Matsu is Taiwan at its most windblown and frontier-like: a scattered archipelago closer to the Chinese mainland than to Taipei, with granite villages, military tunnels, sea cliffs, and a strong Fujianese character. It is officially Lienchiang County, but everyone calls the islands Matsu.
The islands are not polished in the way Taiwan's west-coast cities are. Ferries are weather-dependent, flights are small, and distances that look short on a map can involve a lot of waiting. That is part of the point. Matsu rewards travellers who like quiet ports, stone houses, military history, and slow island days.
Most visitors start on Nangan, where Beihai Tunnel, Tunnel 88, and the Matsu Distillery sit close together. Beigan has the beautiful stone village of Qinbi, while Dongyin is wilder and farther out, guarded by the Dongyong Lighthouse.
In late spring and early summer, the islands are famous for "blue tears", bioluminescent algae that can glow along dark beaches and harbours. There are no guarantees, but when the sea lights up, Matsu feels very far from the rest of Taiwan.