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7 very well-rated accommodations in Xiamen, China, to book a stay in H2 of 2025

It’s time for ‘Travel Thursday’ again, and this week we’re giving Xiamen a chance to impress us.

Have you never been to the port city on China’s southeast coast?

It’s time for a trip over then! 🇨🇳

Consider these very well-rated accommodations as you plan for your next holiday.

Lohkah Hotel & Spa

Agoda Rating: 9.7 (5.6K+ reviews)

Slightly over 5 km from Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, this hotel & spa comes with an exceptional 9.7 rating from guests, offering roomy-sized suites starting at 100 square meters.

Families traveling with little ones will love the Kids Studio, complete with waterfront garden views.

Children 12 and under stay free when using existing bedding, making this a good choice for your next getaway.

Crowne Plaza Xiamen Jimei By IHG

Agoda Rating: 9.5 (6.1K+ reviews)

Crowne Plaza Xiamen opened in 2021 and is just 9 km from Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport.

Wake up to ocean vistas in select sea-view rooms, or treat yourself to the hotel’s crowning glory – the roomy King Royal Suite with panoramic views.

Bringing the family? Kids/teens 17 and under stay free when using existing bedding.

Urba S Hotel Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport

Agoda Rating: 9.5 (5.1K+ reviews)

Need a spot to rest before your flight from Xiamen to SG?

This 4-star hotel sits just 1.2 km from Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, making those departures less rushed.

The Queen Rooms with View offer the most roomy 33 square meters of space, so go for that if you don’t like to squeeze.

InterContinental Xiamen By IHG

Agoda Rating: 9.5 (4.8K+ reviews)

The InterContinental Xiamen by IHG serves up 45-square-meter rooms that give you space to stretch and lounge around.

Just 9.2 km from Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, this hotel puts you within 10 km of Xiamen Botanical Garden and Zhongshan Road Walking Street.

There are family suites and a sweet deal: kids/teens 17 and under stay free when using existing bedding.

Hisilk Artwork Center Fliport Coso Hotel

Agoda Rating: 9.5 (4.5K+ reviews)

Just 800 m from Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, this hotel puts convenience front and center.

Families will love the roomy accommodations where kids 16 and under stay free using existing bedding.

Probably worth a mention, their Deluxe Lake-View Suite offers floor-to-ceiling windows – wonderful for soaking in the last moments of Xiamen.

Xiamen Lujiang Harbourview Hotel

Agoda Rating: 9.5 (3.5K+ reviews)

This newly renovated Xiamen Lujiang Harbourview Hotel puts you within 600 m of two food streets (美食街).

Spread out in their Grand One Bedroom King Suite with Balcony, if you value space and have the budget to do so.

Kids/teens 18 and under stay free when using existing bedding.

W Xiamen

Agoda Rating: 9.5 (3.4K+ reviews)

About 7 km from Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport and less than 10 km from Zhongshan Road Walking Street is W Xiamen to round up our list.

We like how there’s an indoor pool that’s ready for your splash session(s) any time of year.

Looking for more room?

The Marvelous Suites give you max space, while other rooms frame views of the city or glimpses of the ocean.

How Small Splurges Sabotage Your Wealth

How do you stop yourself from buying things you don’t really need?

At first glance, a harmless splurge seems insignificant. A new gadget, the latest iPhone release, or another bag charm that costs less than a night out may not feel like much. Yet in reality, these purchases often represent a much bigger loss. You’re losing the wealth you could have built if that money was directed into savings, investments, or assets that appreciate over time.

Impulse buying is rarely about the item itself. It is often emotional. A rough day invites a reward. A good day feels like it deserves a celebration. Sometimes boredom sparks an online shopping scroll, or grief fuels the desire for quick comfort. Retailers understand this psychology well and they engineer marketing strategies to capitalize on it. Limited releases, fear of missing out, and aspirational advertising are carefully designed to convince you that your life will be better if you just own one more thing.

The problem is that these “little luxuries” add up. Think about it this way: that S$35 accessory might not break the bank today, but what if you invested that same amount every month into a market index fund or a high-yield savings instrument? Over the years, compounded returns could turn those bag charms into the down payment of a property or the seed capital for a business.

That is the hidden cost of impulse spending. It is not just the price tag, it is the opportunity cost.

One practical strategy is to pause before buying. Walk away, take a breath, and ask yourself how many hours of your life it took to earn that money. Then consider what the same effort could generate if invested instead of spent. When you reframe a purchase in terms of time and opportunity cost, the urgency to own it often fades.

Avoiding temptation altogether is even more powerful. I no longer go shopping just to look or browse online sales for fun. Shopping without intention is like walking into a casino where the odds are designed to make you lose.

The truth is that marketing encourages us to believe more possessions equal more happiness. When viewed through a financial lens, the equation is very different. Every unnecessary purchase reduces your ability to grow and secure long-term freedom.

You see, wealth is rarely built on how much you earn. It is built on how much you keep and how wisely you grow it. Learning to say no to unnecessary spending is not about deprivation. It is about redirecting your resources to things that create real value such as investments, experiences that bring lasting joy, and relationships that cannot be bought.

Dream big and pursue your ambitions. But remember this: wealth is not measured by what sits in your shopping cart. It is measured by the assets you accumulate, the businesses you build, and the freedom that comes from financial independence.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

The smartest investment decision you can make today may simply be this. Do not buy what you do not need!

Can a Company Reject Your Resignation in Singapore?

