Buggy drivers wait for tourists on Dadeng island, an attraction that is not as well known as Gulangyu in Xiamen, Fujian province. Zhu Xingxin / China Daily

While people living in northern China shiver as the mercury begins to drop below zero, in Xiamen and the surrounding Fujian province, it is still autumn, with favorable and pleasant weather.

Gulangyu island, Xiamen's landmark scenic spot, continues to be jammed with visitors, but another island in the city may be a nice alternative for tourists who want to avoid the crowds.

Located in the southeast waters off Xiamen's Xiang'an district, Dadeng island is one of the closest mainland territories to Taiwan's Jinmen county.

If you stand on the Dadeng Baiha reef, which is only 1,800 meters away from Jinmen, you can see Taiwan with the naked eye.

Due to this proximity, the island has been of strategic importance since the 1950s. For decades it was a defense outpost of the mainland in case an attack was mounted by the Kuomintang, which had taken refuge in Taiwan.

That part of history is presented on the island's Battlefield Tourism Park, which houses a variety of military apparatus.

In addition to the many types of guns, the park exhibits jet fighters, tanks, cannons and patrol boats that were once busy in war. Military aficionados will be excited to check out former bunkers and forts.

Another must-do on Dadeng island is to visit the duty-free market that sells food and daily necessities from Taiwan.

The only one of its kind on the Chinese mainland, the market is filled with vendors and shops that offer a wide selection of authentic Taiwan commodities ranging from food and oil to native and livestock products, from textiles and clothes to handicrafts and medicine.

When strolling on the island, be sure to try some local seafood. The abalone, in particular, which is exported to Taiwan and Singapore, is an exquisite reward for your palate.

Contact the writers at sunli@chinadaily.com.cn and

humeidong@chinadaily.com.cn.