penghu island tour

A 2024 Guide to Penghu Islands, Taiwan’s Offshore Paradise

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Penghu (澎湖) is a collection of islands in the Taiwan Strait between Taiwan and China. It is also called the Penghu Islands, Penghu Archipelago, and Pescadores Islands. Penghu County is one of Taiwan’s 13 counties and is made up of around 90 islands.

Penghu is an incredibly special place. Consider this list of fun things to do in Penghu: a months-long fireworks festival, more temples per capital than any county in Taiwan (including the country’s oldest!), the best beaches in Taiwan , traditional houses made of coral, volcanic basalt columns, heart-shaped fish weirs, snorkelling in fields of lavender coral, windsurfing and other water activities , island hoping, and so much more. Penghu also has a uniquely dry, windswept landscape with cacti that are used to make delicious ice cream.

I’ve been to Penghu three times: with my wife, with my sister, and with my kids and Taiwanese family. It is one of my absolute favorite places in Taiwan and my top choice when it comes to the offshore islands of Taiwan .

I’ve spend countless hours researching and exploring the islands, and I would go again in a heartbeat. Instead of writing multiple guides to Penghu (itinerary, activities, places to visit, getting there, where to stay, what to eat, tours, and more), I’ve decided to put it all together in this enormous (you might even call it the “ultimate”) Penghu guide!

Speaking of offshore islands in Taiwan, also see my guides to Orchid Island , Xiaoliuqiu , Matsu Islands , and Cijin !

Table of Contents

When to Visit Penghu

The best time to visit Penghu is in spring , summer , or early autumn , from April to September . In my opinion, April, May , June and September are the best months to visit Penghu. May and June have the Penghu International Fireworks Festival but are also quite busy as a result.

July and August are the busiest time to visit Penghu. But the heat in summer in Penghu can be overbearing. Because the islands are mostly flat and there aren’t many trees, there is little shade to escape from the sun.

Penghu is actually one of the few places in Taiwan where I’ve ever got a bad sunburn. Most things to do in Penghu are outdoors, not to mention that the main way many people get around is by scooter, on which you are totally exposed.

I highly recommend bringing strong sunscreen and thin but long-sleeved shirt and long pants for riding around.      

It is not recommended to visit Penghu in winter , from October to Marc h . At this time, the archipelago experiences unusually strong wind because there are no hills or trees to stop it. I’ve heard the wind can be strong enough to knock people over when they are riding scooters. One exception is if you are going to Penghu specifically for windsurfing.

Learn more in guide to the best time to visit Taiwan .

Getting to Penghu

One of the most convenient aspects of visiting Penghu is that there are regular flights every day from several cities in Taiwan. All of these flights land in Magong (MZG), the capital city of Penghu county.

You may want to consider a package deal to Penghu. These are generally cheaper than buying each item individually.

You can also get to Penghu by ferry from the mainland of Taiwan. But just like the ferry rides to any of Taiwan’s offshore islands, the journey can be rough, and seasickness is common among passengers.

Package Deals

While I’m not normally a “package deal” kind of traveler, both Penghu and Green Island in Taiwan have some high value package deals. In fact, most Taiwanese people purchase such packages when they visit the islands, and there are numerous travel agents in Taiwan offering them. These deals include, at the minimum, a return flight from Taipei’s city center Songshan Airport and a hotel in Penghu.

The main benefit of these packages is that you can score a room in a fancier hotel for a much lower price than what you would pay for your flight and room separately. The only downside is that almost all packages are only for 2d1n or 3d1n. The last time we went, I really wanted to stay for 3 nights, because I feel 2 nights simply isn’t enough, but there were no such packages.

A typical deal like this includes flights, accommodation, scooter rental (Taiwanese license may be needed), and dinner voucher. These kind of deals are changing all the time, so if this link doesn’t work, such search “Penghu package” on Kkday to see current ones on offer.

Taipei to Penghu

Between Mandarin Airlines and Uni Air (sometimes operated by sister airline Tigerair Taiwan), the two main airlines flying to Penghu, there are over a dozen daily flights from Taipei ’s city-center Songshan Airport to Penghu. Being able to fly from Songshan Airport is extra convenient because you can even take the Taipei MRT to get there.

The flight from Taipei to Magong takes exactly one hour. This means you could be on a beach in Penghu faster than if you took the High Speed Rail from Taipei to Kaohsiung!

The price for a return flight is usually just under TWD 5000 or US$160. You can usually get a discounted price if you book your Taipei to Penghu flight here on KKday .

From other cities

Besides Taipei, both Mandarin Airlines and Uni Air have direct flights from Taichung and Kaohsiung to Penghu. Uni Air also has direct Penghu flights from Chiayi, Tainan , and Kinmen island.

Another option is to go to Penghu by ferry. This way is cheaper than flying, but takes much longer and is less comfortable. I’ve taken the ferry to Penghu once, and while I was fine, my sister suffered from seasickness the whole way.

Several ferry companies run ferries from Budai Passenger Port in Chiayi (the county famous for Alishan National Forest Recreation Area ) to Magong. The journey takes around 1.5 hours and costs approximately TWD 2000 (return) or 1000 (one-way). You can buy tickets here or here . Tickets aren’t available in winter.

For anyone who experiences seasickness, you’ll want to think twice about this option. Or, at the very least, make sure to buy some seasickness medication (暈車藥) from a local pharmacy before you go. Another challenge is that you’ll have to find your way to Budai, which can take upwards of two hours to reach from Chiayi city by bus, or 45 minutes by taxi. From Chiayi’s Hight Speed Rail station, it’s only 35 minutes in a cab. But if you’re going to splurge on an HSR ride (see my Taiwan HSR guide ), why not just fly to Penghu?

There are also ferries all the way from Kaohsiung, but it can take a whopping 4 hours to get there. I don’t recommend it!

Where to Stay in Penghu

Staying in Magong, the capital of Penghu, is the most convenient because you’ll have access to all the restaurants and sights in town (which I’ll cover in detail below). Magong is also where ferry tours depart for the southern island-hopping tours (but not the northern or eastern ones). You can also visit Rainbow Bridge and a small beach near it on foot from town.

By booking package deals like this one or this one , you can stay at some of the best hotels in Magong for a reasonable price. The first one includes a stay at Shertaton Penghu while the second includes Discovery Hotel . Both of these are on Magong Harbor in Magong.

Booking on your own, for a cool B&B conveniently located by Tianhou Temple on the highly atmospheric Zhongyang Old Street (I’ll cover those below), I recommend Penhu’s Peace Hotel (see on Booking / TripAdvisor ). For a budget option, try Nice Hostel (see on Booking / Agoda ).

If you want to stay closer to a beach rather than in Magong, I recommend Sea View Villa (see on Booking / Agoda ) on Shanshui Beach.

If you spend some time searching, you’ll find there is a huge number of accommodations in Penghu. We’ve stayed in Magong and found it pretty convenient, but we’ve also stayed in small guesthouses 5-10 minutes’ drive outside of town because they were included in our package deal (purchased through a Taiwanese travel agent). Because we had scooters, we found that staying out of town wasn’t a big deal.   

Events and Activities in Penghu

There are some special events and activities that Penghu is especially known for.

Penghu International Fireworks Festival

From spring till summer every year (in 2024 it will be from May 2 to July 30), the Penghu International Fireworks Festival draws major crowds.

When we saw the fireworks in 2022, the display was about 50% lit up drones (an increasing trend for such events in Taiwan) and 50% fireworks. Oh, and it was sponsored by Taiwan’s famous and universally used LINE app, hence the bear in the photo that any LINE user will be familiar with.

The fireworks and drones display takes place every Monday and Thursday (May and June) and every Tuesday (July) at 9 PM above Guanyinting Recreation Area and Rainbow Bridge in Magong. There are also some additional Saturday shows (June 1, June 15, July 28) at different locations in the Penghu archipelago.  

Island Hopping by Scooter

My favorite thing to do in Penghu is to just hop on a scooter and explore the four main islands, which are all connected by bridges. If your package deal ( like this one ) doesn’t already include a scooter, you can rent one here .

An IDP with motorcycle endorsement (A stamp) is usually required for renting scooters in Taiwan. However, unfortunately, a few different travelers have reported to me in the last few years that even with those, they were no able to rent a scooter anywhere in Penghu. It seems that Penghu shops are now only renting scooters to people with a Taiwan-issued motorcycle license.

If you face this issue, one workaround would be to ask your minsu (guesthouse) to rent one for you, which may or may not work. On the smaller islands (for example ones you visit on a boat tour, with some time for explore by scooter), you should have no issue.

If you’d still like to drive but can’t rent a scooter, rent a car instead . For this, a credit card and IDP should be sufficient. It will also help you to stay out of the sun while moving around.

If you have two or more days in Penghu, I recommend spending at least one day touring the main islands by scooter or car, and spending your other day doing a boat island-hopping tour (see next entry) or other activities. If you don’t have a license, you can go by private tour like this one or this one .  

I’ll cover all the places to visit on your driving tour in the “things to do in Penghu” section below.

Island Hopping Boat Tours

If you want to visit some of the smaller islands in the archipelago, which include some of the most beautiful beaches in all of Taiwan, you’ll need to join an island hopping boat tour. These are generally full-day tours that include several stops and activities.

These tours vary quite a bit. Some like this one take you directly to one or more, where you rent a scooter and drive around on your own. Some like this one include activities like snorkelling at so-called “secret/paradise” locations. And some like this one include thrilling Taiwanese beach activities like getting pulled around on a “banana boat”, jet skiing (no, they won’t let you drive), and jumping off a platform or sliding down a slide into the sea (yes, you’ll have to wear a life jacket). Nighttime squid fishing tours are also popular among locals

Any hotel in Penghu can arrange you a spot on one of these tours. It’s a good idea to find out exactly what the tour includes and make sure that’s what you want. For those who get seasick, bring medication. And if you’re visiting when it’s really hot (which is most of the time in Penghu), these tours can be a long and tiring day.

I’ll be describing all of these tours and where they go in more detail in the “outer islands” section at the end of the article.

Snorkelling and other Water Activities

While some of the island hopping tours include snorkelling, the quality is not great. If you’ve never tried snorkelling before, it would be a good introduction to the activity. But if you have done it elsewhere, you may be disappointed.