A friend recently shared her frustration with me. She had been carrying the bulk of the workload in her company while her general manager basked in the recognition. When she finally reached her breaking point and tried to resign, her manager dismissed her request with a sharp remark: “You’re leaving when I’m leaving.” It sounded outrageous, but it echoed a question I had just seen debated online: Can a company in Singapore actually refuse a resignation, particularly when an employee offers to buy out their notice period?

On Reddit, one employee described being burned out and unable to cope with new management, yet afraid their employer might block their resignation. The responses were telling. One commenter wrote, “I called MOM because I was afraid my previous company would reject my buyout. It turns out that under the Employment Act you can either serve notice or buy yourself out with compensation.” Another added, “You are always allowed to walk out the door, but you have to offer compensation in accordance with your contract.” A third cut to the chase: “No, they cannot reject your buyout. If they could, that would be akin to slavery or forced labor.”

The law leaves little room for doubt. Under Singapore’s Employment Act, employees may resign at any time, either by serving the notice period in their contract or by paying their employer an amount equivalent to that notice. Employers have no legal right to reject a resignation or prevent an employee from leaving. In fact, the Ministry of Manpower makes it clear that it is an offence for an employer to disallow an employee from resigning.

Still, not every departure is clean. There are situations where an employee feels cornered into resigning, which raises the issue of wrongful dismissal. Singapore’s guidelines define wrongful dismissal as cases involving discrimination (e.g., age, race, gender, or religion) or retaliation against employees for exercising their rights. In such circumstances, employees can seek mediation through the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management or file a claim with the Employment Claims Tribunals.

For those preparing to resign, the most effective approach is to understand your contract and assert your rights. Submitting a formal resignation letter that states your final day of employment reduces ambiguity. Remaining professional, transparent, and courteous may ease the process, but ultimately, the decision to leave is yours to make. If harassment or threats surface, documenting every incident and consulting legal advice ensures you protect yourself.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

Resignation is not a privilege an employer grants. It is a right protected by law. The real challenge is not whether you are allowed to leave, but whether you manage the transition in a way that allows you to move forward on your own terms.

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

Vaping Under Fire as Stricter Rules Take Hold

At first glance, vaping appears modern and fashionable. With candy-colored casings and flavors such as mango ice and cotton candy, e-cigarettes have quietly spread among Singapore’s youth. Yet behind this playful image lies a growing health crisis, one serious enough for Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to announce stricter vaping rules during his 2025 National Day Rally speech.

“Many of these vapes are laced with addictive and harmful substances like etomidate,” he cautioned. “Right now it is etomidate. In the future, it could be something worse, stronger, or far more dangerous.”

For a country long known for its uncompromising stance on tobacco, Singapore’s move against vaping marks a significant new phase in the battle against harmful addictions. The Government has made it clear that fines alone, previously capped at S$2,000, are no longer sufficient. Vaping will now be treated as a drug issue, supported by tougher penalties, rehabilitation programs, and a nationwide education drive.

Health experts warn that e-vaporizers release aerosols containing fine particles, cancer-causing chemicals such as formaldehyde and benzene, and toxic metals including tin, lead, and nickel. Nicotine, the main addictive substance, not only fosters dependence but also speeds up heart rate, raises blood pressure, and in younger people disrupts brain development in ways that affect learning, focus, and emotional regulation.

What alarms medical authorities most is the spread of Kpods, vapes secretly infused with etomidate, a sedative intended only for controlled medical use. When inhaled, etomidate bypasses the body’s natural defenses and enters the bloodstream directly. The consequences can range from spasms and breathing problems to seizures and psychosis. Because users are often unaware of what they are inhaling, these vapes pose risks far greater than cigarettes. Unlike tobacco or alcohol, vaping devices can be easily altered, refilled, and spiked with substances far more dangerous than nicotine.

To address the threat, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Health have launched a coordinated campaign that goes beyond enforcement. The Health Sciences Authority will work closely with officers on the ground, and more than 800 Singaporeans have applied to join the newly created anti-vape task force. The strategy mirrors Singapore’s earlier crackdowns on glue sniffing in the 1990s and chewing gum smuggling in the 2000s, treating vaping not as a passing trend but as a national threat that requires collective action.

The most crucial front line, however, lies in schools and campuses. The Government’s education program will target secondary schools, polytechnics, universities, and even National Service, ensuring young people are warned before habits form. “Today’s anti-vaping campaign must be as visible as yesterday’s anti-smoking efforts,” said Vikram Nair, Chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Home Affairs and Law. “When I was a student, we all knew about glue sniffing because of the campaigns. This generation must see vaping in the same way.”

Still, the response will not rely solely on punishment. Those found addicted to vaping will be placed in supervised rehabilitation, while voluntary quitters will not face legal consequences if they seek support through programs such as the Health Promotion Board’s I Quit. This creates a two-pronged approach: disrupting supply chains to deter traffickers while offering users a path to recovery before their dependence becomes long term.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

What is certain is that the fight is only beginning. Battle lines are emerging in schools, shopping malls, airports, and the online spaces where vapes are promoted. As Prime Minister Wong made clear, this is not just about stopping a fad but about protecting an entire generation. The haze of vaping may seem harmless, but Singapore is determined to clear the air one crackdown at a time.

Latest WFH internships posted from 11 to 15 August 2025

Happy mid-August! 8️⃣

This week we’ve got opportunities in HR, brand management, and more.

Take a look and send in your application(s) accordingly 👍

#1: World Wide Fund for Nature (Singapore) Limited – Human Resources Intern