Things to do & places to visit in Kinmen, Taiwan

Kinmen #18 destination in Taiwan 2023. The average rating score is 4.27 based on 1.888 traveler reviews, of 119 attractions. Timezone: Asia/Taipei, current date and time: Friday, May 10, 2024, 11:10.

Top things to do (20)

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 Zhongshan Forest (7 reviews)
- 努力有成的自然環境
Spent 1-2 hours Parks • Forests

中山紀念林在金門國家公園中，而這個國家公園的設立宗旨是為保存史蹟及文化景觀資產，但我珍惜這裡的自然環境。因為金門曾經土地貧瘠，風沙大，軍隊進駐後的綠化頗有所成。走在步道上，遠眺樹冠上的喜鵲巢，林下也有許多原生植物和似滿天星的有毒植物銀膠菊，還有很瘦很瘦的貓。 See more..
4.5 Kinmen Island (184 reviews)
- Island is well worth a visit
Islands

From the time Mao's Communists took over China in 1949, Kinmen was the front line against invasion. Kinmen is not a big island, but it played host to thousands of Republic of China troops. Movement was restricted. These days you can go anywhere you want. Kinmen is an interesting place, it's well worth a visit See more..
4.5 Zhaishan Tunnel (158 reviews)
- Fascinating insight into times past
Points of Interest & Landmarks

This tunnel is the best known feature on Kinmen. The tunnel was excavated when . Kinmen was in imminent danger of invasion from the People's Republic of China. For the Republic of China (Taiwan), Kinmen was a cold and lonely place. Most of the ROC garrison was composed of young men doing national service. See more..
4.5 Kinmen Military Headquarters of the Qing Dynasty (99 reviews)
- The Court system of the Qing Dynasty era - realistically presented
Spent < 1 hour Military Museums • History Museums

Kinmen island is easily reached via a one hour flight from Taipei's Songshan airport in downtown Taipei. Kinmen island contains both historical sites and heritage like villages where all individuals in each village have the SAME surname. One of the must see sites is the Court System of the Qing Dynasty(ruled China for over 400 years) within the Military Headquarters of the Qing Dynasty. This site has three sections: 1. The Court itself which is both interesting and historical. 2. One level below is the Qing Dynasty prison which is realistically presented - an actual replica. 3. See parts of the layout of the Military Headquarters There is available an English brochure with some explanation. An interesting place to visit and to appreciate a little of the history of one of the most successful Dynasties of China. See more..
4.5 Jiangong Island (61 reviews)
- Statue of Koxinga
Islands

The island is only accessible during low tide, preferably in the morning (you may check the recommended time of low tide everyday from the Kinmen tourism website). The Statue of Koxinga, aka Zheng Cheng-gong was erected on the island. Dadeng Island, Xiamen, PRC could be seen at the far north. The island has toilets. I will recommend travelers wear slippers if possible to walk to the island as the pathway is kind of muddy, and there are a few taps for washing foot. It's a nice place to visit in Kinmen. See more..
4.5 Deyue Tower (59 reviews)
- A historic neighbourhood
Points of Interest & Landmarks

It's worth a visit to these historic buildings in Shui'tou neighbourhood, which is located 15 mins from Jin'cheng downtown. Deyue Tower is one of the well preserved western buildings in the neighbourhood. There are also other historic buildings, including Jincheng Primary School and Shuitou Historical Houses. The Wind Lion Cultural Museum is located right next to Deyue Tower, where you could learn more about the Wind Lion (Shisa or Guidance Lions) and try an interestingly named milk tea there. See more..
4.5 Shuitou Historical Houses (59 reviews)
- Living in History
Points of Interest & Landmarks