On this snorkeling tour , you can mail a postcard from an underwater mailbox (actually, the instructor will do it for you, because it’s deep underwater). This one is also best for beginners.

This snorkelling and sightseeing tour includes one of the best snorkelling sites in Penghu, the so-called “Lavender Forest”. This one is NOT disappointing, but it still won’t compare if you’ve ever been snorkelling in, say, Australia or Indonesia.

Other water-based activities in Penghu include SUP , sailing , kayaking , and this overnight small island camping trip with snorkeling .

Places to Visit in Penghu

Starting in Magong, we’ll then travel out of the city around Huxi Island (the “main island” where Magong is located, then to the three other main islands: Zhongtun, Baisha, and Xiyu, which are connected by bridges.

In the final section below, I’ll cover places to visit on the smaller islands of Penghu, which can only be reached by boat.   

Things to do in Magong

Magong is the capital city of Penghu and most of the county’s hotels and restaurants are situated there. Even if you aren’t staying in Magong, there are several worthwhile things to see and do there.

Penghu Tianhou Temple

Penghu Tianhou Temple (澎湖天后宮), also called Magong Mazu Temple, is widely considered Taiwan’s oldest temple. It likely dates to the 1400s, but was rebuilt in the 1500s and largely renovated in 1922. The temple is dedication to Matsu (Tianhou), goddess of fisherman and the sea. “Ma Temple” is the origin of the city’s name, “Magong”, and the city was built up around the temple.

The temple is free to enter and has a front, middle, and back section. There is protective scaffolding over part of the temple. The small lanes near the temple (see next entry) are worth exploring.  

Zhongyang Old Street

The neighborhood around Magong Temple is the most atmospheric in the city. From the courtyard in front of Tianhou Temple, a narrow alley leads to Zhongyang Old Street (馬公中央老街), the most beautifully preserved lane.

The atmosphere is a bit touristy, but the lane is undeniably picturesque. Follow the lane to Four Eyed Well (四眼井), a centuries-old well with four distinctively round holes for collecting water.  Near the old street, have a look at 舊郵便局, a dark green Japanese-era post office building.

Guanyinting and Rainbow Bridge

One of the most iconic sights of Penghu is Xiying Rainbow Bridge (西瀛虹橋), a pedestrian-only bridge across a human-made bay on the west side of Magong.

The bay-side area is called Guanyinting (觀音亭親水遊憩區), or Guanyin Pavillion, named after the ancient Guanyin Temple (澎湖觀音亭) there. The temple is famous for its pair of stone lions. The temple was under renovation when we last visited.

This area is the main viewing location of the Penghu International Fireworks festival. It’s also a pleasant spot for a waterside stroll or even a swim. There’s also a large playground for children.   

Duxing Ten Villages and Jinguitou Fort

Traveling by scooter, it’s worth driving up to the peninsula just south of Guanyinting. If you’re coming from the south side of Magong, you’ll drive through the impressive Shuncheng Gate (順承門) on the way up.

At the top of the hill is Duxing Ten Villages (篤行十村). This is a collection of old military dorms turned into arts village. There are some cute little cafes and an old fashioned toy train ride for kids. The village also includes Pan An Pang Memorial (潘安邦紀念館), for a Taiwanese singer who was born in the area and died in 2013, and Chang Yu Sheng Memorial (張雨生故事館), also dedicated to a late Taiwanese singer.

Further up past Duxing, you’ll reach Penghu Juguang New Village (澎湖莒光新村), another collection of military dorms. Most are closed, but you can actually stay in one of them, called 貝富門旅館 . You can see Rainbow Bridge and the new giant Penghu Matsu Statue from here, so it’s actually a popular spot for viewing the Penghu International Fireworks display.

Just past Juguang New Village, and at the tip of the peninsula, is Jinguitou Fort (馬公金龜頭砲臺文化園區). The fort has origins going all the way back to the Kingdom of Tungning (1661-1683) and was rebuilt in 1864. It offers good views in all directions, but has limited opening hours (Wed to Sun 9 AM to noon and 2-5 PM, closed Mon, Tues and national holidays).

Magong Harbor

The large Magong Harbor (馬公漁港) is just east of Magon’s city center. Several large, upscale hotels are built around the harbor, including Ya-Ling and Four Points by Sheraton . Inside the Sheraton, the Starbucks Sheraton Penghu (星巴克–澎湖喜來登門市) is considered one of the “special” Starbucks of Taiwan, as it features Penghu and ocean-inspired designs.

Beside the harbor, you will also find Pier 3三號港 , which is a modern department store that also contains the Penghu Whisky Museum (昇恆昌Whisky 101威士忌博物館). Penghu Living Museum (澎湖生活博物館), the best museum dedicated to Penghu’s history and culture, is also nearby.

Ferries for the southern small islands of Penghu, including Wang’an and Qimei (where the famous twin heart weir, the cover photo of this article, is located) usually depart from Magong Nanhai Wharf (馬公南海碼頭) in front of Nanhai Visitor’s Center (南海遊客中心).

Last but not least, Penghu Fish Market is the best place to see fresh fish and seafood being sold fresh off the boat in the early morning. It’s also a popular spot for local street cats, as you can see in the below photo.

Beichen Public Market

Beichen Market (北辰市場)  is the largest local market in Penghu. This is where locals go to purchase fresh produce, seafood, and other foot items. There are also baked items, noodles, soup, and sushi stalls, so it’s a good place to go for a cheap meal.

The market is open all day, but it’s busiest from 8 AM to noon. It is located directly north of Magong Harbor.

Penghu Matsu Statue

A brand new attraction in Penghu (opened late 2022) is this enormous Matsu Statue (重光媽祖銅像) about 5 minutes’ drive north of Magong. The statue is a whopping 48 meters tall, making it the world’s tallest statue of Matsu (before it was built, the 28.8 meter one on Taiwan’s Matsu Islands was the tallest).

The statue overlooks the huge bay formed by the four main islands of Penghu. You can also see it from Rainbow Bridge and Jinguitou Fort (where the above photo was shot) to the south. Fun fact: there’re also huge statues of Matsu in Anping, Tainan and on Nangan (Matsu) Island.

What to Eat in Magong

There are four main specialties that Penghu is famous for: seafood, cactus ice cream (仙人掌冰淇淋), pumpkin vermicelli noodles (澎湖金瓜米粉), and brown sugar cake (黑糖糕). Magong is the best place to find these, and has by far the most restaurants and places to eat in the archipelago.

Outside of Magong, we mostly ate or got drinks at 7-Elevens and FamilyMarts!

For seafood, there isn’t as much of it in Magong and across Penghu as you would expect. Most of Penghu’s catches are actually sent to the mainland of Taiwan.  

The quintessential eating experience that almost every group of Taiwanese visitors does in Penghu is to dine at one of the many open-air DIY BBQ restaurants . If you’re used to Taipei-style BBQ joints, this will definitely be a few steps less classy. 澎湖大姐自助碳烤廣場 is one of several on the main road near Guanyinting.

Blessed Oyster Restaurant (福牡蠣屋) in town has every oyster dish you can imagine. This includes steamed oysters, oyster noodles, oyster sushi, deep fried oysters, oyster omelets, and more.

For quick fry style dining (more suitable for groups), there are a few popular seafood restaurants on Magong harbor, such as 臨海樓海鮮料理 and 華珍活海鮮 and 澎漁宴生猛海鮮.

If you’re looking for a quirky experience, 阿家生蠔 on the coast five minutes’ drive north of Magong is a one-grandpa show that claims to be open 24 hrs (he’ll wake up at any time of day or night if you book him). He does fresh oysters, shrimp, and sea urchin. Seating is plastic chairs on top of a rubble-strewn parking lot, and every Taiwanese reviewer mentions that he is funny/crazy.

Cactus Ice Cream and Other Treats

Penghu’s famous cactus shaved ice and cactus ice cream are made from the native Penghu elephant ear prickly pear (澎湖紅蘋果仙人掌, usually just abbreviated to xianrenzhang or 仙人掌). The cacti are small and vibrantly purple on the inside.

Penghue Cactus Ice City (澎湖仙人掌冰城) For a no-frills cup of cactus slushy topped with cactus ice cream, I recommend this corner shop in Beichen Temple Night Market. The shop also has some special herbal drinks like aloe jelly with honey (蜂蜜蘆薈) and chilled fengru tea (野生風茹茶), made with a medicinal herb found only in Penghu.

23.5° Cactus Ice Cream (235掌上明珠仙人掌冰淇淋) does a pimped up version of cactus ice cream, including cactus flavored pearls, seaweed flavored shaved ice, cactus ice cream floats, and more (see photo above). It’s at the far south end of town, but has limited hours.

Chinese Mesona (玉冠嫩仙草) is an iced dessert shop that is incredibly popular among Taiwanese visitors. They don’t do cactus but rather shaved ice with traditional toppings, including black mesona (grass jelly). It is near Magong Harbor.

If you’re looking for a fancy cocktail, including cactus margaritas or giant cocktail bowls for groups, Sunla is a short drive north of Magong. The vibe is pretentious and we were turned away without a reservation, even though every table in the place was empty. It’s pricey.  

Pumpkin Vermicelli

In local noodle shops, you can find vermicelli noodles served with steamed pumpkin (金瓜米粉). Healthy! Just plug the Mandarin name of the fish into GoogleMaps and you can find half a dozen small shops in town serving it.

Brown Sugar Cake

Every destination in Taiwan has its own local “famous” snack or specialty to take home. In Penghu, that would be brown sugar cake (黑糖糕 or heitang gao ). It has a chewy texture and is very similar to the brown sugar cake you can find in Hakka communities in northern Taiwan.

After some research before our trip, my Taiwanese sister-in-law concluded that 三岳黑糖糕 has the best brown sugar cake in Penghu.

盛興製餅舖 in Beichen Temple Night market is a more popular and convenient place to buy it. You can also find it in shops around Tianhou Temple.

Penghu Night Markets in Magong

Sadly both of Magong’s night markets are basically dead. Wenao Zushi Temple Night Market (文澳祖師廟幸福小夜市) used to be the largest, but there’s almost nothing left of it.

