Sea on one side, the city on the other
A marathon this big feels different by the water. On January 10, 2027, around 35,000 runners fill the roads of Xiamen Island, one of the largest fields at any road race in China.
The race has been held since 2003, and in recent editions the route has followed the Huandao Road seafront. You spend long stretches with the Taiwan Strait to your left or right, palm-lined promenade underfoot and high-rise Siming District behind you. The course is famously flat and coastal, and it has a long reputation as one of the fastest marathons in China.
The date and the field
The 2027 edition takes place on Sunday, January 10, 2027. The race traditionally opens the Chinese marathon calendar, so it draws serious domestic club runners alongside elite fields. You will hear far more Mandarin and Minnan (Hokkien) on the start line than English.
With around 35,000 participants, the field covers more than the full marathon. Chinese city marathons usually offer a half marathon too, and sometimes shorter fun-run distances. The organiser’s official site publishes the race categories, the start location and the course map for each edition.
Getting a bib
Entry works differently from many Western races. For big Chinese marathons, registration is usually done online through the official race site or its WeChat account, and demand usually goes beyond the places available. Bibs are then allocated by a ballot rather than first come, first served.
What foreign runners typically need:
- A passport, with the name matching the registration exactly
- A medical or health declaration, which Chinese races commonly require
- Proof of a previous finishing time for some categories
- A way to read Chinese pages, since English versions are often limited
Race packs are usually collected in person at an expo in the days before the race, with your passport. Runners from abroad therefore tend to arrive in Xiamen at least two days early.
Race morning on Xiamen Island
Race mornings here follow a familiar pattern. Roads close across a wide part of the island and the metro becomes the main way to move. Xiamen Metro opens early on race day for many big city events, and runners mostly use it or walk from nearby hotels rather than look for taxis.
January weather is in the race’s favour. Xiamen winters are mild and dry by southern Chinese standards, with cool mornings that warm up by midday. Sea wind along Huandao Road is the main variable. Runners usually start in a disposable layer and drop it in the corrals.
Most visiting runners stay in Siming District, near the seafront or Zhongshan Road. That keeps the start and finish areas, and the post-race food, within a short ride.
Running it the way the Xiamen crowd does
A few habits make race weekend smoother.
- Pay by phone. Alipay and WeChat Pay run everything, from street snacks to metro tickets. Both apps accept foreign cards, and runners usually set them up before landing.
- Use WeChat. Bib collection notices, start-wave news and course updates mostly come through the race’s WeChat account.
- Know the Chinese name. The race is 厦门马拉松 (Xiàmén Mǎlāsōng), often shortened to 厦马 (Xià Mǎ). Show it to a driver or hotel desk.
- Expect cheering on the roads. Residents line Huandao Road with drums and snacks. Taking a slice of orange from a stranger is normal.
- No tipping. Restaurants and taxis in China do not expect it.
Hotels near the seafront fill up for race weekend, and travelling runners tend to reserve as soon as they know their ballot result.
Arriving, recovering and staying on
Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport is on the island itself, a short ride from Siming District. High-speed trains arrive at Xiamen Station, which is on the island, and at Xiamen North, which is on the mainland in Jimei.
Recovery days fit well around the island’s sights:
- Gulangyu, the car-free island across the channel, with colonial-era villas and quiet lanes. Ferries need a ticket bought in advance.
- Nanputuo Temple, a Buddhist temple at the foot of Wulao Peak, next to the Xiamen University campus.
- Zengcuo’an, a former fishing village of narrow snack-filled alleys near Huandao Road.
- Zhongshan Road, the pedestrian shopping street, good for peanut soup and oyster omelettes after the race.
Most visiting runners give the trip four or five days: two before the race for the expo and settling in, then two after for slow walks and seafood.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Xiamen Marathon 2027?
It takes place on Sunday, January 10, 2027, in Xiamen, China.
How do you get a place in the Xiamen Marathon?
Registration is usually online through the official race site or its WeChat account. Demand is higher than the number of places, so bibs are usually given out by ballot. Foreign runners register with their passport details.
Where does the race run?
In recent editions the course has followed the Huandao Road seafront on Xiamen Island. The organiser's official site publishes the start location and course map for each edition.
What is the weather like for the race?
Xiamen winters are mild and fairly dry, with cool mornings that warm up later in the day. Wind off the sea along the coastal road is the main thing runners have to deal with.
Where should runners stay?
Most visiting runners stay in Siming District, near the seafront or Zhongshan Road. On race morning the metro and walking are the easiest options while roads are closed.
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