The only way to arrive in Quanzhou is by bus. The long-distance bus station is down in the newer, southeastern part of town, just east of Wenling Lu. From here there are frequent minibus connections with Xiamen (¥15-37) and Fuzhou (¥25-54), as well as long-distance buses for practically anywhere in southern China, from Ningbo and Hangzhou in the north, to Guangzhou and Shenzhen in the south. Luxury sleeper buses for Shenzhen and Guangzhou also depart from a spot just south of the Jinquan Hotel, where there is a ticket kiosk. For booking train or plane tickets out of Fuzhou or Xiamen, try one of the several ticket offices on Wenling Lu south of Jiayi Lu.

After-dark stalls at the eastern end of Xinmen Jie serve fresh seafood cooked to your order; there are also a couple of Muslim restaurants farther west, opposite the mosque. Both northern Zhongshan Lu and the area around Kai Yuan Si on Xi Jie are thick with cheap-to mid-range noodle stalls and restaurants, such as the Jinyan. Otherwise try the hotels: the Quanzhou has a Western-style restaurant, the Jinquan has a coffee bar in the lobby, and the Jianfu serves all-you-can-eat dim sum (¥15 a person) on the fifth floor for breakfast and lunch. On Wenling Lu, there's an attractive restaurant - big, bright and full of young people - specializing in hotpot, with pictures to help you order. Pizza Hut, on Xi Jie just west of Zhongshan Lu, is welcome for those craving salads.