Beichen Temple Night Market (北辰宮夜市), which I’ve mentioned a few times above, is hardly better. It’s just a normal street with some restaurants, teashops, and only a few food stalls that can’t even keep up with the demand. When we tried to order sticks of BBQ items from one stall, the stall owner said the wait was 45 minutes!

In other words, don’t have any high hopes for night markets in Penghu. Instead, save you night market hopping for these ones in Kaohsiung , Tainan , Taichung , or Taipei .

Things to do around Huxi Island

Huxi Island (湖西島) is the largest of the main islands of Penghu. Magong is located at the island’s western end, while the airport is roughly in the middle of the island.

Penghu’s most popular beaches are on the island, along with several other sights worth visiting. I recommend spending one of your days in Penghu touring these sights on Huxi Island and the other three main islands (see the following section below), ideally by car, scooter, or private tour .

Aimen Beach

Aimen Beach (隘門沙灘, literally “Narrow Beach”, although it is quite wide) is the most popular beach in Penghu. It’s an expansive stretch of golden-white sand with designated swimming areas. The beach is close to the Penghu Airport and is about 15 minutes by scooter from Magong.

A lot of watersports are done here, including the ubiquitous banana boats that every Taiwanese is familiar with, as well as jet skiing, kayaking, offshore water play parks, and more. Music is pumped out from the food stand. If you’re looking for a quiet beach to yourself, avoid this one.

If you need beer, pick it up from the 7-11 on the main highway on your way to the beach.

Just past Aimen, Lintou Beach (林投金沙灘) is a quieter alternative to Aimen Beach. Between the highway and Lintou Beach, I recommend a food stall called Lintou Park Fried Fish (林投公園炸魚).

Hidden away around a corner, the auntie here serves traditional deep fried rice cakes, yam, fish, oyster balls with fresh shrimp, and more. It was one of our best finds on Penghu.  

Shanshui Beach

Shanshui Beach (山水沙灘) is a good alternative to Magong, for anyone looking to stay in a small seaside village rather than the city. The long, golden sand beach is decent for swimming, but it does get deep rather quickly. It is less busy that Aimen and there’s no bumpin’ music here.

You can also walk up to Shanshui 30 Park (山水30公園)  via some coastal caves (山水吼洞). The Garden Tapas and Bar (菜宅裡的小酒館) in town has been recommended to us by friends, and we’ve dined at 澎湖山水夏日, one of the DIY BBQ places along the main road just off the beach.

Near Shanshui Beach, in the village of Suogang, there are two large stone towers (石塔). These were traditionally built all over Penghu to ward off bad spirits. The pair in Suogang are the largest in Penghu.

They are marked 鎖港南鎮風塔 and 鎖港北石塔 on GoogleMaps, and I marked them on the Penghu map I created above.

Shili Beach & Fongguei Cave

Further west down the coast from Shanshui Beach, Shili Beach (嵵裡沙灘) is truly remote. The beach is smaller and almost non-existent at high tide. When my sister and I visited Penghu, we spent a whole afternoon on this beach and never saw another soul.   

From Shili Beach, you can continue to the end of the island to visit Fongguei Cave (風櫃洞 or Feng Gui Cave), which is known for making whistling sound when wind blows through it.

Kuibishan and Moses Divides the Sea

It’s a bit of drive, but at the opposite end of Huxi Island from Magong, Kuibishan (奎壁山) had become all the rage for Taiwanese visitors to Penghu. They come to see the dramatically named “Moses Parts the Sea” (摩西分海) phenomenon.

Every day at high tide, a sand bar leading out to Chi Yu (赤嶼 or Chi Island) gets exposed. If you time it right, you can see the sand bar gradually shrink into a winding path from the shore to the island. We DIDN’T time it well, so when we got there, the sand bar was very wide and didn’t look like anything special. We came back later, and saw what you see in the above photo – still not as cool as when it gets even narrower and then disappears.

I wish we had known about this table showing the exact times that the sea will separate (分海) to expose the trail and come back together again (合海) to make the trail disappear. For the former, you’d want to stick around after that time to watch it get bigger. For the latter, you’d want to come a good 30 min to 1 hr before so you don’t miss it and so you have time to walk out on it before they begin stopping people.

Things to Do on the Other Main Islands

From the northern end of Huxi Island, a bridge crosses to small Zhongtun Island (中屯島) which has little more to see than a collection of towering Wind Turbines (中屯風車). The road then crosses another bridge to much larger Baisha Island (白沙島 or White Sand Island).

Heading north and then west, Baisha Island connects to Xiyu Island (西嶼) via Penghu Great Bridge, the longest bridge in all of Taiwan.

Baoding Temple, Baisha

Baoding Temple (保定宮) is a smaller version of the larger Tongliang Great Banyan (see below). It is a temple whose courtyard has been covered with a canopy formed by the roots of a large banyan tree.

It’s right at the turnoff for Penghu Aquarium, so you can’t miss it.

Penghu Aquarium, Baisha

We took our kids to Penghu Aquarium (澎湖水族館) with no expectations, but were pleasantly surprised. We spent a good couple hours inside (a great escape from the relentless sun!) marvelling at marine creatures, including horseshoe and spider crabs, moray eels, cow fish, lion fish, octopi, and more.

There was a treasure hunt for kids, and they were able to touch real starfish. We would recommend a visit!

Just past Penghu Aquarium is Qitou Wharf (岐頭碼頭), where ferries depart for eastern island tours. For ferries to Jibei Island to the north, you’ll have to head up to Chikan Wharf (赤崁碼頭).

Penghu Houliao Paradise Road, Baisha

We took a chance on this little attraction we noticed marked on GoogleMaps called Penghu Houliao Paradise Road (澎湖後寮天堂路). Just like “Moses Parts the Sea”, you came here basically to shoot a photo and that’s it, but unlike the Moses one, there’s nobody here.

Basically all that’s here is a long cement dock that winds out into the city. It’s a great photo op, though. We visited at low tide, but at high tide, the water comes right up to or even covers it a little, which could make for even cooler photos.

You have to drive through some very narrow countryside lanes to find it. Scooters aren’t allowed for the final 500 meters or so of the paved trail down to the water, which my kids hated me for (it was an extremely hot day).  

Tongliang Great Banyan, Baisha

A truly unique and must-see attraction in Penghu is the Tongliang Great Banyan (通樑古榕). A huge canopy of banyan tree roots has over the years been painstakingly formed over the large courtyard in front of the Taosit Tongliang Bao’an Temple (通梁保安宮).

This is a popular spot, so there are usually souvenir stalls and several shops selling cactus ice cream around the temple.

Penghu Great Bridge

Penhu Great Bridge (澎湖跨海大橋), which connects Baisha and Xiyu islands, is the longest bridge in Taiwan, at 2494 meters.

No Taiwanese dares scootering across the bridge without first stopping to take a mandatory jumping photo in front of the white arch at the bridge’s entrance on the Baisha side. The arch has become a symbol of Penghu.

Xiyu Island Statues

After crossing the Penghu Great Bridge to Xiyu (西嶼 or Xi Island), one of the first things you’ll notice is the abundance of large, colorful, often comical statues on the island.

Yuwengdao Statue (漁翁島銅像), a large fish statue just off the bridge, and Xiyu Landmark, a giant colorful ship (西嶼地標) are even marked on GoogleMaps. We also saw statues of a whale, octopus, fisherman, peanut, and more.

Whale Cave, Shomon Island

Whale Cave is a coastal cliff that looks like a whale, with an eye hole cut out by crashing waves from the sea. It’s on the northern tip of Xiaomen Islet (小門嶼 or Shomon Island), a small island accessed by a very short bridge from the northern tip of Xiyu.

Seeing it requires a 15-minute (round-trip) drive from the main highway.   

Zhuwan Dayi Temple, Xiyu

I am so happy to report that Zhuwan Dayi Temple (竹灣大義宮) on Xiyu has finally released its collection of giant sea turtles, which for many years it controversially held captive in a tiny, underground area below the temple.

We were horrified when we first visited this temple years ago. According to recent reviews, the turtles have finally been handed over to the government to be released to the sea. If you visit today, you can see turtle statues out front, and there’s a small crab museum (竹灣螃蟹博物館) next door.

You don’t need to go out of your way for this, but I’m just including it so I can update everyone about this positive outcome to what was once an unethical tourist attraction on Penghu.

Erkan Historic Village

Make sure you leave time in your schedule to make it as far as Erkan Historic Village (二崁聚落保存區). This is one of the most unique places to visit in Penghu and Taiwan, and we really loved it.

Erkan is a small, traditional village built up around the Chen Family Historical House (二崁陳家古厝). But what sets it apart is that the outer walls and even parts of the houses themselves are built with coral and seashells, mainly due to the lack of building materials in Penghu.

You can actually see coral walls all over Penghu, but Erkan is the best example of them. Houses in the village have been restored and beautified with paintings and other artworks. Some of them house cute little snack and ice cream shops. It’s an incredibly atmospheric and photogenic setting, perfect if you’re looking for a photography location.

At the turnoff on the highway for Erkan Historic Village, 可口冰城 is a traditional drink and ice cream shop, one of the few places you can stop along the highway for a treat that’s NOT 7-Eleven or Family Mart.

Daguoyue Columnar Basalt

There are several places where you can see Penghu’s basalt columns, some of the most unique natural landmarks in Taiwan . These were formed by a process in which lava rose and then cooled multiple times, forming layers of stone is vertical columns.

Daguoyue Columnar Basalt (池東大菓葉玄武岩) is the most popular spot in Penghu to observe this special geological landmark. A small pond at the base of the columns helps for capturing more interesting photos.

Don’t miss the lesser known Three Stone Walls (三石壁) with similar cliffs beside a pond, just two minutes away. There’s another less visited area of basalt columns further north on the island called Dachi Columnar Basalt (大池火山頸玄武岩), near the aptly named Dream Beach (夢幻沙灘).

You can also expect to see basalt columns on island hopping boar tours, especially to the southern islands.

Chixi Rock Waterfall

Even more basalt columbs can be seen at Chixi Rock Waterfall (池西岩瀑 / 九孔瀑布), so named because when viewed from the coast below, the columns of stone appear to spill down like a waterfall.

We actually found this site more interesting than Daguoyue because you can also explore the group of stone weirs just off the shore. Unlike the famous heart-shaped weirs, these are rectangular in shape. You can walk ride on them when the tide is low enough and peer at the fish trapped inside.