When visiting heritage-rich Kinmen, there is nowhere better to stay than a historical resident house. These traditional southern Fujianese 闽南 buildings often came with a rich history and heartening stories as Kinmen was the site of fierce fighting between Communist and Nationalist forces when the latter withdrew from the mainland in 1949. I stayed at Chong Lou Minsu 銃樓民宿 located in the Shuitou village cluster. Chong Lou Minsu was also the movie setting for a Taiwanese idol drama Summer Fever 戀夏38℃ See more..
4.5 Lion Mountain Howitzer Park & Museum (52 reviews)
- The 8 inch Self-Propelled Howitzer
Speciality Museums

The 8 inch Self-Propelled Howitzer was the key factor for Taiwan Army to hang in during the very famous 823 war (bombardment of Kinmen by (People’s Republic of China) forces that started August 23rd 1958, also called second Taiwan strait crisis). It can carry atomic warhead if necessary. The Kinmen county government was able to keep this one for sightseeing to attract tourists. It also has a show to launch the The 8 inch Self-Propelled Howitzer. It’s a must visit spot and a must see show in Kinmen. See more..
4.5 Kinmen Taiwu Footpath (45 reviews)
- A great walk!!
Scenic Walking Areas

It takes about half an hour to walk to the top of the mountain. But the path is covered by the tress that makes it a great walk. There are quite a lots of interest place to discover on the path. All u need to do is just to relax and follow the sign. For nature lover, you can't just miss it if you come to Kinmen!! Too bad the weather on the day is a bite haze to enjoy the great view of the island. See more..
4.5 Kinmen 823 War Museum (43 reviews)
- Loved it the History and understanding is great
Military Museums

it was the end of our day so we didnt get as long as i would have liked there but it was the most interesting museum that I have visited, also FREE See more..
4.5 Chenjinglan Mansion (34 reviews)
- Beautiful mansion with great view
Spent < 1 hour Architectural Buildings

This mansion was built by a successful Kinmen businessman. It was used as a special guest house for soldiers during the war era. Nowadays, it’s a museum to collect a lot of successful Kinmen businessmen. For examples, back & forth letters, visa applications and some other cultural items. The view is awesome, open to ocean with fresh air. See more..
4.5 Jinshui Primary School (30 reviews)
- Very well maintained historical school
Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Architectural Buildings

I never expect to visit an old school that was so well maintained that I thought they still conduct lessons for children living in that area. The history behind how this school was built with money sent from folks who left home to work in Nanyang so that their children could get proper education is touching. See more..
4.5 Jincheng Civil Defense Tunnel (30 reviews)
- Cool experience walking through the tunnels
Speciality Museums • Points of Interest & Landmarks

Jincheng Civil Defense Tunnel stretched a little over a mile from Jincheng Bus Terminal to Jincheng Stadium. With Kinmen being the front for the conflict between the Communists and the Nationalists, pretty good portion of the island had an extensive tunnel network underground. You can only go guided, but hourly tours were offered throughout the day and you get to walk through the entirety of the tunnel. It wasn’t too claustrophobia-inducing as I was able to stand upright (I’m about 187cm tall) through most of it. See more..
4.5 Tai Lake (26 reviews)
- peaceful!
Bodies of Water

The Jewel of Kinmen. so quiet and peaceful on the day we visited. It's the source of drinking water for Kinmen residents. See more..
4.5 Kinmen National Park (21 reviews)
- Nice park
National Parks

Nice park with numerous variety of flora and trees! The park also hosts a little museum showcasing Taiwan’s road to independence! Do check out the little souvenir shop /cafe on site, they do sell very delicious tea-eggs and other cutesy military inspired memorabilia! See more..
4.5 Lake Ci Sunset View of the sea Platform (21 reviews)
- Cool windy place for sunset
Spent 1-2 hours Beaches

The place is reachable by public bus. We took the bus after visiting anping. Hav to be there before 5pm. And last bus to leave the place is 7pm. Public washroom and shower is available for those who wanted to go in the water. Beach to see sunset. Many people pack food and drinks to come here as this place only hav a few stalls selling food and drinks. See more..
4.5 Shanhou Folk Cultural Village (21 reviews)
- Experience a wonderful culture here
Historic Sites • Architectural Buildings

