Kinmen County
An island county right next to Xiamen, with a distinctive mix of wartime history, southern Fujian traditional houses, and specialties such as sorghum liquor and tribute candy.
Kinmen County lies off the coast of Xiamen in Fujian and consists mainly of Greater Kinmen and Lesser Kinmen (Lieyu); it was once a frontline in the cross-strait standoff. Wartime sites such as the Guningtou Battle Museum, Zhaishan Tunnel and Juguang Tower record this history, while villages such as Zhushan and Shuitou preserve many southern Fujian traditional houses and Western-style mansions. Sorghum liquor, gongtang (tribute candy) and kitchen knives are signature specialties. The island is peaceful and suits slow travel by bike or car. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable; winter is windy, and spring fog often disrupts flights. Fly to Kinmen Airport from many cities in mainland Taiwan, or travel by boat to and from Xiamen.