Peace Memorial Park Matsu

Until the start of this century, Beigan's steep eastern peninsula housed a slew of defensive military emplacements. Many have been preserved as part of this intriguing and extensive park, combining superb viewpoints with insights into the island's military history. Plenty of artillery pieces still point their barrels out to sea. A scooter is useful both to get here and to shuttle between the site's three main focal points. Start at the Exhibition Centre, a museum explaining Matsu's geopolitical significance in the 1950s and the battles fought here. There's a great viewpoint upstairs and an even better one at Stronghold 8, 600m east on a lane passing an outdoor display of tanks and anti-aircraft cannons. Much less visited is Stronghold 6, nearly 1km northeast of the Exhibition Centre on a narrow lane that ends with a very steep descent.

Continue down on steps, through foxhole tunnels and return to your scooter by a different stairway.