Keelung Islet (基隆嶼) is to reopen to visitors on July 1 after a year-long project to repair hiking walkways, the Keelung City Government said on Sunday.
As COVID-19 fears subside in Taiwan, the city government has decided to reopen the islet after the repair work finishes this month, Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau Director-General Tseng Tzu-wen (曾姿雯) said.
The volcanic islet, which is 4.9km off Keelung, is 960m long and 400m wide, with its peak reaching 182m above sea level.
Photo courtesy of the Keelung City Government
The islet has a lot to offer, including a hiking trail, native plants, beautiful coasts and views of the sea, Tseng said.
A round trip from the trailhead to the peak and back would take 60 to 80 minutes, she said, adding that people can view Taiwan’s northern coastline from the peak if the weather is clear.
People can book islet tour packages online starting tomorrow, but the number of visitors is capped at 1,200 per day, so they are advised to book early, especially if they want to visit on weekends, Tseng said.
The city government is collaborating with 19 ferry operators which have passed safety requirements, she said, adding that ferry tickets would be included in the tour packages.
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
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