Itinerary

Drum Wave Island Parenting Pitfall Guide｜Parent-Tested, Don’t Make These Mistakes Again

Taking kids to Gulangyu, I’ve practically stepped into every pitfall, ending up exhausted and spending a lot of money after the trip. I’ve compiled these firsthand tips to avoid pitfalls, so parents can steer clear directly after reading, saving you from detours! The easiest first pitfall is ferry ticket reservation—we didn’t book in advance on our first visit, arriving at Xiamen-Gulangyu Pier last-minute, queued for over 40 minutes, and still couldn’t get tickets for a suitable time slot, forcing us to reschedule to the afternoon for boarding. The kid threw a tantrum at the pier for half a day. Remember, you must reserve one day in advance on the “Xiamen Ferry Co., Ltd.” official WeChat account. Even if children under 1.2 meters are exempt from tickets, you still need to register their identity information in advance for on-site verification, otherwise they won’t be allowed to board the ferry.

The second major trouble spot is the dock touts! As soon as you get off the boat, a crowd surrounds you, saying ’10 yuan to tour the whole island’ or ‘family-friendly commentary for only 50 yuan’—don’t believe it! We tried to save money by hiring a tout for commentary, but they ended up taking us to buy local products and visit trendy shops the whole time, with no actual commentary on the sights, and then demanded an extra service fee at the end, leading to a long argument. For family-friendly commentary, it’s recommended to choose the official option or book children’s exclusive commentary online in advance. For sightseeing buses, buy tickets directly at the stops, ride in segments, to avoid being scammed.

The pitfalls of food and routes cannot be ignored either. The temporary snack stalls next to popular attractions may look lively, but hygiene is really not guaranteed. My child ate a skewer of grilled squid and had stomach discomfort that very night. Prioritize local small shops with clearly marked prices near Longtou Road and Sanqiutian Pier, with less spicy satay noodles and well-cooked oyster omelets, so children can eat with peace of mind. Don’t be greedy with routes, and avoid walking into remote alleys. With kids, stick to main roads where there are more people for safety, and you can always find rest areas. When my child walked in a remote alley, they accidentally fell and almost got lost. Thinking about it now still gives me chills.

Finally, two additional pitfalls to avoid, which are also emphasized in the Xiamen Gulangyu Island child-friendly avoidance guide: first, don’t buy expensive souvenirs for children in scenic areas, which can cost tens to hundreds of yuan, are all wholesale from Yiwu, have no practical value, and children will throw them away after playing for two days; second, hold your child’s hand throughout the trip, as the island is crowded with many forks in the road, make a contact card for your child in advance with parent’s phone number to avoid getting lost. These Gulangyu Island child-friendly avoidance tips are all lessons I’ve learned through real experience. Follow them, and taking children to the island will be less troublesome and save you from spending money unnecessarily.