Tianluokeng Tulou cluster

The Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster was my first sighting of these memorable buildings. The Chinese refer to them as the “Four Dishes and a Soup” on the basis of the three round, one oval and one rectangular buildings.

The views leading to the Tulou were beautiful. I was a little disappointed. I paid 15 yuan for a cup of yuzu juice outside one of the Tulou. While walking further down, I discovered another stall run by a senior couple selling for only 8 yuan.

Sunday 3people. Half day trip enough. Take the train from Xiamen station to Nanjing station for about 50mins. Either take bus or didi or private car (people will wait outside the station). Price is 1 way 35yuans (1hr) per person to the tourist centre or 35+15 to tourist centre buy ticket (90yuans tianluokeng entrance fee) then to tianluokeng tulou. Walk around, i think 2 hours is enough. Other clusters not as famous or not really worth it (have to pay another 90yuans entrance fee, see photo). If you have the time then use a private car to take you around. We took a private car for 50yuan each to tianluokeng, but he persuaded us to go to other clusters for 200yuans each include taken us back to train station.

It's very big and beautiful. I recommend to spend all day. Entry is 90 yuan. If you contract a guide she might invite you to the upper floor of a tulou to take some pictures.

Amazing touristic spot when you visit Xiamen in Fujian province. You will need around 2 hours to reach the spot by car. We were very lucky to find a local driver who took us there, waited for us and then take us back to hotel. All together village hakka village visit, lunch and way home we needed around 7 hours. The driver found us a very kind local guide in the nearby restaurant opposite the road to the scenic spot ticket entrance, who accompanied us in the hakka village. He made us plenty best family photos, advised where to have coffee or buy local tea. You wil need passport to buy tickets as foreigner. Separate fee is needed to enter the earth building, but is very favourable. Very interesting also for children. Recommend to start your trip in the morning, as later in the afternoon around 14.00 started to be crowded. Inside you find public toilets, restaurants, shops and local fruit vegetable stands.We tried local tea, sweet cakes and found beatiful tea cups.

I stayed in a homestay here for two nights in may 2025. the tulous in this cluster are developed but there is a path down the valley where you can through local villages and see the ancient tulous unrestored. food is quite basic but good, a bit pricier than you'd think (about 50 rmb for a stir fry). the path further down the valley towards taxiacun is quite nice as it passes through forest and tea plantations. the site itself is not too difficult to get to from xiamen, you need to take HSR to nanjing, shared taxi to the park entrance, and a bus from there. of course it helps if you speak chinese (i dont so was a bit lost).

Well worth the 2 hr each way from Xiamen to visit NanJing area TuLou

This is a place to go to when you are in Fujian province. The best way to reach these not so visited spots is to take the bullet train from Xiamen to Nanjing, Fujian train station, once you get there you book ahead in time a place to stay in the tulou building you should order a Didi to get to your hotel, and once you book your place before hand hopefully your hotel will suggest or help you get a local guide to take you to check out the round circled houses.