Going to Gulangyu is very straight-forward: a bus to the International Ferry Terminal, then a smooth 20-minute boat ride to the island. If one decides to leave the island after 6PM as my friend and I did, the ferries for tourists then operate at the Piano Ferry Terminal, making the return trip shorter (it also makes it easier to go to Zhongzhan Road next, another top tourist attraction of Xiamen). Before going to Gulangyu, I made a mental note on the buildings that Els failed to see as I curiously wanted to check them out. Upon exiting Sanqiutian Ferry Terminal, the imposing neo-Classical former building of the American Consulate (1930) greets you. Beside it is the former building of the Hongning Hospital, a brick corner building in the style of late Amoy Deco. As it is dubbed as the "Most Beautiful Corner of Gulangyu," a lot of locals are familiar with this building and they make their way up to this point to take their photos. Afterwards, they proceed to the more popular spots on the island namely the Organ Museum/Bagua Mansion (1908), the Piano Museum, and Sunset Rock. 

As we were held hostage by the rain early on that day, we sought shelter at Rivers Cafe, which is housed in one of the marked villas. The hour or so spent there was not wasted as we took that opportunity to explore what one of the old villas, which are often fenced and closed, looks like on the inside. Moving away from the  tourist trail, we went to the section where the verandah-style former Residence of the Amoy Harbor Master is located. Also in that quiet area is the Amoy Customs Telecommunications Tower, a quaint Taoist shrine beside one of the blockhouses (part of a network of defensive structures), the former Hope Hospital/Kulangsu Gallery of Foreign Artifacts (1898) and Meiyuan Garden. No one goes to this side! We aimlessly wandered around waiting to be surprised by what were to be encountered, and I soon realized that what makes Gulangyu a joy to walk around in is that all historic buildings have markers and that there is no shortage of information boards to read.

We then reached Neicuo'ao District which happens to be the oldest settlement on the island. It was first occupied by the Li clan, and during the Qing dynasty, the Fujian Customs set there a customs clearance port which jumpstarted the development of the district. Neicuo'ao pivots on Zhongde Taoist Temple (originally built in the 1600s), and although not a highly commercialized section of Gulangyu there are several Hokkien-style and colonial buildings there that are still inhabited by the local residents. The district is a pleasant surprise since you hardly hear about it. Crossing Bishan Cave, which we later learned that "cave" is their term for the tunnels that cut through the central hills, leads to the Neo-Classical Trinity Church (1934), co-designed by Lin Rongting and a Dutch architect. At that point, we were already at the center of the island and on the Sunset Rock Loop. 

Sunset Rock appears to be the favorite of most visitors as it offers an unobstructed panoramic view of the island and the mainland. If you want to skip paying the 60RMB entrance fee, upon entering the compound, turn left towards the (smaller) monument of Koxinga, the cherished Chinese hero. Behind it, built directly on the northeastern slope of the hill, is the Amoy Deco Xilin Villa (1910) that has links to the Philippines. It houses the free-entry Koxinga Memorial Museum (Some online posts, however, say that there is a small entrance fee. Try your luck!). The items on display have no translations in English and photography inside is not allowed. Still, the view from the third floor balcony makes the visit worth it, and the lack of hoards of tourists pushing and rushing you to move guarantees a more pleasant viewing experience than at Sunset Rock.   

Moving down the slope of the hill to the south coast beach, one passes by a beautiful Amoy Deco gate of a beachside villa. Nearby is the still-functioning Koxinga's well and another blockhouse. Shuzhuang Garden (1913) of a Taiwanese businessman is perhaps one of the few coastal Chinese gardens, making it special. It also features a "10 scenic spots of the garden", a tradition that originated with Qing emperors. Its rock garden, described as a "Baroque rockery mountain," was designed by a German artist. Above it is the Piano Museum, established to bolster the claim of Gulangyu as a "Piano Island" or "Music Island" -- in fact, the small island even has the full-scale Gulangyu Concert Hall. It was in Gulangyu were the first pianos in East Asia appeared, developing a unique culture of Chinese musicality on a Western instrument. I recommend to wait for the scheduled playing of the pianos -- we heard two performances on two old pianos. Not far from that scenic section is the main stone marker of Kulangsu UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is at that point where the more commercialized area of the island comes to view, as well as where the top-gun villas are concentrated. 

There is a nice collection of colonial monuments around the Foreigner's Football Pitch (1870s), and they largely comprise the most visited/photographed buildings in Gulangyu. Navigating our way to the Piano Ferry Terminal, we passed by the Lee House on Hangzhou Road, which sports some of the most interesting expressions of Amoy Deco through its house gables and three gates. On the slopes of Bijia Hill, Villa Yu Tiong Cuan, a compound of four mansions (1910-1930s) built by Filipino-Chinese immigrants, blends various architectural styles. Beside it is the Amoy Deco Ru Nan Villa with two exquisite Amoy Deco gates, and another fine balconied Amoy Deco mansion that appears to have seen better days. Zhangzhou Road is also nice to explore, and it is where one can find the brick bookstore of the South Fukien Religious Tract Society. We walked towards the port via Longtou Road, where the Western-style former buildings of the Commercial Amoy Telephone Limited (now China Post) and China & South Sea Bank Limited, as well as the Art Deco-ish Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage Building, are located. The last major building to be seen on the way out is the former building of the British Consulate (1844). 

As an Art Deco fan, Gulangyu's Amoy Deco lives up to expectations. This fusion architecture developed on the island and it later gained popularity in other parts of Fujian. Also, as a Filipino, it is easy to notice Gulangyu's links to the Philippines, a cultural tie that is mentioned several times. Overall, it is a pleasant World Heritage Site to visit and it kept me entertained the whole day. But, it really requires far more walking than one would expect.

Photo (clockwise): View of Kulangsu from the balcony of Xilin Villa/Koxinga Memorial Museum; former Hongning Hospital Building; Amoy Deco Lee Mansion and one of its gates.