Matsu Islands, Archipelago in East China Sea, Taiwan
Matsu is a group of 36 islands and rocks in the Taiwan Strait, forming the smallest administrative division of Taiwan. The two largest islands are Nangan and Beigan, where small settlements with stone houses and fishing harbors sit along the coasts.
The archipelago became a military defense line after 1949 when nationalist forces withdrew and fortified it against the mainland. Underground installations and garrisons built during the following decades opened to visitors only after the 1990s.
Families on the islands make their living from fishing and drying catch, with rows of red squid often hanging on bamboo racks near the shore. Place names on signposts appear in traditional Chinese characters less commonly seen elsewhere in Taiwan.
Access requires a flight from Taipei or a ferry from northwestern Taiwan, with most facilities and accommodation found on the two main islands. Local routes connect Nangan with Beigan through regular boat services, while smaller islands often need hired boats to reach.
Beaches on smaller islands sometimes display hundreds of old propaganda posters painted on rocks, dating from the period of military confrontation. Several hilltops host abandoned concrete observation posts that now stand open and freely accessible to walk through.
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