A spectacular campus by the sea, wander Xiamen University’s lake paths, arched bridges and an island with bronze life-size statues. Sprawled over 227 hectares, the Botanical Gardens are a maze of paths winding between hills and jumbled boulders, many bearing ancient calligraphy. Then visit the Island Ring Road, past Huli Hill, whose gardens and lawns are perfect for picnics and kite flying. With a good pair of binoculars you can see soldiers patrolling Taiwan-controlled Jinmen. Later, take a ferry to the island of Gulangyu, home to Asia’s largest piano museum. Just think: one in every five homes here has a piano – but cars and bikes aren’t allowed due to the narrow, crooked streets. Now that’s civilized.