Plan at a glance
Scenic-area scope and ticket layers
Fujian Tulou King Scenic Area is in Gaobei Village, Gaotou Township, Yongding District, Longyan, Fujian. The visit takes place within the wider Gaobei Tulou Cluster, with Chengqi Building as its main single building. The visitor service centre, village-entrance viewpoint, Chengqi Building, Shize Building, and Qiaofu Building form a common route, but they are not one entrance or one building.
The common single ticket for Gaobei Tulou Cluster is CNY 50. If you also plan to visit the Tulou Prince Scenic Area around Hongkeng, a common combined ticket costs CNY 98 and is valid for 3 days. The Tulou King Scenic Area, Gaobei Tulou Cluster, and Chengqi Building overlap in space, but they are not three interchangeable independent tickets. Confirm the exact coverage when buying.
The area is open all day, and 8:00–17:30 is the practical visiting window. Allow about 1–2 hours. It suits architecture and photography enthusiasts, as well as families who want to see different tulou forms over a short distance, but stairs and mountain roads add effort for anyone with limited mobility.
Tickets and visit details
View visit options for this attraction and confirm the visit date and current arrangements before you go.
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Chengqi, Shize, and Qiaofu Buildings
Chengqi Building is known for its four concentric circular rings and large scale. From the viewpoint and the areas open inside that day, you can observe the layers of the round building. Shize Building next door is square and offers a useful narrow view between square and round forms, while Qiaofu Building has Chinese-Western architectural details and is often a quieter place to pause.
The village-entrance viewpoint is a good first stop for the wider Gaobei panorama. A small rear-hill viewpoint adds another exterior angle. Each viewpoint requires some walking and steps, so do not estimate the whole visit only by the distance from the entrance to Chengqi Building.
Who this suits
This area suits first-time visitors to Yongding's tulou, architecture photographers, travellers who want to compare round and square buildings, and families planning a short half-day visit. Chengqi Building is usually the busiest point. For a slower look or cleaner photographs, place it earlier in the day.
If you only want Chengqi Building, choose a focused single-building route. If you want to understand the spatial relationship of the Gaobei cluster, add Shize and Qiaofu Buildings. The ticket basis is the same, but the walking and stopping time are different.
Build your day
About 1–1.5 hours: a short route
Enter from the visitor service centre, go first to the village-entrance viewpoint, then continue to Chengqi Building. Finish near Shize Building for the narrow square-and-round comparison before returning. This connects the three easiest points in Gaobei and works well for a tight schedule or a visit with older adults.
Chengqi Building has a second ticket check at its entrance. Confirm the ticket and return direction before going in. Do not skip the viewpoint just because the short route is brief, and do not treat an upstairs interior view as an essential part of the short visit.
About 2 hours: a fuller Gaobei route
For a first visit, use the sequence “viewpoint—Qiaofu Building—Chengqi Building—Shize Building—small rear-hill viewpoint.” Start with the overall view, then look at Qiaofu's details and Chengqi's scale, and use Shize's square plan as the comparison before finishing higher up.
You can walk between Chengqi, Shize, and Qiaofu, but the surrounding roads and steps still call for non-slip shoes. If a building is closed or access is restricted that day, stay with the exterior and public areas instead of looking for a resident guide or unofficial entrance.
Combining it with the Tulou Prince Scenic Area
With the 3-day combined ticket, you can visit Gaobei in the morning and travel to the Tulou Prince Scenic Area around Hongkeng after lunch. The two areas are about 5 kilometres apart, or around 10 minutes by car. The combined ticket does not include free transport, so arrange a self-drive, taxi, or confirmed paid vehicle for the transfer.
Calculate ticket checks, parking, walking, and the return separately for the two areas. Do not stay in Gaobei until the mountain road becomes dark just to fit in another activity.
Get there
Driving and parking
Drivers can navigate to “Gaobei Tulou Cluster Parking Lot.” Parking commonly costs about CNY 10 per visit and is relatively plentiful. After arriving, identify the visitor service centre, viewpoint, and return-car position before starting the walk.
Most movement inside the scenic area is on foot, while reaching other Yongding tulou districts requires driving on mountain roads. New drivers should keep their speed down, and during holidays avoid private roadside parking areas where people solicit drivers.
High-speed rail, buses, and long-distance coaches
From Longyan Station, travel to the old Longyan Coach Station and take a bus toward Gaotou. The journey commonly takes about 1.5–2 hours, followed by a walk of about 10 minutes after getting off. From Xiamen, you can travel from Hubin South Long-distance Bus Station to Yongding and then transfer to a scenic-area shuttle to the tulou; leave separate time for the transfer.
Return bus services are limited. If you also want to visit Hongkeng or Chuxi, arrange the vehicle before leaving rather than treating a last-minute evening ride as the default plan.
Know before you go
Chengqi Building access boundaries
The ground floor of Chengqi Building often has shops, while upper floors are usually more strictly controlled during the day. If a resident temporarily allows an upstairs visit, asks for about CNY 5–10, or claims to have a paid shortcut, that does not establish official access and may stop completely during holidays.
A ticket grants scenic-area admission, not entry to private rooms, residents' corridors, or every floor. Use public areas for photographs. Do not fly a drone or use equipment that interferes with residents' daily movement.
Avoiding unwanted sales and preparing for the walk
People near the entrance may solicit visitors for private guiding, tea, or cigarettes. Refuse directly and do not follow a stranger onto a claimed shortcut. Shops inside the buildings may be expensive, so prepare water and simple food in advance.
The village has many steps and cobbled paths. Wear flat sports shoes. Midday sun can be strong, so arrive early if you want a less crowded photograph of Chengqi Building. Stone paths and stairs become more slippery after rain; with older adults and children, choose the short route first.