TW · Lienchiang County · 26.15°N 119.93°E

matsu islands

Granite fishing villages, military tunnels and blue-glowing seas on spring nights.

Best time
April–June is the main blue-tears season, though spring fog can ground flights. September–October suits walking; December–February is windy and cold, and summer has typhoon risk.
How long
3–4 days
Getting there
Fly from KL to Taipei Taoyuan (about 4.5 hours). Cross to Songshan Airport, then fly about 50 minutes to Nangan or Beigan. An overnight ferry also runs from Keelung.
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TW · Lienchiang Countymatsu islands26.15°N 119.93°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Granite fishing villages, military tunnels and blue-glowing seas on spring nights.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingMatsu IslandsTW, Lienchiang County
KLmatsu islands
≈ 3,214 km from KL, as the crow flies
北竿螺山步道 Beigan Luoshan Trail

Photo: lienyuan lee · CC BY 3.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A scattered group of granite islands just off the Fujian coast, much closer to China than to Taiwan. Stone fishing villages, wartime tunnels and blue-glowing seas on spring nights make it feel nothing like the main island, and the locals speak Foochow, so visitors from Sibu will hear something familiar.

Makan

  1. Jiguang bingSesame bread rings, eaten plain or split and filled, often with pork. It's the same bread Sibu calls kompia.Map ↗
  2. Fish noodlesNoodles made with fish paste, a Matsu speciality.Map ↗
  3. Matsu musselsLocal mussels, steamed or stir-fried.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Qinbi VillageGranite houses stepping down a Beigan hillside to the sea, the best-kept village in Matsu.Map ↗
  2. Beihai TunnelA boat tunnel blasted out of the granite by soldiers on Nangan, now walkable along the water.Map ↗
  3. Blue tearsGlowing plankton that light up the waves on some spring nights, roughly April to June. Sightings are never guaranteed.Map ↗
  4. Mazu statueA 29-metre stone statue of the sea goddess the islands are named after, on a hill above Nangan.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Fog and wind often cancel island flights, especially in spring, so leave a spare day in Taipei before flying home.
  • Base yourself on Nangan or Beigan and do day trips by ferry, rather than moving every night.
  • Halal food is very hard to find on the islands. Stock up in Taipei, which has halal restaurants around the Taipei Grand Mosque.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.