4-Day Seagull Watching Tour

Every year from April to September is the best season for tern watching in Matsu. By taking a boat directly to Dongyin, you can watch the terns inside the tunnels without having to take a smaller boat out to sea. As soon as the boat arrives at Zhongzhu Port, large flocks of terns fly up at the port, making the encounter with Matsu's terns surprisingly easy.

Day1｜Dongyin Tour: Zhongzhu Port (Dongyin) → Yixiantian (Dongyin) → Andong Tunnel (Dongyin)
Take a taxi to Andong Tunnel. Enter the tunnel through the entrance whose outer wall is covered in camouflage paint and proceed along a downhill slope of about thirty degrees. The tunnel is approximately 300 meters long in total, with eight interconnected openings along the way, each leading out to the sea. The large platform at the far end of the Andong Tunnel opening is a great place to view the ocean. Surrounded by a cove-shaped coastline, large numbers of terns breed and perch on the rock face. You can admire the birds soaring and fluttering without binoculars, making it a sacred place for bird lovers.

Black-tailed Gull
Black-tailed Gulls can be seen almost year-round on Dongyin Island, Matsu, but they belong to different groups: overwintering flocks, transit flocks, and breeding flocks. The breeding population on Dongyin Island is the only one in Taiwan and is currently the southernmost known breeding population of Black-tailed Gulls in the world. Among the gull species that breed in Matsu, only the Black-tailed Gull exhibits nesting behavior. They choose crevices or small platforms on steep rock faces to build shallow, saucer-shaped nests from dry grass. Black-tailed Gulls lay 2 to 3 eggs per clutch, and the parent birds take turns incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks through regurgitation.

Transportation Information

1. Take the Taima Star ferry from Keelung West Pier 2 (sailing time about 10 hours) to Dongyin Township, Matsu.
2. Take the first UNI Air flight to Matsu Nangan Airport, then take a taxi to Fu'ao Harbor to catch the Taima Star ferry to Dongyin.

Cost Information

1. Taima Star one-way fare: Full fare from Keelung to Matsu Dongyin is approximately NT$1,050.
2. Taima Star one-way fare: Full fare from Nangan to Dongyin is approximately NT$350.

Travel Tips

1. Dongyin Laoye Hotel Contact Number: 0836-77168
2. Visitor Tip: Taima Star ferry services may be canceled or change schedules due to seasonal or weather conditions. Please confirm before boarding.
3. Xinhua Shipping:
   Keelung 02-2424-6868
   Nangan 0836-26655
   Dongyin 0836-77555
4. It is recommended to check whether the day's route is "Matsu first, Dongyin second" or "Dongyin first, Matsu second" when planning your itinerary.

Day2｜Juguang Tour: Meng'ao Port (Dongju) → Dapu Stone Inscription (Dongju) → Dongju Island Lighthouse (Dongju) → Secret Mini Bay (Dongju) → Qingfan Port (Xiju) → Kunqiu → Sheshan (Xiju)
Upon arrival at Dongju, you can take a taxi or rent a scooter. Start by stopping at Meng'ao Port according to the Dongju Island map. Besides seawater, fresh water from the Minjiang River estuary flows in here, and the abundant fishing resources attract large numbers of terns to gather. Standing at Secret Mini Bay or on the beach gazing at the strange coastal rock formations on both sides, legend has it that Lü Dongbin and He Xiangu of the Eight Immortals achieved enlightenment here, earning it the beautiful name "Lü He Cliff." There is a cave above the bay called "Tern Nest." The walk to Dapu Village takes about ten minutes. The nearby Dapu Fishing Harbor is also an excellent spot for tern watching.

Transportation Information

1. Ferry times from Nangan to Juguang are 07:00, 11:00, and 14:30.
2. Ferry departure times from Juguang back to Nangan vary depending on whether Xiju or Dongju is served first in odd or even months. Please refer to on-site port announcements or check official routes and the latest ferry schedules in advance.
3. Odd-numbered months: West (Xiju) first, then East (Dongju): Fu'ao Port (approx. 50 mins) to Xiju; Xiju (approx. 10 mins) to Dongju; Dongju (approx. 50 mins) to Fu'ao Port.
4. Even-numbered months: East (Dongju) first, then West (Xiju): Fu'ao Port (approx. 50 mins) to Dongju; Dongju (approx. 10 mins) to Xiju; Xiju (approx. 50 mins) to Fu'ao Port.

Cost Information

1. Nangan - Juguang one-way ferry fare is NT$250.
2. Dongju to Xiju one-way ferry fare: Full fare NT$80, Half fare NT$40.
3. Scooter rental for one day is approximately NT$500.

Travel Tips

1. The dark reef rising from the sea, due to the tide differences, appears like a giant python writhing in the river because of the terrain's undulating rise and fall, hence the name Sheshan (Snake Mountain).
2. In 2008, Matsu's mythical bird, the Chinese Crested Tern, was discovered here. In recent years, as valuable bird habitats have been continuously discovered on various islets, Sheshan has also been designated as a Tern Ecological Protection Area, strictly prohibiting landing. You can only admire the terns from afar through a camera or binoculars!
3. Accommodation and dining on the islands are available in Qingfan Village and Tian'ao Village in Xiju, and Daping Village, Dapu Settlement, and Fuzheng Village in Dongju.

Day3｜Nangan Tour: Fu'ao Port (Nangan) → Qingshui Wetland → Shengli Reservoir → Jinren Trail → Jinsha Reservoir → Shengtian Park
Matsu's only Qingshui Wetland is the most frequent stop for bird-watching enthusiasts. Next, the Jinren Trail was an early military road used by tanks and jeeps. Built with two concrete lanes, the scenery along the coastline is pleasant, and bird watching can be done on foot.

Transportation Information

1. For Nangan Island, Matsu's largest island by area, you can choose to take a taxi or rent a scooter.

Cost Information

1. Taxi charter is available for about NT$500 per hour.
2. Car rental is about NT$2,000 per day.
3. Scooter rental is about NT$500 per day. The distance between attractions is about a 10-minute drive.

Travel Tips

1. Matsu's location is a midway stop on the migratory route of birds traveling north and south. Thus, every autumn, tens of thousands of birds migrate here from Siberia, Northeast China, Korea, and Japan. Spring brings another peak time for bird watching as the migratory birds return north.

Day4｜Beigan Tour: Fu'ao Port → Jinyu (Beigan) → Tiejian Island → Baimiao Island → Zhongdao → Fu'ao Port
Watching flocks of terns flying back and forth and personally experiencing the quantity and spectacle of the tern season is a genuine seasonal highlight in Matsu. Especially, taking a small boat out to sea for bird watching is a rare and precious experience in a lifetime.

Transportation Information

1. You can choose to charter a taxi or rent a scooter. During bird watching season, please contact major travel agencies in Matsu.

Cost Information

1. Taxi charter is about NT$500 per hour or by trip.
2. Scooter rental is about NT$500 per day. The distance between attractions is about a 10-minute drive.

Travel Tips

1. The Matsu National Scenic Area Administration of the Tourism Bureau organizes tern watching activities every year, attracting numerous domestic and international bird lovers to participate in this grand event.
2. When taking a small boat or a tern watching boat, please prepare binoculars and seasickness medicine, as you cannot land on the reefs and will be observing gulls at sea for a long time.
3. Reminding tern watching travelers again: be sure to prepare sun protection, keep quiet, and speak softly so that the terns will fly close to you.

※The above ticket prices and ferry/flight times are for reference only. Please refer to actual announcements.