A trip to Kinmen is like stepping back in time. Kinmen’s well preserved traditional dwellings offer a glimpse at life as far back as the Ming dynasty. Kinmen often found itself on the front line when tensions became heated between the PRC and ROC. Former military forts and tunnels cover the island and have been opened to the public and are easily accessible by car or local bus. Enterprising islanders have become famous for using artillery shells, which were fired onto the island, as the raw material to produce the highly sought after Kinmen knife. Migratory birds make their home on Kinmen and the Shuangli Wetlands Area is a great stop-off for keen birdwatchers.