Chixi Tiger Eye Weir

On our most recent trip, we were excited to find this smaller version of the famous Twin Hearts Stone Weir on Qimei Island, which I had been to before but my companions wouldn’t have a chance to visit.

In this case, the weir is just shaped like a single heart or, according to the name (池西虎目滬), a tiger’s eye (?) Anyway, this one is really cool because, unlike the much more famous twin hearts on Qimei, which you view from a cliff far above, this one you can actually walk on and see all the fish inside.

The weir is located on the western side of a bay just below Chixi Rock Waterfall. The bay also has a nice beach that usually has nobody on it.  

Yuwengdao Lighthouse

If you’ve made it this far on Xiyu, you might want to consider going all the way to the end. Yuwengdao Lighthouse / Xiyu Lighthouse (漁翁島燈塔 / 西嶼燈塔) is a small lighthouse on a military base on the southwestern tip of Xiyu.

This is the westernmost point on the main islands of Penghu, and the furthest away from Magong you can get by scooter/car. We recommend coming here for sunset at the end of your day tour, like we did. But please keep in mind that it will be a long drive, mostly in the dark, all the way back to Magong. Budget about an hour to drive back by scooter.

Things to Do on the Outer Islands

With nearly 100 islands in total, there are all kinds of small island-hopping tours available from Penghu. You can pre-book them via the links below, or any hotel can arrange one for you (you’ll need to ask lots of questions to get the full itinerary).

I must warn any readers who are from Western countries or who have traveled a lot or done lots of water activities before. If your tour includes any water sports, be prepared to be treated like a child. You must wear a life jacket for snorkeling or jumping into the ocean, even if you don’t need it. You must wear a lifejacket and helmet (no idea why…) for getting pulled around on the banana boats. Expect many rules like this.

You’ll need to exercise some patience and keep in mind that many Taiwanese can’t swim or haven’t done these kinds of things before, so the tour operators have to take many precautions. Some tours also include some unusual (or environmentally questionable) activities – see the Eastern Island tours section below.    Most of the Penghu Island hopping tours fall under the three below categories.

Southern Islands Tour

If you’re looking for a tour where you just go directly to islands for sightseeing on your own (with minimal watersports and other frills), I recommend a southern islands tour. However, the time on the boat is the longest of the three categories, so it can be rough for those who experience seasickness. It can be a long, hot day on the boat.

These tours usually depart from Magong Nanhai Wharf (馬公南海碼頭) in Magong Harbor, so these are most convenient if you don’t have a scooter/car.

Almost all of them include Qimei Island (sometimes spelled Chimei), where you can ride a scooter or bus to see the famous Twin Hearts Stone Weir (七美雙心石滬), perhaps the most recognizable and iconic sight in all of Penghu, as well as Little Taiwan (小台灣), a flat rock shelf that looks like the shape of Taiwan from above. Note that there may be an extra fee for the bus or scooter rental.

This boat tour ONLY goes to Qimei, with the option to add snorkeling or kayaking. This boat tour includes Qimei, Blue Cave (北岸海蝕洞) on Xiji Island (西吉嶼), and a stop on Dongji Island (東吉嶼). If you prefer to just go it alone, this deal includes a ferry ride to Wang’an or Qimei plus scooter rental when you get there.

Most tours include driving past basalt columns at Tongpan Geology Park (桶盤地質公園) and similar ones (虎井澄淵) on Hujing Island (虎井嶼), also called Table Island. Some, like this one , actually stop on this island, which is nicknamed “ Cat Island ” for its many cats. It has also a famous white statue of two hands. But this tour does NOT go to the famous Twin Hearts Stone Weir on Qimei.

Other tours stop at Wang’an Island (望安島), which is the fourth largest island in Penghu and has several smaller points of interest.

Island hopping tours like this one , this one and this one include snorkeling in the “ Lavender Forest ” (薰衣草森林), which is just an exaggerated name for a spot that has lots of purple coral near Dongyuping Island (東嶼坪嶼). It is, however, one of the best snorkelling spots in Penghu.

This overnight tour includes camping on Jinguazi Reef (金瓜仔礁), which is a tiny island off Wang’an, and which in local tour descriptions is always called Wangyou Island or “Forget your worries island” (忘憂島), a name the tour companies made up. They always say it is a “secret” location and don’t mention the island’s real name (Jingauzi). Sorry if I spoiled it!

Eastern Islands Tour

A collection of small islands lie to the east of Penghu and are accessed by ferry from Qitou Wharf (岐頭碼頭) on Baisha Island. You’ll need to get to the wharf by yourself for these tours – budget at least 20 minutes to get there by scooter from Magong. I recommend these tours for people who like more activities.

When we did a tour essentially the same as this one or this one , I found that that the day was unnecessarily long, with lots of time spent waiting around. There was even a designated nap time after lunch (totally common in Taiwan, even for adults).

The tour also had some bizarre/questionable activities, like throwing pieces of raw fish up in the air from the boat for seagulls to catch in the sky. We sailed past a few basalt cliffs and islets inhabited by birds, then stopped at Bird Island (鳥嶼 or Niaoyu, also called Cho Island) for lunch and snorkelling.

After snorkelling (which was mediocre quality), we went “wildlife watching”, which consisted of them showing us several sea creatures they’d captured and placed in a shallow pool for tourists to look at. The guide even picked the sea creatures up out of the water with his hands for people to photograph. 

So why did I take this tour? Well, I badly wanted to visit Peng Peng Beach (澎澎灘), which is a tiny island consisting of a long strip of white sand that supposed just appeared out of the ocean one day after a typhoon. You can see it from the mainland around Qitou Wharf, and I had wanted to go ever since I saw it on a previous trip to Penghu, when I shot the below photo of it from afar.

Peng Peng Island was as beautiful as I’d imagined. We spend about 2 hours there, as this is where they did several water activities, like banana boats, waterslide, and jumping into the ocean from a floating platform. There was a large sitting area with a large canopy (crucial because it was brutally hot) and drinks for sale.

Northern Islands Tour

To the north of Penghu’s main islands lies Jibei Island (吉貝嶼, which also means Bird Island) and a few other smaller islands. To go on a boat tour to these islands, you’ll need to get to Chikan Wharf (赤崁碼頭), which is further north on Baishan Island. Budget at least 30 minutes by scooter from Magong.

I’ve never tour a Jibei tour (the above photo is a stock photo), but it looks similar to the Eastern Islands tour I described above. This tour includes stops on Jibei and a few smaller islands, with water activities. The main highlight of visiting Jibei is Jibei Sand Tail (吉貝沙尾頭), a land sandy spit at the southern tip of the island.

This deal includes options as just getting a ferry ticket to Jibei, ferry ticket plus scooter rental, or ferry ticket plus scooter rental and activities.

Thank you so much if you’ve made it to the end of this article. I know it was a big one! I considered separating it into several smaller posts, but here we are. Please let me know in the comments below if you have any questions about visiting Penghu!

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16 thoughts on “A 2024 Guide to Penghu Islands, Taiwan’s Offshore Paradise”

My boyfriend and I will be traveling to Penghu Island at the end of April and we’re super excited!! This guide is really helpful. We’re a little confused about what we’d need to rent scooters on Penghu. Do we just need International Drivers Licenses, or do we specifically need International MOTORCYCLE licenses? We’re also open to renting a car, but it sounds like scooters are the way to go. Thank you! Katie

Scooters are definitely the way to go. Most of the time, IDP is enough. Most hotels can arrange scooter rentals there, so you could even contact your hotel and ask them if they can arrange it for you to be at the airport when you arrive, or they might pick you up at airport and have scooter ready for you at the hotel. Hotels will probably rent it on your behalf, and hotel owners are the least likely to care about this. I don’t think there’s an international motorcycle IDP (i might be wrong), but I’ve heard just one guy in Taiwan mention that a scooter rental shop wanted proof that he can ride a motorcycle, which he did by checking that person’s home country license to see if it had the correct class for riding motorcycles. I feel this is rare though, and shops on the offshore islands tend to be more chill than ones in bigger cities on the mainland.

Hi Nick, WOW – I just found your incredible block and I couldn`t stop reading last night, especially your writings about Taiwanese tea is incredible interesting to me. I am going to Taipei coming Monday March 6th, back to the place where I studied at the Mandarin Training Center way back in the eighties. I already bought a flight ticket to Penghu, and my question is, if it is possible or a good idea to stroll around with a bicycle? Best regards, many thanks for all your effort, Heinz

One thing to know is that Penghu is extremely windy in winter. March is the end of winter/start of spring in Taiwan, so it could still be a little windy, which could make cycling more difficult. But as long as the wind isn’t too bad, cycling around would be great. There’s is a fair bit to see and do around Magong, so I bike would be very handy. You can also make longer trips further from the city, such as to one of that island’s beaches. It would be quite far (but still possible) to cycle to the other main islands too. It’s mostly flat, so that helps!

Hi Nick! Thank you so much for this post. I’ll be a female solo travel. Don’t speak Mandarin. Is it easy to get around and safe? Thanks! Patricia

Taiwan and Penghu are extremely safe, including for solo female travelers. If you’ve got an driver’s permit (IDP or local taiwanese one), rent a scooter there, then GoogleMaps is all you need.

we want to go to Penghu, probably as soon as tomorrow, but sadly we don’t have an IDP. Do yo think it will still be possible to rent a (electric?) scooter?

You’re probably already gone, but sometimes on Taiwan’s small islands, you can still manage to if you ask your hotel to rent the scooter for you.

Hi Nick! Thanks so much for this helpful blog. For the day trip options listed here: https://www.kkday.com/en/product/126073?cid=7408 , it seems that there is a Stay Dry tour and a Purple Lavender Forest trip that includes snorkeling for an additional 1500ntd. Do you think it is possible to bring my own equipment to snorkel and still book the Stay Dry tour in order to take the ferry rides? Thanks!

