Kinmen Travel: I'm Calling BS! My Tips & Traps to AVOID. AMA!

[Theresa Sporer]

Alright, let's dive in! Here's my honest opinion on what to expect during your Kinmen trip, guiding those who are planning their visit, especially newcomers to the area!

Caution! These Are Some Potential Skips or Points of Caution in Kinmen:

• That "Milk Carton Building" (at the former Livestock Research Institute, often a photo spot called "Why Come to Kinmen"):
  • To be honest, it's quite remotely located. You go all the way just for one photo, and the surrounding village seems a bit desolate.
  • Advice: Unless you’re obsessed with nailing that perfect Instagram shot, skip it.
• Xiaojing Station (小径车站) as an isolated visit:
  • Don’t specifically make the journey just for this old station.
  • Good news: If you drive from Jincheng (the main town) to Jinhu (where the duty-free shop is) via Boyu Road (泊玉路), you’ll naturally drive past it.
• Public Buses:
  • Avoid depending on them. Schedules are infrequent, limiting their utility for sightseeing.
  • Solution: Rent a scooter or car (details coming up!).
• Medicines from Cosmed Drugstores (康是美 - a prominent Chinese pharmacy chain):
  • Items like “Yi Tiao Gen” (一条根 - a well-known local muscle rub for sore muscles), stomach medicine, or throat lozenges are often overpriced here.
  • Tip: Drop by a local pharmacy and save some dough.
• Nightlife Activities After 7:30 PM:
  • Kinmen is not a city that stays lively post-9 PM. Most places are already closing by then.
  • Planning tip: Wrap up dining and shopping earlier to ensure availability.
• Jindong Cinema (金东电影院):
  • It merely serves as a tourist attraction for a quick snap; that's about it. Also worth noting, one traveler had some misgivings about the authenticity of the information provided at this location.
• Lodging in Areas Beyond Jincheng and Jinhu:
  • It's advised to choose accommodations in the towns of Jincheng (金城镇) or Jinhu (金湖镇 - near the duty-free mall).
  • Reason: Staying elsewhere might land you uncomfortably close to a main highway, making daily commutes or food hunts tough.

Here Are My Best Tips for Smooth Sailing in Kinmen:

• Navigation Hints:
  • Use Google Maps. Apps like Baidu or Gaode Maps, typically relied upon in mainland China, are less accurate in Kinmen.
  • Kinmen boasts plenty of narrow, meandering roads and complicated t-junctions. Always double-check your navigation tool!
• Treat Your Navigation System with Caution (generally!):
  • You might find yourself thinking, "There’s no way this is correct—I’m in a middle-of-nowhere!” But oftentimes, as long as your device’s directions indicate otherwise, trust them. Quite a few spots seem distant until you eventually arrive.
• Payment Suggestions:
  • Use Alipay if you can—it generally provides a more favorable exchange rate, potentially saving you some RMB on transactions.
• Fashion Advice:
  • Evenings in Kinmen can suddenly grow colder, particularly under rainy skies. Packing a windbreaker or lightweight jacket could prove invaluable.
• Carry Reusable Bags:
  • Unlike many mainland China cities, shopping outlets sell items using plastic packaging which also incurs a charge—even basic necessities like groceries and beverages. Bringing your own reusable carrier aids the environment and your wallet!
• Convenience Store Proximity:
  • Kinmen’s streets always keep convenience stores within reach, both 7-Elevens and FamilyMart. Beneficial for purchasing refreshments, snacks, or last-minute essentials.

Some Quick Takes on Local Cuisine:

• Ah Liang Chicken Breast (阿亮鸡排): Acceptable, optional based on preference.
• Pin Michelin Croissants (品米其林牛角包): Lyrical taste, absolutely recommended!
• Ah Gong's Soft Soybean Dessert (阿公的豆花): Reasonably pleasant.
• Yuantou Beef Noodles (圆头牛肉面): A truly delightful dish, albeit pricey (ranging around 65 to 80 RMB for a serving).
• 50 Lan Bubble Tea Shop (50岚): Features a standard yet palatable collection of bubble teas, typically retailed between 20 and 25 RMB per cup.

Exploring Kinmen:

• Vehicle Rental Recommendations: The original poster highly praised their experience with 金门冠城租车 (Kinmen Guancheng Car Rentals). Affirmative feedback, no sponsored endorsement included, and they even offer pickup and drop-off at the ferry landing sites.

A Word of Warning Regarding Internet Travel Blogs:

• Xiaohongshu (小红书), an immensely popular social media platform known for user reviews and travel blogs, hosts numerous Kinmen-related travel guides.
• However, Beware! Some pictures may be misleading (far better than reality) or possibly completely fabricated content, according to the original author. Consequently, exercise caution when taking virtual perfectionism into account.

I wish you a fantastic journey and hope this insight helps you evade unexpected hiccups! #TravelSmart #KinmenIsland #RealTalk

[Lena Oberbrunner]

FYI, inappropriate comments will be deleted.

[Zachary Hayes]

Milk Box is just... I'm speechless. It's so far out and there's nothing to see. Riding that crappy e-scooter almost made me puke.

[Dr. Guadalupe Homenick]

Exactly.

[Barry Kuphal]

Even though the guesthouse I booked is by the road, the environment is actually really nice. It's not noisy, and the seaside is just a short walk down from it.

[Elsa Wyman]

Where did you book it?

[Dr. Guadalupe Homenick]

Get your wallet ready!! Cash (especially small change) is used most often, followed by Visa and UnionPay. Alipay isn't accepted everywhere (though 7-Eleven should be fine).

[Jermaine Satterfield]

If I have UnionPay, do I still need to bring Visa?

[Reginald Ziemann]

Definitely AVOID Haifu Hotel! It's terrible. The location is way too remote. Hotel pickup is 500 TWD. At 10 PM, I was on a call in my room, and the front desk guy rang the doorbell telling me to keep it down because 'everyone was sleeping' (seriously, which is louder, my voice in the room or the doorbell?!). When I went out at 10:30 PM, the front desk lights were already off. At 11 PM, I went to 7-Eleven for food, and even when I was just locking my door, the same guy told me to be quiet; I could barely find the main entrance. By midnight, he was asleep on a recliner at the front desk! Renting an e-scooter yourself costs 450 TWD, but if you ask the front desk, they quote 100-135 RMB – first they say they don't have any, then suddenly they do, but it's more expensive (and they're the ones who said they offered a rental service!). Oh, and the room rate? Staff quoted 3780 TWD (about 872.1 RMB), but I found it online for 2971.09 TWD (about 658.47 RMB).

[Reginald Ziemann]

What a coincidence! I fell into the same trap.

[Sally Breitenberg]

For a hotel, I recommend Yujian Xiashu. The owner is incredibly enthusiastic and welcoming!

[Theresa Sporer]

Which pharmacy would you recommend for buying medicine?

[Miss Angela Cormier]

How can I book round-trip ferry tickets for the May Day holiday now? Are there other ways besides using a mini-program?

[Theresa Sporer]

I love Taiwan!

[Dr. Guadalupe Homenick]

I really want to recommend this fried chicken place in Jinsha Township... but it's already so popular you have to wait ages, and I'm worried if I recommend it, the wait will be even longer!

[Sally Breitenberg]

Is it A-Liang's Chicken Steak?

[Rosemarie Sawayn PhD]

I highly recommend Qianxun Guesthouse! Even though it's in Jinning, you can rent a vehicle directly from the owner, who is super nice, and the rooms are very clean.

[Karen Bruen]

How much is it per night? And do I need to bring my own slippers, toothbrush, and toothpaste?