For many people living in Taiwan, Matzu is imagined as a battlefield and a frontier. Truly, it is only five to six thousand meters to mainland China, but it is over 300 kilometers away from Taiwan.

The government left the military administration in 1992 and opened it for tourism in 1994. The general public has yet had a chance to see its mysterious face.

Furthermore, the government designated Matzu as a place of Small Link between Taiwan and mainland China in 2001 so that more and more Taiwanese businessmen and their families can go to mainland China through Matzu, boasting the prosperity of Matzu.

According to Chu Meng-huang, director of the Matzu National Scenic Administration, the total number of tourists is expected to increase to 150,000 by the end of 2008.

The Matzu archipelago is named after the goddess Matzu.

It consists of five major islets; Nangan (南竿), Beigan (北竿), Jyuguang (莒光), Dongyinh (東引) and Lian. For about a half nautical mile around the islets of Matzu, the continental shelf is 20 meters in depth.

Total area of the archipelago is 25,052 hectares, including a land area of about 2,952 hectares and maritime space of about 22.1 hectares. All of these islets lay off the estuary of the Fu Chien (福建) Province's Ming River like a string of pearls.

Matzu is rich in natural resources, bird species, marine life, plants, and unique geological landscapes. It is a great place to learn to respect living together with the natural world and other living creatures.

The coasts of Matzu have been sculpted by the sea into varied and beautiful landscapes. Matzu also boasts more than 500 different species of plants as well as numerous forest areas, embellishing the scenic beauty of the islands.

In addition, the islands are home to Taiwan's only red spider lilies and the selaginella matsuensis. There are nearly 250 species of birds in Matzu, including numerous migratory birds that come to winter and breed, as well as home swallows and gull species. The main marine species found on the coasts and seas of Matzu are cowries, clams, sea bream, and bass.

In my trip to Matzu, I only saw the black tie sea gull in Dongyin islet. A guide told me that the black tie gull is almost a stationary bird on the island. You can see it all year round.

The guide also told me that several islets still have some precious and unique sea birds but for environmental protection, these islets are only open to research groups.

Over the years, Matzu has undergone numerous changes with its transformation from an eastern Fu Chien fishing community into a frontline bastion against mainland Chinese communism, and more recently as well with the opened direct cross-strait links in January 2001.

Visitors to Matzu will discover the vestiges of varied history in the dialects, architecture, infrastructure and cultural activities on the islands.

Matzu has retained many examples of traditional eastern Fu Chien dialect and architecture, including its famous granite houses, seal-style, and fire damping walls, and other traditional buildings that reveal the unique style and cultural flavor of Matzu.

Cinbi (芹壁) Village is a typical eastern Fu Chien architecture village. The village is like a stone town, made of giant rocks, one can also take a broad view of the wall to bank up a fire, or see wood structure, and the five ridges and four eaves of a house structure.A small islet is just in front of Cinbi Village. Because it looks like a turtle, it is named Turtle Islet. Importantly, Cinbi village is the nearest place to mainland China. Visitors can easily see the land of China at the village.

Military facilities are the major resources to Matzu's tourism industry. Many areas are now opened to tourists. Among the opened military facilities, the Beihai Tunnel (北海坑道) is a must-see site.

Beihai Tunnel is generally the first stop on tours of Nangan's battlefield attractions. Outside the tunnel entrance stand several stone statues depicting army engineers with chisels and hammers - a memorial to those who painstakingly dug the tunnel defenses from the stone.

It is said that two infantry divisions, one engineering corps battalion, and a dumper truck (to haul out the rock) worked around the clock in three shifts to complete the project in 820 working days. Given the limited means of that time, the digging was accomplished through the use of explosives and human labor, leading to the loss of many soldiers' lives. Before entering the tunnel itself, one passes a barricade wall inscribed with a coup-let that reads: "The sun and moon hang over the sea. Heaven and earth are embraced within this tunnel."

Inside the tunnel, the first thing you see is a large space used to store ammunition and park vehicles. Further inside are two pairs of intersecting paths over the water. In former days, military boats could enter and exit the tunnel via a sluice gate, which has been closed since the opening of the tunnel to the public. The wall lamps cast a dim light that adds to the mysterious atmosphere of this place.

How to get there:

By airplane: board an airplane at Taipei Sungshan Airport (台北松山機場). There are 10 flights a day by Uni Airways Corp (立榮航空). The round trip ticket costs around NT$4,200. The flying time is about 50 minutes.

By ship: The Taima ship (台馬輪) serves between Matzu and Keelung Harbor everyday. The ship sets out from Keelung at 10:00 pm and arrives in Matzu at around 6:00 am. The ticket price (for one way) is between NT$600 -1200 per person. There are also small boat transports across islets.