tail end of the long stretch of the Xiamen beach.
How to get there:
🚌 I take the public bus line 20 or 22 from Xiamen University from the Xiada Xicun bus stop (厦大西村站) right outside the university.
🚶🏿♀️Get off at the Chinese Overseas Museum bus stop, cross the road and take the first avenue (Fengchaoshan road) down to Daxue road.
🚲The street is walkable but you can easily rent a bicycle to go around from the university.
About Shapowei
Shapowei began as a local fishing hub, turning later into a port, soon growing its own vibrant commercial culture with merchants from many parts of Southeast Asia and beyond. According to sources, Shapowei has existed since the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
In recent years, it was transformed into a typhoon sheltered harbor for ships and fishing boats. However, after the construction of the Yanwu Bridge large ships could no longer enter the harbor. Activity at the harbor consequently immediately dropped, effectively halting growth in the area and it fell into disuse and neglect.
Shapowei Art Zone
In 2014, Shapowei Art Zone was independently started by a group of young entrepreneurs to breathe new life into the community. Their effort paid off attracting not just local Xiamen brands but brands from other provinces and international brands. Since, Shapowei has created a lively creative community, youth culture, and quirky enterprises from vintage stores, food vendors and pop culture shops to trendsetting brands and pop-up shops.
The Zone permanently hosts a street market for local craftsmen and artisans, and stages a variety of street performances on the weekend from music concerts, and basking, to skateboarding and many more.
There is no entrance fee for entering the zone, and it is open the whole day. It is therefore a perfect place to take a stroll around admiring the different stalls, having beer, or buying a souvenir.
What to look out for in Shapowei
Shapowei is choke-full of shops and brands, newcomers rubbing shoulders with veterans. Therefore, it offers a unique experience for everyone and anyone, tourists and locals alike. With its unique history as a a trading post, this goes without saying.
A visual history on the streets
The unique history and culture of Shapowei is visible on the streets. While some of the structures are recent additions, they sit comfortably and quirkily pop out beside older structures, residential apartments stacked on top of shops, and down alleys.
Popular food shops
There are plenty of street food options to try up and down the avenue and plenty of delicacies from Xiamen to choose from. If provided with the opportunity, select a shop from all that Shapowei has to offer and spend a moment taking a bite out of it. Here are some suggestions;
1. Juicy Restaurant and Bakery
Xiagang Residential District Daxue Road No.112 and No.92 ( Opposite the Vegetable Market)
Siming Xiamen Fujian
Open: 9:00-22:00
I enjoyed the food at the restaurant in particular.
2. Tuk Tuk
Thai-Vietnamese food
Daxue Road 38-104 Liang Fangqian 50 meters
Siming Xiamen
Fujian China
Open:12:00-22:00
3. Sake Nomi Bar
Japanese food and beverage
Shapowei 39, Daxue Road (Fengchaoshan Road Intersection)
Siming Xiamen Fujian
Open: 17:00-3:00 am
4.赵小姐的店 Miss Zhao's Store
Shapowei Daxue Road No.129
Siming Xiamen Fujian
Open:9:00-22:00
A tea house that serves some of Xiamen's best tea, Miss Zhao's Store is tacked into a little corner a few paces outside the art zone.
The brand has origins in Gulangyu 鼓浪屿, a small islet off the coast of Xiamen island where its proprietor, the titular Miss Zhao's family established themselves.
Selling tea and the accompanying small hard tea cakes filled with preserved fruit jams that are quite popular in Xiamen, the tea house presents the tea culture of Xiamen in an elegant manner, reminiscent of fond childhood memories of the early 1900s.
Getting souvenirs
When to visit Shapowei
The weather in Xiamen is generally forgiving in comparison to other tourist cities in China, therefore it attracts scores of Chinese tourists all year round.
As with other tourist destinations in China, I would advise to stir clear of Shapowei during peak holiday seasons in particular the long ones, the double Autumn Festival and National Day in the last week of September and first week of October, as well as the Spring Festival in February.
Additionally, despite the comparatively forgiving weather, summers in Xiamen can be sweltering and humid between June and through to September. Shapowei is a joy to stroll around in late October and November. The evenings are also cool and beautiful, the community lights up spectacularly and you can see the beautiful designs lighting up the twin Conrad Towers and the dazzling lights reflecting off the surface of the sea.
Sources
Until the next one,
Pat in China.
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