Getting here :
Fly from Taiwan's main cities, which takes about an hour, or take the ferry from Xiamen's Wutong Ferry. Wutong is not in the city centre and is located in the northeastern part of Xiamen. From the main railway station, take bus 6 to the final stop. The journey takes 40-45 minutes and costs 1 yuan. If arriving by air, forget about the airport bus that goes directly to Wutong. Just take a cab for a little over 20 yuan.
Despite frequent departures by sea for the 30-minute journey, ferries are often full, so it is worth looking at 3rd party travel operators to pre-book your tickets well in advance. The operator's website is only in Chinese and signing up for an account is a complicated process that requires a local phone number.
Counters are assigned by departure time, and pre-booked passengers get priority to pick up their tickets first before walk-in passengers. Staff will police the lines and this is where you need to brush up on your Mandarin to know where to go. Don't be shy to proactively approach them with your pre-booked ticket receipt and they will point you in the right direction.
Expect to arrive at the terminal 30 minutes before your departure time to pick up your tickets, go through security and Chinese immigration.
The Kinmen ferry terminal is much older and functional. You go through Taiwan immigration and emerge in a much more nostalgic world.
Getting around :
Although the tourism authorities operate a sightseeing bus service with several lines, each line only operates once a day and none of the routes reach the ferry terminal. The island isn't large but you will need motorized transport to get around. Regular bus service isn't frequent enough to effectively visit all the sights scattered around the island. Motorcycle and car rentals are available across from the ferry pier upon arrival, and prices are pre-set depending on the vehicle type that are prominently displayed. International car rental companies don't operate out of here, so you will have to go local. For a small car, expect to pay 1500 TWD a day.
You will need an IDP to rent a car. Roads are well-paved and well sign-posted with the typical speed limit at around 60km/h. Outside Kincheng, traffic jams are not common and there are few other vehicles on the road.
Money :
Taiwan Dollars can be exchanged from Chinese yuan only at the ferry pier.
Where to live? :
With motorized transport, stay away from Kincheng, the largest town, and go for a B&B experience in a historic Fujian-style building. Qionglin is in the middle of the island, which is easily accessible to all the sights by car. Many such establishments are now available on international booking sites, although it is unlikely the staff can speak much English.
How Many Days? :
The island can be divided into west and east sides and devote one full day to explore each side. Then budget an extra half day on Little Kinmen and a comfortable time frame should be around 3 days. You can use the sightseeing bus routes as a guide.
Where are the other tourists? :
Kinmen so far is off-the-beaten track outside the Chinese-speaking world. Many mainland Chinese tourists come in groups on day trips from Xiamen, crowding into the most popular sights such as Juguang Tower, Guningtou Museum, and Zhaishan Tunnel. Otherwise, the other sights are quite deserted and you can even get the whole place to yourself.
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