There are many small treasures and hidden gems in the lovely Gulang island in Xiamen. One of the attractions is Shuzhuang Garden, which is an extension of a villa once owned by a Taiwanese businessmen and has some pseudo classical Chinese influences.
There are a few nice features to these gardens, the first – near the entrance – is the "Twelve Grotto Heaven" or "Monkey Grotto", a rocky formation of sorts that has 12 caves and various hidden paths to lead you through the Chinese zodiac and mythology.
After the gardens, the path leads up the hill on to a newly opened piano museum that has more than 30 old and expensive pianos collected by a local Chinese (no photos allowed). It’s an interesting exhibition and the instruments are quite exquisite.
Not too far away there’s a lively stretch of beach with lots of excited locals – the "Gangzihou Bathing Beach"…
Truly lovely.