Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/02/28
By: Worthy Shen and Romulo Huang

Taipei, Feb. 28 (CNA) Turtle Island, an islet off the east coast of northeastern Yilan

(CNA file photo)

County, will be reopened to tourists on Wednesday after its annual three-month closure for environmental protection reasons, the Tourism Bureau said on Tuesday.

The island, located about 10 kilometers east of Wushih Harbor in Yilan County is 2.841 square kilometers in size and administered by Toucheng Township, which promotes the island as a tourist destination and natural conservation area. It is closed to tourists from December to February.

The island, also known as Guishan Island, became the site of a military base in 1977 when local residents, consisting mainly of fishermen, were relocated to Taiwan proper. The island was officially designated a maritime ecological park and opened to tourists in 2000.    [FULL  STORY]