Practical Information for visiting Taiwan Outlying Islands

Coverage for mobile networks is good on Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu, with 4G throughout the inhabited areas. Green Island and Orchid Island have coverage around the villages and the coastal road, with gaps in the interior.

Taiwanese SIMs work on all of them. Note that on Kinmen and Matsu phones sometimes latch onto Chinese networks because the mainland is so close — check what network you are on before making calls, or you will roam internationally by accident.

Wi-Fi is standard in guesthouses and cafes.

Power is reliable but typhoons cut it on the eastern islands. Carry a power bank, and download maps before you go — and expect to be genuinely out of contact on parts of Orchid Island.

These are safe, low-crime islands. The hazards are the sea, the wind and, on two of them, the residue of a war.

• Unexploded ordnance on Kinmen and Matsu. Hundreds of thousands of shells landed and mine clearance took decades. Some beaches remain closed and fenced, and anti-landing spikes are still in place. Stay off closed ground and pick nothing up.
• Ferry cancellations and rough crossings, especially to Green and Orchid Islands, where the passage is short, exposed and genuinely unpleasant.
• Scooters are the main injury cause, particularly on Green Island’s steep loop road and among inexperienced riders.
• The sea: strong currents, and on Penghu the tidal range exposes and then covers large flats quickly.
• Typhoons can strand you for days; do not plan a tight onward connection.
• Winter wind on Penghu is strong enough to be a hazard in itself.

Medical facilities are limited on all the outlying islands. Penghu and Kinmen have small hospitals; Matsu, Green Island and Orchid Island have clinics only. Anything serious means air evacuation to Taiwan, which depends entirely on the weather and can be delayed for a day or more in a storm.

This is the single most important practical consideration here, and a strong argument for caution on a scooter and conservatism in the water.

Vaccinations: routine cover. No malaria.

Diving: Green Island has excellent reef but there is no recompression chamber on the island — the nearest is on Taiwan proper. Dive well within limits and respect flying intervals, since your way out is a short flight.

Sun and wind: burn happens fast on the water, and Penghu’s wind disguises it entirely.

Water on Penghu is partly desalinated and in short supply; use it sparingly.

On Orchid Island, follow Tao custom. Ask before photographing anyone or any boat; the plank canoes are individually owned, ritually significant, and photographing them without permission causes real offence. Do not enter underground houses uninvited, and observe the restrictions around the flying-fish season, which are explained locally and are not negotiable.

On Kinmen and Matsu, military installations are still active. Do not photograph military sites or personnel, and observe fenced areas.

Take nothing from the shore — coral, shells and Penghu’s basalt are all protected, and there are penalties.

Temples are busy and central to island life; enter by the right door, do not step on thresholds, and ask before photographing rituals.

Carry your rubbish; waste processing is minimal.

Duty-free: Kinmen and Matsu have allowances, and there are limits on bringing kaoliang back to Taiwan.

Emergency numbers: 110 for police, 119 for ambulance and fire, with the English-speaking travel information line on 0800-011-765 for translation or help.

Medical evacuation is the key consideration. Penghu and Kinmen have hospitals; everywhere else has a clinic, and serious cases fly to Taiwan. Weather stops the aircraft, so in a typhoon or heavy fog you may be waiting. Insurance covering evacuation is worth having.

Diving on Green Island: no chamber on the island; plan conservatively.

Unexploded ordnance on Kinmen and Matsu: if you find anything, do not touch it and report it to the police.

Ferry and flight cancellations are frequent and are safety decisions. Keep a spare day before any onward international flight, and expect to rebook rather than argue.

Representative offices are in Taipei.