KINMEN BIG GORILLA (金門大猩猩)

Searching for Kinmen’s Big Gorilla

You won’t find this spot on the tour bus operators’ itineraries and in all honesty, it probably doesn’t need to be included in any lists of Kinmen’s top sights. That being said, if you enjoy seeking out off-the-beaten-track oddities, then it can’t hurt to spend half an hour of your holiday searching for Kinmen’s Big Gorrila.

Distance: 0.9km – I think there’s potential for going further if bushwhacking is your cup of tea.

Time: About 30 minutes.

Difficulty: 0.5/10 – The only difficult element was finding our way there.

Total ascent: Almost none.

Water: It was hot when we visited, so we took a small bottle, but the walk is short enough that you don’t really need anything.

Shade: Very patchy shade. If you burn easily, you’ll want to cover up.

Mobile network: Clear throughout.

Enjoyment: The odd statue is quite cool, it’s true, but I’m not sure it’s worth making a detour specifically to see this.

Route type: There and back.

Permit: None needed.

Jump to the bottom of this post for a trail map and GPX file.

It took us a while to get set on the right route for this one. Prior to getting on the right track, we had driven all the way to the end of the surfaced road and started our explorations from there. We spent a happy 40 minutes exploring the structures and almost gave up but decided to try one more time.

As revenge for me waking her up early to see the sunrise, my other half decided to drag me through the undergrowth in search of something “cool and creepy”. We set off following the most half-arsed hiking tags I’ve ever seen-tissue paper tied around thin branches. pic.twitter.com/Dj0eFVwyvL
— Taiwan Trails and Tales (@Taiwan_trails) November 20, 2022

The above Twitter thread has some details from our first diversionary excursion, but what follows below are directions towards the big gorilla.

We decided to park our scooter at the point where the surfaced road veers to the left and walk the remainder of the way. Turn right onto the dirt road, then at the next junction, take a left.

There are multiple old military buildings along the way. Some of them are still relatively tidy-looking.

But others have been almost overrun with plants.

At some point, the track disappears and becomes a small trail. The entrance to the compound is very close to here, so look out for a turning on your right.

If you see this structure, you’ve gone too far. We didn’t yet know that though, so we continued on for several metres.

A flight of stairs seemingly leads to nowhere, and of course, Teresa could not help herself. They had to be climbed. At the top, the steps let out onto the roof of the compound we were looking for, and we could see the entrance by the gorilla’s face. Although from this angle, it resembles a sleeping baby far more than a gorilla.

Retracing our steps, we spotted a narrow trail leading along the side of the fortress walls towards where we now knew we needed to go.

A corridor funnels you towards the entrance.

Once you pass through the entryway, you’re greeted by the characters “銅牆鐵壁”. Roughly translated, it means something like “walls made of copper and iron” (I think), with the implied meaning that the fortress is strong, tough, and will not succumb to attacks. As to why a peaceful gorilla should be placed directly above these words, I have no idea, and the internet is not a good enough tool to find out.

Up close, the resemblance to a gorilla is easier to see, although it does still look a little like a chubby baby. Neither of us was brave enough to explore that tunnel visible to the left side of the frame.

To the right of the entrance as you walk in, there are a few more buildings within the walls of the old compound. We had a little poke around, but it’s not clear what they were used for. But if you check out the Google Maps listing for Beique Shan (北鵲山), you’ll see many old soldiers commenting that they were stationed here, and some of them point out specific features that they remember from their time in service.

Mission complete, we returned back the same way we’d come, and went off in search of a second, well-deserved coffee.

How to get to the Kinmen Big Gorilla

Google maps address: The closest landmark is Queshan bus stop. If you’re arriving by scooter, you can drive up the track to the GPS spot below and just park beside the road. I wouldn’t recommend driving up the track in a car though.

GPS location: N24 28.010 E118 26.235

Public transport: There are quite regular buses passing by this spot. If you’re coming from Shamei, you can hop on the number 18 or 18A, then alight at Queshan bus stop.

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