I honestly can’t say for sure without being able to ask the operator. But from personal experience, I will guess that they won’t allow it. With these kinds of tours in taiwan, they tend to move the passengers around like animals, make them follow all the rules, and you can’t do anything by yourself. Even if you are super experienced at snorkeling (as I am), they won’t trust you to go by youself. For local guests (many of whom can barely swim and have no snorkeling experience) they use extreme safety, like making them hold on to ropes while snorkeling, pull them around like that, etc. Which is why I would only guess that they won’t be so lenient with you and just let you bring your own gear and go snorkeling as you wish. Maybe you could try to inqire directly with those local companies once you arrive in Penghu instead of booking it in advance?

Hi Nick, Thank you so much for the detailed info. Could you please tell me what the payment methods are in Penghu? Is credit card widely accepted in Penghu? Do I need to bring more cash?

Just like almost everywhere in Taiwan, most places don’t take credit cards, except maybe a few big hotels and restaurants. And even some that do, foreign credit cards sometimes don’t work. But there are several ATMs in Penghu so you can easily take out more cash there if needed. It’s not like Xiaoliuqiu where there’s only 1 ATM and it might not work.

Hi Nick, I’m glad that you posted a blog about Penghu. I am a foreign born Taiwanese based in the UK, and am heading there in a week to show my husband round the beaches of Taiwan. However, we have had terrible difficulty hiring a scooter in Penghu. We also tried your link, and managed to book it for a maximum of 3 days on Klook, but when I got in touch with them to extend it to 7 days, the duration of our stay, they said as I don’t have a Taiwan drivers license, or a Taiwan residency card, they cannot honour my booking. This is hugely disappointing. Firstly, I would be grateful if you could provide any more information for foreigners that want to book a scooter in Penghu, and 2ndly, if they dont, maybe you should update your information about that link., as foreigners simply cannot seem to hire any sort of transport in Penghu, which is hugely discouraging.

Hi Maria, I’m really sorry to hear that happened to you. But even before you wrote this comment, I already mentioned this issue in the scooter section of this article, and I mentioned the workaround, which would be to stay in a small minsu and ask the owner to rent the scooter for you. But sorry again to hear that happened and impacted your trip!

Hi Nick, I would love to visit Penghu while I travel in Taiwan, However, I do not know to ride anything else than a bike, Do you know if there is another way to get around the island please ? Thanks a lot, Mathilde

Other options would be to rent a car (International Driver’s Permit needed) or take a tour. Usually I rent a scooter, but I have a Taiwanese license. According to recent travelers reports, most scooter shops are not willing to rent scooters to foreign tourists anymore, even if they have an IDP with motorcycle endorsement.

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Taiwan Penghu Islands guide: How to get there, getting around and where to stay 澎湖

By: Author Jaclynn Seah

Posted on Published: December 27, 2023  - Last updated: July 18, 2024

Categories Taiwan

Taiwan’s offshore islands are some of my favourite parts of Taiwan , and I finally managed to find my way to Penghu 澎湖 . Penghu actually refers to not a single island, but Taiwan’s largest clusters of islands located off its west coast. I visited solo and put together a little Penghu Islands guide for anyone else planning to visit soon.

This post covers more of the Penghu trip planning essential like how to get there, getting around where to stay. Check out my 3-day Penghu itinerary for more information on specific spots, what the Penghu Fireworks Festival was like or this post about Penghu Hidden Gems with some alternative sites to the more touristy spots.

About my Penghu Islands trip

Where are the penghu islands located, airlines that fly to penghu islands, some tips for flying to penghu islands, by car / scooter, taiwan haoxing tourist shuttle bus, penghu accommodation booking tips, magong: catt leya b&b hotel, other magong accommodation options, penghu fireworks festival, have extra twd on hand, cover up from the sun and wind.

I travelled to the Penghu Islands in May 2023 and visited Xiaoliuqiu and the Matsu Islands as well. I spent 4 nights in Penghu based in the main Magong City and mostly travelled around solo on scooter, and took a day trip to the other offshore islands Wang’an and Qimei. I flew from Kaohsiung to Magong via Mandarin Airlines, and from Magong to Taipei Songshan via Uniair.

The Penghu Islands are located off the west coast of Taiwan where Chiayi is located.

Penghu is made up of many islands, some of the main ones to note:

• Magong 馬公 is the main island which is connected by land to Baisha 白沙 and Xiyu 西嶼 to the west and Huxi 湖西 to the right
• South Islands: Tongpan 桶盤, Hujing 虎井, Wang’an 望安 , Qimei 七美
• North Islands: Jibei 吉貝
• East Islands

Not all the islands are inhabited, and not all can be visited.

How to get to the Penghu Islands

Flying is the fastest way to reach the Penghu Islands and there are many options to fly to Penghu from around Taiwan, which is why it’s one of the most visited out of all the Taiwan offshore islands. Here are the airports listed in order of flight time needed.

• Tainan Airport (TNN) 臺南 – 30 minutes (3 flights daily)
• Chiayi Airport (CYI) 嘉義 – 35 minutes (1 flight daily)
• Kaohsiung Airport (KHH) 高雄 – 40 minutes (6-7 flights daily)
• Taichung Airport (RMQ) 臺中 – 45 Minutes (4 flights daily)
• Taipei Songshan Airport (TSA) 松山 – 60 minutes (4-5 flights daily)

International visitors: Most likely you’ll arrive at Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) where you will need to take a bus to Taipei Songshan Airport, or take the train/HSR to connect to the other places. There are some international flights that may go to Kaohsiung or Taichung if you want a more direct route.

Most flights land at Penghu Airport (MZG) 澎湖 . A 1-way ticket costs around 1,700-2,300 NTD (S$70-$100) depending on where you fly from and the time of your flight.

If you wanted to skip the main Penghu Island (Magong) and fly directly to either Wang’an or Qimei in the southern island cluster, you can fly Daily Air from Kaohsiung Airport.

• Kaohsiung (KHH) to Qimei (CMJ) – 2 flights per day, 40 minutes flight.
• Kaohsiung (KHH) to Wang’an (WOT) – 1 flight on Mondays and 1 flight on Fridays, 45 minutes flight.
• UNI AIR 立榮航空  (li rong hang kong) flies daily the most flights to and from Penghu –  Check out UNI AIR’s website . 
• Mandarin Airlines 華信航空  (hua xing hang kong) has flights from Taipei Songshan, Kaohsiung and Taichung –  check out Mandarin Airline’s website .
• Daily Air 德安航空 (de an hang kong) has limited flights from Kaohsiung to Magong, Qimei and Wang’an – check out Daily Air’s website (Chinese only).

• Book your flights as early as possible.  The planes to Penghu are generally smaller propeller planes and they get booked out quite quickly. The flights perpetually have a waiting list and during off-season, residents get priority on the wait list.
• Be prepared for delays or cancellations.  Penghu Islands can get pretty windy, which affects boats more than planes, but it may result in flight cancellations along with heavy rains. Make sure you have travel insurance and give yourself enough buffer if you need to catch a connection.
• UNI AIR, Mandarin Airlines and Daily Air have a  free 10kg checked bag limit , but don’t worry if you exceed because each additional kilo is at maximum 16 NTD (S$0.70) per kg (8-14 NTD for Daily Air!), but just note that you’ll need to pay this fee at the counter when you drop off your bag. In my experience, UNI AIR was pretty strict about charging this fee even if I was just 1kg over the limit because the system was automated, but Mandarin Air did things manually and didn’t bother charging me.
• You can make bookings and even select your seat online when you check in, but give yourself a little time to pick up the ticket at the airport because their system is more used to dealing with Chinese names, so longer English names where the surname/name are in different places from Chinese names means you probably can’t use the kiosks to get your ticket. Most of the counter staff made handwritten amendments to my name on the ticket after checking my passport, but I didn’t have any other issues.

Buy plane tickets at  UNI AIR’s website  or  Mandarin Airline’s website or daily Air’s website .

You can take the ferry from mainland Taiwan to get to Penghu. Most of the boats leave from Budai Harbour in Chiayi, but you may also be able to get ferries in Kaohsiung and Tainan. The ferries sail to Magong Nanhai Harbour 馬公南海碼頭 aka the main island of Penghu.

Taking the ferry to Penghu is a cheaper option but does also require more time. Standard ferries take about 4 hours journey, though if you get a fast ferry from Chiayi it takes just 1.5 hours.

The one main issue here is that Penghu get REALLY windy. Which means waves can get pretty high, so ferries are way more likely to be cancelled than flights. When I arrived, the ferries were cancelled for the day so other guests at my guesthouse only arrived the following day.

Ferries to Penghu are also season dependent – you have a lot more options in summer, but in winter it seems like the only ferry leaves from Kaohsiung. Do check before you go, but according to a Penghu resident, she says most people don’t even try to visit during winter just because of the weather.

I didn’t take the ferry for myself, but I’m putting down the information here for those of you considering taking the ferries.

Check out the ferry information at Penghu’s Tourism sites in English (has rates) as well as Chinese (more port options are listed). You can also get ferry tickets from Klook [ affiliate link ] and KKday [ affiliate link ].

Travelling around the Penghu Islands

To get between the various islands in Penghu, there are several options as well.

Ferry is by far the most common way to get around the Penghu Islands. Most of the boats to the southern islands like Qimei, Wang’an, Hujing and Tongpan leave from Magong Nanhai Harbour 馬公南海碼頭 .

I took a boat tour from Nanhai Harbour that brought us to Qimei Island first (2 hours away), and then to Wang’an Island (about an hour away) before heading back to Magong. My tickets were booked via my guesthouse who wrote me a receipt and directed me to a counter at Nanhai Harbour to check in.

My tour also included scooter rental on both Wang’an and Qimei Islands – you have the option to take the tour bus instead if you can’t or don’t want to ride.

Daily Air has a 20 minute flight that goes from Magong to Qimei. This plane is absolutely tiny and has just 4 seats and a 1-way ticket costs about 1,085 NTD (S$47).

Getting around the Penghu Islands

As a solo traveller, I rented a scooter from my accommodation and used that to get around the islands. The scooter is my favourite mode of transport around Taiwan’s offshore islands because it’s easy for one person, parking is rarely an issue and it’s cheaper too.

You’ll need your International Driver’s Permit (IDP) to rent from authorised scooter rental stores Taiwan, and in my experience they might be a bit strict about you having the right licenses because ultimately they are liable.

One suggestion is to check if your accommodation does scooter rentals – most places have their own scooters which they can package together with the room, or see if there is anyway you can hire an electric scooter instead which doesn’t require a license.

