Kinmen's Dadan Island to reopen for tourism starting July 27

Taipei, July 13 (CNA) Dadan, a small island that is part of Taiwan's outlying Kinmen Islands chain, will reopen to tourists on a trial basis from July 27 to Oct. 31 after a two-year hiatus.

Located roughly 12 kilometers southwest of Kinmen Island but only 4.4 km from Xiamen in China's Fujian province, the 0.79-square-kilometer Dadan Island was on the front lines of the military standoff between Taiwan and the Chinese communists during the Cold War.

It is the largest of a small group of islets that also includes Erdan Island, Sandan Island and a few others.

Dadan was opened to the public on a trial basis for the first time in 2018 from July 26 to Oct. 31. In March 2019, it was officially opened as a tourist destination.

It was then closed off during the COVID-19 pandemic, but briefly reopened to visitors during a two-and-a-half month period in 2022.

Working in collaboration with private sector operators, the Kinmen County government said the Dadan reopening will incorporate the county's "blue highway" sea cruises.

In December 2023, the Kinmen government unveiled a plan inviting ferry operators to submit proposals for services related to tours to Dadan, and two businesses were subsequently granted permits to operate tours to island from July 27 to Oct. 31.

Besides visiting Dadan itself, visitors will also be able to gain a experience through the sea cruises, Kinmen's Department of Tourism said, expressing hope that the reopening of Dadan can give a boost to Kinmen's tourism sector by helping attract more visitors.

Meanwhile, Kinmen County Magistrate Chen Fu-hai (陳福海) said much thought was put into the reopening of Dadan, including arranging for tour guides to return for training to ensure that visitors will gain an in-depth understanding of the island's history and natural ecology.