Amazing buildings with Chinese culture. love to take a lot of photos here. Beautiful everywhere. Get to know the Chinese traditional buildings and history in person, I was so happy. It really worth visiting here. 非常推薦這個景點可以看到傳統閩式建築保存非常完整美麗感覺像走入歷史隨處拍都超美非常推薦跟家人朋友來也可以帶小朋友來認識文化 See more..
4.5 Jiougongkeng Trail (20 reviews)
- must visit here !!! Liyu (Little Kinmen island)
Hiking Trails

it's hard to believe that how this tunnel can be built. so amazing. highly recommend to visit this island (little Kinmen). you have to take domestic fly from Taipei to Kinmen (50mins)and then take ships (30mins) here. It's very convenient. So wothy!!!!! unforgettable sunset and more gold beaches with no people there!!! I can occupied a beach almost everywhere on the small island 這景點太不簡單很難相信當時的人怎麼造的強烈推薦大家來金門玩一定要來小金門（列嶼）這邊的感覺更舒服更寧靜好放鬆還有好多無人海灘棒到爆炸夕陽超美啊 See more..
4.5 Qionglin Residential Community (17 reviews)
- 金門規模最大的古厝聚落
Points of Interest & Landmarks

位於金門島中部的瓊林，居民以蔡姓為主，這裡是金門規模最大的古厝聚落。過去因為人才輩出，仕途上有輝煌的成就，明熹宗御賜里名為「瓊林」，在當時只要有人中進士，就會建造一座宗祠，所以在瓊林大大小小的家廟就有８座之多，號稱「七座八祠」，包括已被列為國定古蹟的蔡氏家廟（大宗）、新倉上二房十一世宗祠、坑墘房六世宗祠、新倉下二房六世與十世宗祠（一座二祠）、前廷房六世宗祠、大厝房十世宗祠、藩伯宗祠等，可說是金門島上宗祠最多的聚落，其中蔡氏家廟為瓊林聚落裡向心之地，也是聚落大姓－蔡氏家族的榮耀，家廟後牆鑲上的風獅爺，是許多人前來尋覓的熱門景點，目前也被列為古蹟。 See more..
4.5 Beishan Gong Jyun Command Post (16 reviews)
- The PRC command post during Guningtou Assault
Points of Interest & Landmarks

In October 1949, the PRC Red Army crossed the ocean with two hundreds some wooden boats to assault Kinmen. This house was occupied as the command post back then. It was kept as the original as historic site of Guningtou assault. The bullets holes were covered all over the building, thus you can imagine how intense the fight was back then. See more..
4.5 Kinmen Wu-Wang-Zai-Ju (14 reviews)
- What an underrated attraction!
Points of Interest & Landmarks

I can't believe this place ranked that low on TripAdvisor, it's like one of the most famous attractions in Kinmen but still not many people are talking about it. It only takes around 45 minutes to walk up the hill and the view up there is pretty awesome, not to mention the etch of "Wu-Wang-Zai-Ju", these four characters literally means "don't forget what happened in Ju" and here is talking about Taiwan shouldn't lose hope on retrieving mainland China (lol). I think if you want to learn more about the history of Kinmen or even Taiwan, it's somewhere that you shouldn't miss, I was so glad that I finally made it there years after I read about this from a childhood storybook. :) See more..
4.5 Southern Fujian Historical House (14 reviews)
- Great architecture everywhere on island!
Points of Interest & Landmarks