But again if you’re not confident on riding a scooter, don’t do it. Penghu’s roads don’t have that much traffic but it can be quite busy if you’re in the main Magong city area – I wouldn’t advise you to ride in the town area if you aren’t confident.

For package tours on islands like Wang’an and Qimei, there’s barely any traffic at all so you should be fine as long as you stay on the proper roads and don’t venture off along unpaved paths. Note that you may get charged a little extra surcharge for being a single rider, because they calculate it based on 2 pax per bike. I think it’s dumb but that’s just how it is, something for solo travellers to note.

For a more comfortable ride or those in a larger group, you may want to consider driving. Penghu is pretty windy which may be uncomfortable or cold for riding on an exposed motorbike.

Penghu’s main island of Magong has a pretty extensive public bus network which would be the cheapest way for anyone to get around the main island, though as with these rural bus networks there might be long waiting times.

Taiwan Tourism has special Taiwan Haoxing 台灣好行 buses that are good options for tourists who don’t want to or can’t self drive. Penghu has bus routes to the North (Xiyu) and East (Huxi) to help tourists see the sights easily. Tours take about 5-6 hours and are a good half-day option.

You can book the Taiwan Tourism buses directly via Penghu Fun Easy or Klook [ affiliate link ]. I didn’t take the Taiwan Haoxing buses in Penghu but I did take one to explore the Hualien East Coast .

Where to stay in the Penghu Islands

I usually book accommodation through booking.com [ affiliate link ] because of convenience and I do get discounts as a frequent user. As Penghu is fairly large, there are quite a lot of Penghu accommodation options on booking.com for you to browse, and a good range of higher-end hotels like Discovery Hotel [ affiliate link ] and Four Points by Sheraton Hotel [ affiliate link ] to cute little guesthouses, homestays and hostels.

One other option you can consider is to use Google maps to find hotels/guesthouses that you like, and then contacting these places via email, LINE or phone if you can speak Chinese. These guesthouses can usually offer you better rates or packages directly.

One practice in Taiwan is usually to transfer a deposit to the guesthouse as a pre-booking fee, but if you tell them you’re not in/from Taiwan, they usually are ok to make a reservation and let you pay on arrival.

So far I haven’t found any method of making transfers to Taiwanese accounts in NTD easily, which is more due to Taiwan’s rather closed banking system – multi currency sites like  Revolut  and Wise don’t let you create NTD wallets, and the transfers to Taiwan are in USD for some reason as well.

嘉德利雅民宿

I chose to stay in a quieter area outside of the main downtown Magong district known as Siwei Village, about 10 minutes drive north of Magong City where the Nanhai Harbour is located.

Siwei seems like a residential area with not much around in terms of facilities, but there are lots of guesthouses and apartment blocks around here and it’s away from the busy downtown area.

Catt Leya is a guesthouse run by a family with a really friendly host. We chitchatted several times and she gave me many tips on things to see around Penghu and even invited me to join in her own conversations with her friends at night. They can also make other arrangements for you like scooter rental and booking my day tour to Wang’an/Qimei.

The townhouse is a 4-story walkup – no lifts so if you want a room on the lower floor, let them know early. I was up on the 3rd floor but I really enjoyed this room because it was very spacious. Probably the largest room in my entire trip! I didn’t have a balcony but I had a nice sitting area to sprawl out on.

Animal alert: they do have resident cat and dog pets which is a good/bad thing depending on how much you like animals, but the animals typically stay on the ground floor and don’t go into the guest rooms.

Check out Cattleya on Booking.com (Catt Leya B&B Hotel) [ affiliate link ]

Some other accommodation options in Magong that I was considering [booking.com affiliate links]:

• Starrywhale Hostel is in the same neighbourhood as Catt Leya in Siwei
• Calamari has a really central location near Duxingshi Village
• Penghu Sunsea Hall is such a pretty homestay that’s still a little bit out of Magong City
• Day Time Travel B&B is an option down south near Shili Beach
• Color Coral Boutique Hotel has such a beautiful interior not far from Magong City

You could also consider staying further afield in Baisha, Xiyu, Huxi or even on Qimei if you have your own transport and want somewhere quieter and away from the crowds.

Best time to visit the Penghu Islands

For cooler weather, spring and autumn are good times to visit Penghu, but if you want to hit the beaches and partake in water activities then summer is of course your best option. I visited in May and it was already fairly warm.

Winter is when you should avoid Penghu largely because it gets super windy there even in the other seasons, but things get really blustery and wet in the winter months. Generally this is the low season and flights/ferries get cancelled a lot – it’s mostly only the locals travelling back and forth during this period.

Some windy mornings in Penghu in the early summer already had me feeling quite blown about so I imagine it’d be much worse with cold piercing winter winds!

澎湖花火節

Summer is when Penghu is at its busiest, largely because of the famous Penghu Fireworks Festival 澎湖花火節 that typically takes place from May to July . The show usually happens every Monday and Thursday evening at the Guanyinting in Magong City. There is a stage at the park, some booths and lots of people gather to witness the show which typically involves fireworks and drone action that lasts about 30 minutes.

In May 2023 I timed my trip so I would be able to catch the fireworks 2x and a good thing I did. The first time around the winds were so strong that the Disney themed drone show (to celebrate 100 years of Disney) was cancelled and we only got to see about 10 minutes worth of fireworks instead. The weather was much better on my 2nd trip so I got to see the full show.

I recorded both my fireworks festival shows for Taiwan Tourism SG, and even livestreamed one of them! Check them out on Facebook: the first show (me livestreaming Q&A + fireworks) and the second show (drones + fireworks)

See the latest Penghu Fireworks Festival updates on Facebook and read my full guide to the Penghu Fireworks Festival .

Other Penghu travel tips

Here’s the thing about island life in Taiwan, even on larger islands such as Penghu: ATMs are few and far between, and even if you do find an ATM, there’s a high chance that it doesn’t take foreign cards. Luckily I had enough cash on hand in Penghu so that wasn’t an issue (I nearly had some real problems in Matsu !).

Use the ATMs at the airports on Taiwan’s mainland before flying over – Songshan Airport had plenty of ATMs options that didn’t charge additional fees.

You will find that there is not a lot of shelter when you are driving around the Penghu Islands, especially if you are getting around by scooter. Because of the strong winds, there are few tall trees and not a lot of canopy cover, so make sure you are sufficiently protected from the sun – I recommend long sleeves or an airism jacket.

A tip if you are riding, cycling or sitting on the outdoor deck of the ferry – make sure your sleeves are long enough to cover your fingers because you might end up with really brown fingers even though everything else was covered up.

If you are riding, make sure your helmet has a face shield or have a pair of sunglasses on hand to protect your eyes. I sometimes used a buff/mask to cover my nose/mouth as well from the dust while riding.

Have you been to the Penghu Islands or are planning to go there? Let me know in the comments if you have any questions. Check out my Penghu posts for more info.

Hidden Gems on Taiwan’s Penghu Islands

Penghu fireworks festival guide: My experience and what to expect 澎湖花火節

Penghu 3 day itinerary for solo travellers 澎湖

Tuesday 9th of July 2024

are there e-bikes? i am not experienced on a scooter so therefore i will not risk renting one.

Jaclynn Seah

Hi Chloe, there are e-bikes from what I can see on a quick look at Google and Klook. Penghu is relatively flat so cycling might not be too bad, but just note that it can get pretty windy so that might be tough depending on the direction of the wind!

The Secret Island Penghu

Blue paradise one day tour, uninhabited island camp.

• Underwater Photography
• Accommodation

Every place has people who love and want to preserve and care for the land in which they live. Our team strives to develop a model which is sustainable and provides our employees and guests with valuable experiences. Our Philosophy is to strive towards the goal of becoming successful B corporation that benefits the environment and everyone we encounter. Our goal is to allow everyone who comes to Penghu see the beauty of the island and be inspired.

Coral Reefs Coverage(%)

Total visitors numbers , blue paradise one day tour(km),  the number of species.

In the Southern islands of Penghu, take a yacht to paradise and explore the secrets of Penghu by visiting the Coral Reefs Conservation Area as well as the National Ocean Park (the Uninhabited Island).

Enjoy dinner on the ocean with fish swimming around and the sunset slowly disappearing over the horizon. As night starts, stars begin fill on the sky. With your lover, families or friends, write down wishes on a flying lantern and release it to watch it slowly disappear in the night sky. Wake up in the morning and enjoy the sunrise and watch the seagulls fish.

Diving tour/  Underwater Photography

Have you ever dreamed of breathing underwater?  There is nothing greater than the feeling you get the first time you breathe in underwater! Get close enough to touch the colorful coral reef and fish while treating yourself to stunning views of the ocean seafloor.

Travel Penghu

Gem of the Taiwan Strait

Penghu (澎湖): Complete Travel Guide

*Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Located in the southwest of the Taiwan Strait, Penghu County is composed of 90 Islands and is known as the pearl of the Taiwan Strait. Penghu has lots of natural wonders to offer.

Also refered as Pescadores (Fisherman Islands) these hidden islands near the coast of Taiwan are the perfect getaway with the turquoise water, the multitude of colorful of fishes and clean unoccupied beaches.

The best time to visit would be in May and September. Summer can be very hot and winter can be cold and windy.

It is the perfect place to go snorkeling, diving or wind surfing. Pack your bags and come and visit this hidden gem for the perfect 3 day vacation.

Table of contents

How to get there, transportation, where to stay, top things to do.

Water sports

Other Islands

Food and local delicacies, book a tour.

T-shirt collections

Situated in a strategic position for trade and military defense in the area, the Penghu Islands were coveted by the Dutch, the French and the Japanese throughout history.

Invaded by the Dutch in 1622, the Islands were liberated when the Dutch retreated to Anping and signed a treaty with the Ming Dynasty.

During the Sino-French War in 1885, the French sent a fleet to try and take Taiwan but failed. They then attacked Penghu islands and occupied them for a short while, until the Treaty of Tianjin.

The Japanese attacked and occupied Penghu in 1895 and the Qing Dynasty ceded the islands to them.

After WW2, the Islands were later given to the ROC government who retreated to Taiwan after the Chinese Civil war and still control the island today under an independant democratic government.

