Nangan is the largest Island in the Matsu Archipelago. Besides being the main transportation hub to the other islands in Matsu, it also has traditional stone house villages, military  museums, a giant statue of Mazu, a variety of local food, and much more to explore.

Background:
Thousands of years ago, stone aged peoples once inhabited the Matsu Islands, including Beigan Island itself. These stone aged people later disappeared. 
The Matsu islands were inhabited again around the Song Dynasty (990 - 1200 AD) by Chinese Fisherman, the descendants of whom still inhabit the islands today. 
Because the Goddess Mazu's corpse washed ashore on this island, Nangan is also known as Matsu Island. 
During the Chinese Civil War, Matsu was used as a military  outpost for the retreating ROC. During the years that followed, it withheld shelling and threats of invasion from China, helping to keep Taiwan free of communist control.
In 1992 after cross straight relations had warmed up, martial law was lifted on the islands and tourists were allowed to visit.
In  the year 2000, a ferry link with Fuzhou started to provide constant China Mainland visitors to the island, as part of the three links with China. 
​In 2003, the Nangan airport was completed, which made Nangan the true transportation hub of Matsu. 
Nangan has a population of 4,000 people, and is the largest island in Matsu in terms of population and geographical size. 

How to get there:
By Boat: There are daily ferries from Keelung Harbor that usually take an overnight trip to Nangan, passing through Dongyin Island. 
There are boats from Beigan Baisha Harbor (北竿白沙港) to Nangan Fu'Ao Harbor (南竿福奧港) every hour from 7 AM to 5 PM. 
By Plane: There are flights to and from Taipei Songshan Airport three times a day via Uni Air.

Price:
By Boat:
500-2000 NT per person (one way from Keelung)
160 NT per person (one way from Beigan)
By Plane:
​About 2000 NT (one way from Taipei)

How to get around the island:
Nangan is a large, hilly island and it would be very hard to get around on foot or bicycle. We recommend one of the following
By Scooter: We recommend riding a scooter as your #1 choice. It's fast, convenient, and there isn't much traffic on the island. A scooter will cost about 500 NT per day to rent.
When braking on hills, use both brakes, otherwise you could lose traction on one tire and skid. Don't stop or park on a slope. Also, some hills that are too steep are closed off for scooters.
By Car/Taxi: You can rent a car or hire a taxi for 200O NT per day.
By Bus: There is a bus that goes around the island, but wait times can be 30 minutes or more. 

When to go:
We recommend going between April and June when the "blue tear" phosphorescent microbes in the water will be the most visible at night. Also, winters can be cold and windy and summers very hot, and there could also be typhoons in the summer and fall. 

Map:
Please see below:

Fo Guang Shan (aka Buddah Light Mountain, Buddah's Light Mountain, or Buddha Memorial Center) is a Buddhist sect based in Dashu District of Kaohsiung. The headquarters in Dashu feature the largest Buddhist monastery in the country along with a 8 pagodas, a large pyramid, huge sitting buddha statue, and Buddha museum. The massive complex can fill a tourists itinerary for more than a day, and is TripAdvisor's top ten tourist landmarks in Taiwan.

Background:
The Fo Guang Shan religion was established by Hsing Yun in 1967, begning with the development of the monastery in Dashu. The religion is focused on Humanistic Buddhism, with an emphasis on technology.
Fo Guang Shan has since grown to be one of the largest charitable organizations in Taiwan. Currently it has established medical programs, several colleges, one university, and has presence in 173 countries.
The Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum started construction in 2008 and was completed in 2011. 
One of the most precious artifacts in the museum is the tooth of Sakyamuni Buddha. The grounds feature eight pagodas, hundreds of statues, 4 different museums, an auditorium, Jade and Golden Buddha Statues, and 48 underground palaces (time capsules).

How to get there:
From Kaohsiung, take provincial highway 29 north to Dashu, and it will be right in front of the National Highway 3 bridge. You can also travel there via public buses.
 
Price:
Free

Hours:
9 AM to 8 PM

Map:
Please see below: