Dongju Island

Dongju lies south of the main Matsu islands and holds the Dongquan lighthouse, built in 1872 under the British-run Chinese Maritime Customs to guide ships into the Min river, a granite tower on a headland with a whitewashed wall running down the slope to shield the keepers' lanterns from the wind. Below it is Dapu, a village of stone houses in the eastern Fujian manner, largely abandoned and now partly restored as guesthouses.

What you actually see

• The Dongquan lighthouse - an 1872 granite tower built under the Maritime Customs.
• The wind wall - a whitewashed wall down the slope shielding the keepers' path.
• Dapu village - stone houses in the eastern Fujian style, part restored.
• The coast - granite headlands and small bays around the island.

When to go

April to October is the season. Fog closes Matsu flights and ferries frequently, especially in spring. Winter northeast wind makes crossings unreliable.

Honest expectations

Getting to Matsu at all is unreliable: fog cancels flights for days at a time in spring and there is no alternative. Accommodation on Dongju is a handful of guesthouses. The lighthouse interior is not open.

Nearby

Dongyin is north, and Nangan is the main island of the group.