In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Taiwan
Kinmen
金門
Give Kinmen 2–3 nights: fly into KNH, base in Jincheng, rent a scooter (NT$550/day) and split one day for Greater Kinmen, one for Lieyu.
Kinmen is a Taiwan-controlled island group about 10 km off Xiamen, reached only by air from Taiwan proper. It trades on three things: Cold War military sites, southern Fujian architecture, and kaoliang liquor. Sights are spread across a rural island, so a scooter or the tourist bus matters more than a hotel choice.
- Country
- Taiwan
- Local name
- 金門
- Best months
- Oct–Dec, Mar–Apr
- Avoid
- Jul–Sep (heat, typhoons), Chinese New Year
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- TWD
- Money
- Night markets, breakfast shops and many small restaurants take cash only; carry NT$1,000–2,000 in small notes.
- Daily spend
- Budget NT$1,200–2,000 excl. bed · Mid NT$2,000–3,500 excl. bed · High NT$3,500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile and FarEasTone sell tourist SIMs and eSIMs at TPE and KHH arrivals; a passport plus a second photo ID is required (check).
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 110 V · 60 Hz · US and Japanese plugs fit; European, UK and Australian plugs need an adapter, and 220 V-only appliances need a converter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: No tip; a 10% service charge appears in many sit-down places and hotels.; Taxis: No tip; round up if you like.; Hotel porter: Not expected; NT$100 in luxury hotels if you want.; Private guide or driver: Not required; NT$200–500 a day or a meal is a thank-you.
- Water
- Treated at source, but locals boil or filter it. Filtered hot-and-cold dispensers are in stations, hotels and many public buildings; bottles cost NT$20–30.
- Toilets
- Free, clean toilets in every MRT station, convenience stores and department stores; paper goes in the toilet in most new buildings — follow the sign.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Bowl of noodles or a bento | NT$80–150 |
| Coffee or tea in a café | NT$60–120 |
| Beer: convenience store / bar | NT$35–60 / NT$120–200 |
| Scooter rental, 24 h | NT$500–600 |
| Taxi, Shuitou pier to Jincheng | NT$250 flat |
| Kaoliang liquor, 0.6 L bottle | NT$400–1,200 |
| Museum entry (most military sites) | Free |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- KNH · Kinmen Airport (Shangyi)
- Mandarin Airlines and Uni Air from Taipei, Taichung, Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Penghu; one-way from a little over NT$2,000
Typical fares
- Taxi Shuitou Pier → Jincheng
- NT$250 flat
- Shuitou → Lieyu ferry
- NT$60 per person, about 10–15 min
- Tourist bus day ticket
- NT$200, departs 08:30 and 13:30NT$200, departs 8:30 AM and 1:30 PM
Get around
Rent a 150 cc scooter (about NT$550 per 24 h; a licence is required) or use the tourist bus (NT$200 day ticket, Chinese-language guiding, 08:30 and 13:30 from Jincheng). Public buses are cheap (NT$12–24) but infrequent and stop early. Taxis are concentrated in town; Shuitou pier to Jincheng is a NT$250 flat rate. Ferries link Shuitou and Lieyu every 30 min in daytime, about 10–15 min, NT$60 per person plus NT$100 per scooter.Rent a 150 cc scooter (about NT$550 per 24 h; a licence is required) or use the tourist bus (NT$200 day ticket, Chinese-language guiding, 8:30 AM and 1:30 PM from Jincheng). Public buses are cheap (NT$12–24) but infrequent and stop early. Taxis are concentrated in town; Shuitou pier to Jincheng is a NT$250 flat rate. Ferries link Shuitou and Lieyu every 30 min in daytime, about 10–15 min, NT$60 per person plus NT$100 per scooter.
See and do
Known for
- Cold War military tunnels and museums
- Wind Lion God statues
- Southern Fujian and overseas-returnee houses
- Kinmen kaoliang liquor
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Lieyu (Little Kinmen) | Ferry from Shuitou Pier every 30 min in daytime, 10–15 min | About 30 min plus sightseeing |
| Zhaishan Tunnel and Shuitou | Scooter or Line A tourist bus from Jincheng | About 20–30 min |
| Guningtou and Triangle Fortress | Scooter or Line B tourist bus / bus 9 | About 20 min |
| Xiamen (mainland China) | Ferry from Shuitou Pier, about 30 min, several daily 09:00–17:30Ferry from Shuitou Pier, about 30 min, several daily 9:00 AM–5:30 PM | About 1 h plus border formalities |
Sleep
- Jincheng (Kincheng)
- The main town: bus station, tourist office, food, and the easiest base without a car.
- Shuitou
- Near the ferry pier and the Zhaishan tunnels; quieter, good for one night before an early boat.
- Shanwai / Jinhu
- Eastern half; closer to Lion Mountain and Shanhou, but you need your own wheels.
- Lieyu (Little Kinmen)
- A handful of minsu; only worth it if you want the island after the last ferry.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | 你好nǐ hǎo |
| Thank you | 謝謝xièxiè |
| How much is it? | 多少錢？duōshǎo qián |
| Where is the toilet? | 廁所在哪裡？cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ |
| I want to rent a scooter | 我想租機車wǒ xiǎng zū jīchē |
| Please take me to this address | 請載我到這個地址qǐng zài wǒ dào zhège dìzhǐ |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A nod or light handshake; 'nǐ hǎo'; avoid: Hugs with new acquaintances
- Handing things: Two hands for cards, gifts and money; avoid: Tossing money on the counter
- Gifts: Fruit or a boxed sweet for hosts; refuse once before accepting; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, pears and anything in fours — they sound like death or parting
- MRT: Queue at the markings, give up priority seats; avoid: Eating, drinking or chewing gum past the gates
- Temples: Enter right, exit left; one or three sticks of incense; avoid: Stepping on thresholds; pointing at deities
- Home visit: Shoes off; slippers provided; avoid: Writing names in red ink
- Sensitive topics: Follow your host's lead; many people hold a range of views on identity and cross-strait ties; avoid: Assuming everyone thinks the same about China or the ROC's status
Scams and watch-outs
- Do not photograph military installations, posts or infrastructure that could be a military target.
- Scooters need a valid motorcycle licence; riding without one is illegal.
- High winds hit any time of year — expect delays on ferries and exposed roads.
- Buses skip stops with nobody waiting; press the button to get off.
- A trip from mainland China to Kinmen counts as an exit from China — single-entry visas will not work for a return.
Very low street crime. The real risks are scooters on unfamiliar roads, high wind, summer heat, and straying near military sites with a camera.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kinmen yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Cold War military tunnels and museums
- Wind Lion God statues
- Southern Fujian and overseas-returnee houses
- Kinmen kaoliang liquor
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Kinmen County Government: www.kinmen.gov.tw/
- Kinmen National Park: www.kmnp.gov.tw/
- Kinmen Airport (KNH): www.kma.gov.tw/
- Wikivoyage: Kinmen, revision 5323013 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5323013
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Kinmen金門
請到這個地址
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies on Kinmen; foreign missions are in Taipei. US citizens: American Institute in Taiwan, Taipei (check).
Kinmen is administered by Taiwan (ROC). Carry your passport; the ferry to Xiamen crosses into mainland China.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/kinmen). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.