It is possible to fly to Magong Airport with Uni Air and Mandarin Airlines from Taipei Songshan, Taichung, Jiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Jinmen Islands for around 4000$ NT.

Flying is probably the best option out there and the most convenient to maximize time for most travelers. Flights take around 30-50 mins to get to Penghu. You can get tickets by visiting the travel agents from EZ Travel or Lion Travel, which have offices around most cities.

You can take a ferry from Jiayi’s Budai Harbor for around 1000$ NT. The ferry takes about 1.5h to get there. The ferry leaves at 10:00 am every morning. You can’t bring your scooter on the ferry.

You can also take a ferry from Kaohsiung Harbor for about 1500$ NT. It takes 4h for day boat and 6h for the overnight boat. The ferry leaves at 9:00 am every day.

Keep in mind that the ferry back from Magong-Chiayi is at 4pm.

Here is a link to the website for the time schedule.

Photo by Kumpan Electric on Unsplash

Most hostels or hotels will be able to rent you a scooter. If you do not have a Taiwanese driving license do not worry as they have electric scooters for rent.

Their speed is limited at 50 KM/h though but can be quite useful to travel the island. It cost me 600$ NT (around 20$ USD) per day to rent one.

They also have gas scooters to rent if you have your permit.

Photo by Kate Stone Matheson on Unsplash

Budget options

PH Hostel : Situated in the heart of Magong city, it is the perfect spot to stay nearby the main attractions of Magong. It is a great spot to stay if you want to experience the city’s nightlife because it’s close to the main street: Zhong Zheng Road. The shared dorm is only 750$ NT per night and comes with breakfast.

Bayhouse Hostel Penghu : Right by Shanshuei beach, the staff is friendly and speaks English. They can help with booking tours and activities for all. The shared dorm is only 470$ NT . Here is their website . I wanted to stay there for a night but, unlucky for me, the place was full.

Aimen Beach: My favorite beach of Penghu, this beach has it all: a beachside restaurant, a place to rent kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, volleyball courts and swimming gear. There are plugs on the side of the building so you can charge you electronics. There is even a beach shower and toilet nearby.

You could camp at any beach without any problems but this one seemed to more convenient to me.

I stayed a night and it was the perfect camping spot. Just a little too hot in summer to sleep well. The local police even came to check by if everything was okay and gave me water. Price: Free!

Four Points by Sheraton Penghu: If you are not afraid to spend money and are looking for the best experience, this place is for you. With an infinity pool, a spa, a fitness gym, an incredible view and gorgeous rooms, you will feel like royalty. Price: around 5000$ NT for the night.

I would recommend spending at least 3 days in Penghu as there are many places to visit and activities to do. Here is a list of my favorite things to do:

Magong is the main city and heart of Penghu. There are lots of historic places, places to shop and eat in the city.

Zhong Zheng Road

As the most busy street in Penghu, it has lots of shops and restaurants. There are a few bars, a MacDonald and a few souvenir shops. It’s a great place to walk by at night. You can get a few local delicacies.

Mazu Temple (Tian Hou Gong Temple)

Famous historic landmark in Penghu, this is the oldest Mazu temple (dedicated to the God of the Sea). Over 300 years old, this temple was built during the Ming Dynasty in the 15th century. It was destroyed by Japanese pirates and rebuilt in the 16th century.

Magong grew around the temple and was named for it. The main idol of Mazu is said to be more than 700 years old, carved from a single piece of wood.

It is a place where fisherman and sailors come to receive protection for them while at sea.

It is open from 5:30 am to 7 pm and the entrance is free.

Shuncheng Gate (順承門)

Photo courtesy of Taiwan’s Tourism Bureau

This historic relic at the end of Zhongshan Road is a remnant of the original wall of 1889 built after the Sino-French War to improve the Qing defenses of the city.

When the Japanese took control of Taiwan, most walls were destructed in order to confirm with city planning. Only the Major West Gate and Minor West Gate were kept.

When the KMT took control of Taiwan, they renamed this gate Shuncheng Gate (順承門). More info

Four-eyed Well

By Polyxyz - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28193227

Located on Zhongyang Street, this historic well is very ancient and believed to have been dug during the Ming Dynasty (1592). The four cavities made it so many people could draw water from it at the same time.

5.6 meters deep and 2 meters in diameter, a stone slate covers the well to prevent people from falling in it. It is the oldest well in Magong City and was running even during draughts.

Penghu Central Old Street

This is the first street of Penghu and the oldest street. You can admire the Mingnan style architecture from the Japanese Colonial Period. You can walk about 15 mins and buy souvenirs and snacks.

Xiying Rainbow Bridge

Spectacular sight at night with the LED lights and the reflection on the water, it is a great place to visit during the day and go for a swim or admire the coast.

Rainbow bridge is the perfect spot for a romance with a loved one or for photographers to capture the sunset. Lights are turned off at 11pm.

Penghu Guanyin Temple

This Buddhist temple founded in 1696 during the Qing dynasty by the military officer of Penghu Navy Xue Kui. It is a temple dedicated to Guanyin (Buddhist God) and Long-Wang (Lord of Sea Dragon).

It is a popular temple to visit during the Penghu Fireworks Festival.

Penghu Fireworks Festival

The Penghu Fireworks Festival takes place every summer from July 7th to September 3rd at Guayinting Recreation Area, close to the Rainbow Bridge. It is an impressive event not to miss that takes place every Monday and Thursday. A total of 21 firework shows are planned for 2020 and you can even see an impressive drone show.

Before the fireworks, singers, dancers and politicians come together to perform in front of a large crowd.

People from far away come together to admire this spectacular event. Here is the official website for more info.

Other recommendations near Magong city

Pan An Pang Memorial

Wanjun Well

Penghu Fossil Museum

Ocean Resources Museum

Penghu Living Museum

Penghu Recreation Area

Jhongtun Wind Power Area

After taking the bridge on road 203 to go up north, you can access a park to go on a stroll to see the wind turbines.

The path is more suited for a bike than a scooter but it’s large enough if you are a skilled driver.

Penghu Aquarium

On a rainy day, Penghu Aquarium is the perfect place to go. With an impressive collection of colorful fishes, you can take awesome pictures.

You must go and see the glass aquarium tunnel.

Penghu Great Bridge (澎湖跨海大橋)

Penghu Great Bridge is one of the most famous landmark of Penghu. Many visitors come to take pictures here. It is the first sea-crossing bridge in the far-eastern.

2494 meters long and 13 meters wide, it is a great place to go for a walk or bike ride with the refreshing ocean breeze. The bridge construction began in 1965 when sailors realized the sea current between Siyu Island and Baisha Island was too harsh to sail. It was rebuilt and expanded in 1984 due to its collapse.

Tongliang Great Banyan

This temple nearby Penghu Great Bridge is quite special. A giant banyan tree believed to be 200 years old stretches its branches to fill an area of more than 660 square meters.

This banyan tree is revered as sacred by the people of Penghu and is the official county tree.

This resilience to grow in a constantly windy inhospitable environment makes it a symbol of the spirit of the people of Penghu.

Zhuwan Dayi Temple

This temple is very unique and I strongly recommend you go explore it. With the two impressive golden statues guarding the entrance and the golden dragon, it leaves you breathless. But that’s not all…

Inside, if you go downstairs, you will be able to see different kinds of sea turtles with incredible ornated walls and decorations. It was quite a shocking surprise. The turtles seemed treated nicely and the water was clean so I’m guessing they put a lot of work into them.

A sign says that this place is approved by the Taiwanese wildlife conservation government.

This rock formation created by erosion is an important landmark. Located at the north tip of Xiyu Township, it is one of my favorite spot to stop by. With a path that goes down the rock, be careful not to slip on these tiny rocks. You can get great pictures at the entrance of the cave.

With an animated street and a swimmable beach nearby, you can get refreshing beverages and charge your electric scooter.

Dream Beach (夢幻沙灘)

Dream beach was named that way because it is only possible to see the beach during low tide. A small hidden gem, this less is less visited by tourists and have the famous basalt stone created by eroded volcanic rock.

Chixi Rock Waterfall (澎湖玄武岩)

Also called Chixi Columnar Basalt, this geological wonder shows the power of erosion from the wind and ocean. Made from volcanic rocks, this popular place is a cool spot to admire nature’s beauty and take pictures. This location can be hard to get to by car so you should get there by scooter or by walking.

Daguoye Columnar Basalt

Penghu is known for its Basalt rock formations and this one is the easiest to access so be prepared to see lots of people taking pictures.

Caused by lava hardening into pentangle or hexagonal columnar joints (Bernard cell) from 10 million years ago, every section seen represents the different stages of weathering.

Male and Female Pagoda (塔公塔婆)

If you have time and are passing by Naian Beach, you can check out these man-made sculptures quickly. Made in seven concentric sections of unpainted basalt, they are reputed to hold supernatural powers that ward off evil and protect residents from natural disasters.

Guanyinshan

Lying on the sea cliff near the south side of Neian North Port, this group of basalt columns looks like the Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin, when viewed from a distance. The north side and south side have a line of 9 rising stone columns as the mythological 18 Arhats standing at her side.

This sacred place is worshiped by the local villagers and fisherman, who prepare offerings to the Goddess on the first and the fifteenth of each lunar month.

Naian Beach (內垵遊憩區)

Naian beach is a peaceful beach not too busy and very clean. There are changing rooms and restrooms not too far and this could be a great place to go camping or to snorkel. There is a hiking trail nearby. This could be a beautiful location for a sunset.

Because it is a bit far from Magong city and nowhere any big cities, it is a place not too much frequented by tourists.

Xitai Fake Cannon

Built by the Japanese during their occupation of Penghu, these cement canons were built to trick the ennemy. Their main purpose were to misguide the pilots of American warplanes to trick them to bomb them. This would reduce the treat to the command post.

5.35 meters wide at the base and the cannons 6.13 meters long, these cannons were kept as a historical reminder of Wai’an’s strategic location during World War II.

Yuwengdao Lighthouse (漁翁島燈塔)

Considered the oldest lighthouse of Penghu, this 11 meter tall structure was made of cast iron. This structure was built in 1875 by the British engineer David Marr Henderson.

