Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Taiwan's Islands Highlights
Sleep in a lovingly restored traditional Fujian-style village in
Matsu
(
Click here
) or
Kinmen
(
Click here
).
Indulge yourself in
Chaojih Hot Springs
(
Click here
)
, a rare seawater spring just
off the beach on Green Island.
Absorb the traditional seafaring way of life by spending a few days in a Tao family
home on
Lanyu
(
Click here
)
.
Bird-, butterfly- and deer-watch in the parks and on the ponds and beaches of
Taiwan's islands.
Windsurf in
Penghu
(
Click here
)
, a windswept archipelago of almost 100 islands.
Dive the dreamy waters of
Green Island
(
Click here
), home to more than 200
species of coral.
Delve into the remains of the Cold War between the Chinese communists and
Nationalists, on
Kinmen
(
Click here
).
National Parks & Forest Recreation Areas
Though you'll find higher mountains and larger stretches of green in Taiwan proper, the
outer islands have things well covered when it comes to parkland. Reforested Kinmen it-
self is a national park, and there's talk of eventually turning Green Island into one, too.
Mountainous Lanyu is almost entirely covered by forests, and its indigenous Tao inhabit-
ants are quite militant about fighting any improper development. Most of the Penghu Ar-
chipelago consists of volcanic islands covered with low-lying cacti and other succulents.
Trees in Penghu's Lintou and Chitou Parks tend to all grow at a pronounced angle thanks
to the persistent wind.
ISLAND OVERVIEW
IN 10 WORDS OR
LESS
BEST TIME
TO VISIT
ISLAND(S)
WHO SHOULD GO
Ancient towns front-
line military outpost
transformed into na-
tional park
Military enthusiasts, cyclists,
birdwatchers, traditional-archi-
tecture buffs
Summer, au-
tumn
Kinmen
Military stronghold on
beautiful archipelago,
Traditional-architecture buffs,
war historians, butterfly lovers,
Summer, au-
tumn
Matsu
