Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Koxinga Shrine
SHRINE
(Yánpíng Jùnwáng Cí)
To the southwest of Kincheng sits the Koxinga Shrine, built in
memory of the Ming general who fought against the Dutch occupation. As you leave the
temple, turn right for 150m to find a lane running left down to the sea. This leads to a
walkway over to an islet that you can reach during low tide.
Wuntai Pagoda
HISTORIC SITE
(Wéntái Bǎotǎ)
Considered one of the oldest constructions in Taiwan, the five-level
hexagonal Wuntai Pagoda was built in 1387 for the Ming emperor Hungwu as a place to
honour the stars and celestial deities.
Ou Cuo Beach & Sihu Beach
BEACH
The connected beaches of Ou Cuo (Ōu cuò shātān) and Sihu (Sìhú shātān) are two lesser-
visited beaches on the southern side of the island. They are two of the few beautiful
sandy beaches in Kinmen that didn't have anti-landing poles installed. There are no
shower facilities though.
WIND LIONS
When you're travelling around Kinmen, you'll notice an abundance of stone lions.
These are Kinmen's Wind Lions (Fēngshīyé), traditional totems said to have the
power to control the winds and keep the land fertile. According to locals, these to-
tems began appearing after Kinmen was deforested to build Koxinga's navy around
the early Qing era (early 17th century). The locals, forced to turn to supernatural
aid as the denuded soil of their island ceased bearing crops, began placing the
lions around the island. The Wind Lions can still be found in almost every village
around the island. Many stand upright and are draped in flowing capes.
For a complete list with locations, check out
http://tour.kinmen.gov.tw
.
Sleeping
There are homestays aplenty around Kinmen, most offering rooms in dwellings over a
century old. For a complete list (in Chinese only), see
http://guesthouse.kmnp.gov.tw
.
Qin Inn
HOMESTAY $$$
(Shuǐtóu Yījiāqīn; 0910-395 565;
http://qininn.tumblr.com
;
63-64 Shuitou Village, 63-64; s/d incl
breakfast NT$1200/2400;
)
Housed in a renovated traditional compound, this good-