I'm not sure how this can be listed as a "site" since it's not a particular location, but rather old homes and villages dotted around the villages. Regardless, these are a great reason to visit Kinmen. Although not all Fujian style homes on the island have been restored and maintained, there are plenty of beautiful homes everywhere that these homes deserve a 5-star rating. Although they may look all the same at first glance, at closer inspection there is a variety of styles and details from house to house, and more so from village to village, making it all the more reason to get out of Jincheng and visit the numerous towns on Kinmen. Many of these architectural details have loads of history, culture, and symbolism, so it's definitely worth it to stay in a traditional guesthouse to get a real feel for how people traditionally lived here and to study the homes from the inside. Plus, they are very peaceful and quiet and the owners are quite friendly (I have stay at three different traditional guesthouses on Kinmen; one in Shuitou and two in Zhushan). While a few villages don't have much traditional architecture, most of them do, so get a (free) bicycle and check them out! See more..
4.5 Kinmen Botanic Garden (13 reviews)
- 提供藝文人士創作的新舞台
Gardens

「金門植物園」位在金門島心臟地帶的，臨近太武公墓，佔地達二十六公頃。園中廣納台灣及金門原生植物超過二百五十種，除可做為金門林相改良的基因庫外，結合自然與軍事景觀，開發為獨特碉堡藝術園地，提供藝文人士創作的新舞台。同時可作為地區重要的教學場所，更是一個不錯的觀光遊憩景點之一。 See more..
4.5 Wushui River Academy (11 reviews)
- History class
Points of Interest & Landmarks

You need to walk along the corridors of this historical site to soak in the atmosphere of the good old days and imagine school children attending lessons. See more..
4.5 Zhushan Village (10 reviews)
- 已有650多年的歷史
Spent 1-2 hours Historic Sites • Architectural Buildings

村民皆姓薛，聚落形成迄今已有650多年的歷史，因村民多僑客，曾為金門全導消費能力最強、教育水準最高的村莊。村落周圍環山，中央則有座大潭，村內所有建築皆面向大潭，建築群以薛式宗廟為中心，兩旁建有古式洋樓，沿著紅磚步道尋訪，可盡覽珠山之美。 See more..
4.5 Yongshi Fort (10 reviews)
- The Entrance of Landmine Museum
Spent < 1 hour Architectural Buildings • Battlefields • Castles • Military Bases & Facilities

The Yongshi Fort is located in Leiyu. It was a tunnel and now is a landmine museum. Starting from a normal tunnel, and then as you go, displaying different landmines and introducing how to place them in ground. After a landmine bombarding simulation, you are about to exit. Very good experience to learn a lot of landmine knowledge. See more..
4.5 Cheng Gong Beach (8 reviews)
- Cheng Gong Tunnel to Beach
Beaches

The first tunnel we visited in our Kinmen trip. Heard about Kinmen tunnels for a long time, so it’s nice to finally to explore it myself. Given the fact that Kinmen island is pretty much made of granite, all these tunnels remain natural without the use of cement once the tunnel were made. Some of tunnels are big and wide enough for boats to go through to protect the shipment of goods during the wartime. It’s a unique culture and architecture to explore in Kinmen. See more..
4.5 Jin Yong Li (7 reviews)
- 頂尖的製刀技術, 讓砲彈變黃金
Points of Interest & Landmarks

40年前到金門買到砲彈鋼刀, 他比較容易生鏽, 但是現在已經有防鏽處理了, 他鋒利的程度是當場削紙給你看, 而且削下來的紙沒有毛邊喔, 你如果不知道有啥區別, 可以拿家裡的菜刀試試, 然後再拿新的美工刀試試, 就能發現金門的砲彈鋼刀和美工刀一樣的鋒利喔!! See more..
4.0 Juguanglou (119 reviews)
- Great history and culture place
Architectural Buildings

This is near to Jincheng City, about 5 mins motor ride. it is just beside the big lake. There is about 3 stories of pictures on the history and also the culture of the place. If you are staying there for the night, there is some laser works display which is scheduled hourly, but it is not too impressive and actually nothing much to see, but since there is nothing much to do at night, this is a place you can check out. During the day, it will be a good place to go to the roof and see the view of Kinmen. See more..
4.0 Kinmen Folk Culture Village (75 reviews)
- Explore Minaj Architecture
Historic Sites

This was my first stop right after landing! There are many folk villages with Minnan style architecture on this island! See more..