[2025 Kinmen Attraction] Travel Guide for Deyue Tower (Updated Jul)

#Taiwan local tour If you want to take the Little Three Links from Kinmen to Xiamen, you have to take a boat at Shuitou Wharf. Some people choose to live in the Shuitou settlement, less than two kilometers away from Li Pier. There are many quaint B&Bs here. There are also many characteristic buildings. Among them, the Deyue Tower was a gun tower built at that time to prevent thieves. The name comes from "the first to get the moon near the water tower". The public security is now good, there is no need to guard against thieves, and we are worried that tourists will be injured, so we do not allow people to climb the stairs. However, the surrounding buildings are well preserved, and you can also visit the higher floors inside, so you can understand the surrounding scenery. It is highly recommended to visit with friends and family, it is very suitable for taking pictures. If you live nearby at night, you can come again to take pictures of the illuminated buildings. If you can take pictures with the reflections, it will be particularly beautiful. #localTravel #Parent-Child Good Place #familytravel

📍Address No. 45, Qianshuitou, Jincheng Township, Kinmen County (Located within the Shuitou settlement, in the same area as Zhaishan Tunnel and Shuitou Ancient Houses) ⸻ 🕒Opening Hours Daily: 08:30–17:00 (Free admission; outdoor and historic building preservation area. May close temporarily due to severe weather conditions.) ⸻ 🚍Transportation From Kinmen Airport or Jincheng: 1. By Bus: • Take "Kinmen Bus No. 7" or "Tourist Bus Line A" to "Shuitou" stop, then walk about 5 minutes. 2. By Car/Rental: • About a 10–15 minute drive from Jincheng. Follow the signs to enter the Shuitou settlement after passing Chenggong Roundabout. 3. On Foot/Bicycle (from Jincheng City Center): • If staying in Jincheng City, you can walk or cycle along the seawall or old streets to reach the destination, enjoying scenic views along the way. ⸻ ✅Recommended Reasons • Built in 1931, Deyue Tower is the tallest defensive Western-style building in Kinmen, blending Minnan, Baroque, and overseas Chinese architectural styles. • The name "Deyue" comes from the phrase "Near the water, the tower first gets the moon," symbolizing good feng shui and auspiciousness. • Once served as a stronghold for remittance safekeeping and family residence, featuring fortress-like thick walls, defensive holes, and observation platforms, showcasing strategic and architectural significance. • Now a popular photo spot, offering coastal views and a unique atmosphere of "war history within Western-style buildings, and hidden heritage within ancient houses." • The surrounding settlement is well-preserved, making it an excellent area to explore Kinmen's overseas Chinese culture and defensive structures.

#4月好去处2025 If you want to visit Fujian-style buildings and Western-style buildings, come here! Shuitou, also known as Jinshui, was an important base between Kinmen and Xiamen in the past. It was considered a wealthy settlement in Kinmen 70 or 80 years ago. Most people went to Southeast Asia for business, so the architectural style incorporated foreign architectural elements. The preserved buildings, whether Fujian-style or Western-style buildings, are the most numerous and most exquisite on Kinmen Island. It is also the most complete traditional settlement. Therefore, many people also arrange Shuitou settlement as one of the must-visit attractions in Kinmen. When Deyue Tower was built, Kinmen was experiencing its worst security situation, with numerous incidents of robbers landing and looting. Shuitou, a settlement located on the seashore, was also a target for robbers to target. Therefore, Deyue Tower was specially built with many defensive structures: the walls of the third and fourth floors had loopholes for aiming guns, and the parapets on the roof were used for defense. In addition, there was a secret escape passage that would lead the owner to the adjacent Fanzi Tower in an emergency. The building was both functional and beautiful, earning it one of the 100 most scenic spots in Taiwan's history.

When I came to Kinmen, in addition to the battlefield style and Minnan culture, what amazed me even more was the rich and diverse architectural style of this small island. From ancient houses to Western-style buildings and then to military bunkers, this appreciation journey is full of stories and surprises. Shanhou Folk Culture Village × The Time Mark of the Minnan Settlement Walking into the well-preserved Shanhou Folk Culture Village, the red brick and tile walls, swallowtail ridges and exquisite stone carvings make people feel as if they were traveling back in time to the life scenes of a hundred years ago. This is a microcosm of traditional Fujian-style architecture. From the layout to the details, it is worth savoring. It is recommended that you walk slowly and take your time to look around. Shuitou Village × Exotic Style Buildings Then we came to the most "Western" area in Kinmen: Shuitou settlement. This place was once an important overseas Chinese hometown, dotted with foreign-style buildings and western-style buildings, such as Deyue Building and Huanghuihuang Building. They combine Baroque and Nanyang styles, are grand and elegant, and are full of historical traces of overseas Chinese. Zhaishan Tunnel × The shock and poetry of military architecture In the afternoon, visit the Zhaishan Tunnel, walk into the solid granite tunnel, listen to the sound of water dripping underground and the history of ships. The tunnels not only display war relics, but also demonstrate the pinnacle of engineering technology and the spirit of the times. Evening Station: Model Street and the Qing Dynasty Kinmen Town Military Headquarters Finally, we return to Jincheng Town and walk along Model Street to experience the neatness and elegance of the street buildings during the Japanese colonial period. We can also visit the General's Office, which is a representative of the military and political institutions of the Qing Dynasty and combines historical sites with cultural displays. --- Location check-in: Shanhou Folk Culture Village Shuitou settlement and Western-style buildings Deyue Tower Zhaishan Tunnel Model Street Qing Dynasty Kinmen Town Military Headquarters #Kinmen Architecture Tour #Minnan Ancient Houses #Kinmen Western-style Buildings #Deyue Building Elegance #Battlefield Architecture Aesthetics #Zhaishan Tunnel #Kinmen Cultural Walk #Model Street Trip #Qing Dynasty General Military Headquarters #Walking in Kinmen #AprilGoodDestinations2025