Barely five minutes by boat from Qiaozi harbour, a two-hour visit to this windswept, uninhabited island is one of Matsu's great joys – but only when the sea is calm. The small, deserted hamlet near its jetty is being tastefully restored and a concrete footpath makes it easy to stroll the island in around 90 minutes, watched by dozens of remarkably tame Formosan sika deer.
In calm weather several boats shuttle across from Qiaozi. There's no fixed timetable, but most homestays will fix you up with a boatman for NT$300 return per person, or you could call 0981-373 840 (in Chinese) to arrange your own. Before boarding you'll need to show your passport (or Taiwanese ID) to a security officer beside the Star Yang Hotel, which faces the harbour.