He was inspired to built in on the site of the earlier Xiyu Pagoda Lighthouse, originally built in 1778 during the Quianlong Emperor reign. Yuwengdao Lighthouse is a popular site visited by many tourists since 1992 and has been featured in the documentary ‘‘ The Coastwise Lights of Penghu: The Fisher Island Lighthouse’’.

Other recommendations

Mount niusin, xiyu east fort, siyu western fort, wukongding trail, xiaomenyu lighthouse, shanshui beach (山水沙灘).

Shanshui beach is the most popular beach of Penghu. It is the perfect location for water sports such as snorkeling, surfing, kayaking, etc. There is a water sport club where you can go for tubing, rent Jet Skis or rent paddle boards.

This is probably the most crowded beach of Penghu but is quite big so it’s not too bad. There are lots of BnB’s in the area and is quite close to Magong city.

If you want to learn how to surf, it is the perfect spot as there are lots of surfing schools that offer lessons.

Shili Beach

Shili beach is more remote than Shanshui and much more calm. There are no bars or restaurants so be prepared to bring your own food.

This clean and calm beach is a great place for a relaxing swim.

Fongguei Cave and Blowholes

Fongguei cave is located at the southwestern tip of the island. With a platform to see the coastline and admire the power of the sea, when there are strong currents, you can hear the roars of the sea.

When it’s typhoon season, the air vent becomes a powerful fountain, shooting water several stories high.

The coast of Fongguei is formed of columnar basalt, which have been sculpted by the waves over the years. Local people pick up shells from the rocks to prepare as a local delicacy and many people come for photos and photoshoots.

Ziwei Palace

A big temple where a statue of Emperor Ziwei can be seen from afar. Great location for the Lantern Festival and for beautiful sea views.

Aimen Beach

Aimen beach is my favorite place on the island. With a cafe on the beach, volleyball courts and surf schools nearby, it has all the amenities to camp there for free. This 3 km long beach is the perfect place to hangout.

The nightlife there is great and the beer is cheap. They have great music and you can eat at the buffet for very cheap. You can also taste the local delicacy: cactus juice.

Close to a military base, you can sometimes see fighter jets and military planes take off.

There are charging plugs, showers and changing rooms.

Longmen Beach

Longmen beach is quite a scenic place with the wind turbines you can admire from a distance. The shallow and transparent water is a great place for a quiet swim, far from other people.

You will probably be the only one swimming there as it is so far from the other tourist spots.

There are washrooms and toilets but don’t forget to bring your own food and water because there are no cities or convenient stores nearby.

Kuibishan Beach

Kuibishan beach is accessible if you follow the path down the stairs. The beach is closed when the tide covers the path to Chiyu because they are no lifeguards.

However, if you follow the path further towards the end of the dock, there are stairs that lead to a small patch of sand where you can dip your feet. I don’t recommend swimming there as there are many sharp and slippery rocks.

Many people come to this location to take their picture with the Penghu pin post.

Moses Parts the Sea (摩西分海)

To find this interesting location, you have to drive to Kuibishan Chiyu Geopark . If the tide is low, a path of basalt stones is revealed from Kuibishan to Chiyu island. This deserted island 300m across the sea is accessible by walking on the path.

If the flag is red, it means you can’t go on the beach. If violate the beach rules, you may risk getting fined 5 000$ NT to 1 000 000$ NT. You can’t endanger other people by chasing them. Taking, throwing or damaging natural resources or wildlife is prohibited. You might get a fine by making noise, littering or polluting the environment.

Great spot to stargaze or watch the sunset, it is less populated and crowded than most locations. There is a visitor center and restrooms nearby. There is also a trail that leads to Wind Turbines on the coast.

Water Sports

Poseidon water sports club (波賽頓海洋運動俱樂部).

For the outdoor water sports lovers, I strongly recommend to check out Poseidon Water Sports Club. Situated south of Magong, near Shili beach, they have lots of activities for you to try.

Most of them speak english. They sell wakeboarding, snorkeling and diving experience tours.

I chose the Diving Experience Tour and I loved every second of it. For this activity you don’t need your PADI diving license because you will be accompanied by your instructer who will guide you and help you. You won’t have to worry about anything and can just focus on the beautiful underwater sealife.

A photographer will accompagny you to immortalize this unbelievable experience. You will go to an underwater postbox to mail a postcard, while underwater. It’s quite a fun experience and you will learn about a lot. Here are a few pictures:

Prices 2020

Snorkeling: NT700$

SUP (Stand Up Paddle Board): NT1200$

Wakeboarding: NT1500$

Diving experience: NT2400$

Windsurfing and Kitesurfing

Longmen beach, Baikeng beach and Jibei island are great locations to go windsurfing or kitesurfing.

You can book tours to other islands from some hotels or tour agency centers. Be aware that not all staff speak english so you might want to bring google translate with you or a friend who speaks chinese.

Here are the other interesting locations:

Qimei Island (七美)

Qimei Island, also called Cimei island, is famous for the Double Heart Stone Weir (雙心石滬) , a large traditional fishing trap made in the shape of two hearts. It is a nice romantic spot to bring a loved one. There is also a sacred shrine dedicated to the Seven Beauties from which the island takes its name.

Wife waiting for husband rock is one of the tourist spots. The story is that one day, a pregnant wife’s husband went fishing and never came back. She waited for him for so long that she turned into stone. That’s why that rock, looking like a pregnant lady, is named that way.

Another stop is Little Taiwan Rock . It is named that way because it shapes resembles Taiwan.

Qimei island also have beautiful beaches and nice snorkeling locations. Yueli Bay offers practically untouched coral reefs. You can also taste the sea grapes, a special kind of edible seaweed.

Cimei island is accessible by taking a boat from the South Sea Tourist Center on Xinying Road in Magong harbor.

Ji-bei Island (吉貝嶼)

Jibei island is a good place for water sports. You can go for banana boats, snorkeling, water slides… You should rent a scooter on the island.

To get to Jibei island, you must go to the North Sea Tourist Center on Baisha island and get your boat tickets.

Wangan Island (望安嶼)

You can buy tickets to Wangan Island from the tour agencies in the harbor or sometimes through your hotel. The tickets cost around 900$ NT for a boat ride and a scooter on the island.

Wangan is a 45 min boat ride from Magong City and has a few rock formation and nice views. The main point of interest is the old courthouse house village ruins near temples, Huazai . These are believed to be the oldest ruins in Taiwan.

Tiantai hill gives you a good view of the island. Wangan island beach is a great spot to relax and go for a swim. You can rent a motorbike for around 350$ to 400$ NT.

Cactus ice cream

Photo by Karen Wang

Grilled meat

Photo by Robert Eastman

Photo credit: Robert Eastman

Fresh seafood

Brown sugar cake

Onion pancake.

Hope this blog post was useful. Penghu is a beautiful destination for a few days in paradise. Beautiful beaches, water sports, natural wonders and historic places, no wonder Pendu island is called the Gem of the Taiwan Strait.

T-Shirt Collections

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Where would you like to go?

• Taiwan Guides: Penghu + island hopping (4D3N itinerary)

• Taiwan Guides: Yangmingshan Hiking Trail + Beitou Hot Springs (*Directions & Google map links…
• Taiwan Guides: Alishan + Fengqihu (One-Day Itinerary)
• Taiwan Guides: 5 Reasons to Visit Chiayi

Taiwan Guides: Kaohsiung Itinerary On A Budget

• Taiwan Guides: Yilan Ultimate Guide – 10 Best Things To Do

Penghu is a beautiful place. It is an island just a short flight away from Taiwan mainland.

Penghu is also surrounded by many islands each with their own unique geological landscape and attractions.

I’ve found Penghu to be kid-friendly and suitable for all ages.

Here I’ll share what attractions you can expect to see in Penghu on your first visit here.

Penghu in 5 key points

1. Penghu island is the main island that many people go to first, before exploring the surrounding islands such as Qimei, Jibei, Tongpan etc.

2. You can fly to Penghu, or take a ferry.

You can purchase air tickets from Taipei (Songshan), Taichung, Chiayi and Kaohsiung. It will take less than an hour to reach Magong Airport in Penghu.

Alternatively you can take a ferry, duration varies e.g. 90 minutes from Budai Harbour, Chiayi, to 4–5 hours from Kaohsiung. I recommend flying because it is the most convenient option.

This website is useful for transport options to/fro and within Penghu .

3. Magong City is the most happening place in Penghu. There are many eateries, shops, hotels, activities and vehicle rentals located in Magong City.

On your first trip, it is more convenient to stay in Magong City. However you can choose to stay in other places if you have your own transport.

4. You can purchase island-hopping trips from the South Sea and North Sea visitor centres on Penghu by various tour operators.

There are half day, one day and multiple day trips available.

Book your trip at least the day before to secure your seat, or ask your hotel to help you.

5. You can also explore the main attractions Penghu island in a day via public shuttle bus, tour bus or self-drive. I prefer self-drive because you can choose where you want to go, when you like.

Suggested Penghu 4D3N itinerary

If you come to Penghu, I recommend you stay at least 3 nights here.

You can even extend your stay to a week if you like as there are quite a few island-hopping tours and various activities you can do on Penghu island itself.

Day 1: Magong City

Arrive in Penghu (typically in the afternoon).

Check into your hotel. Purchase your island hopping trip on Day 2 (or 3 if you couldn’t get a seat on Day 2). You can ask your hotel to book in advance as tickets sell out fast especially on weekends.

In the evening, go on a walking tour of Magong City to check out attractions such as the Mazu temple , Zhongyang Old Street , crooners at Sanmin Road (in front of a big ship turned into a shopping mall), nightlife along Zhongzheng Road.

Have dinner, dessert and shop.

Rest early.

Day 2: Full day island-hopping

Have breakfast at one of the restaurants at Wenkang Street , Magong City. There is a wide selection from fish noodles , pork meat bun, sandwiches , soya bean and youtiao , etc.

If you’re going on an island-hopping tour, remember to put in sunblock, wear a hat and cover your arms.

Take along travel sickness medicine such as Blackmore’s Travel Calm Ginger as the ferry ride can be really choppy.

You can lie down and rest inside the air-conditioned cabin during the various trips to and fro the various islands.

One of the more popular island-hopping tour packages include Qimei island , Blue Hole and Dongji island .

Qimei island: Ensure your operator has included transport by tour bus in your ticket, or be prepared to rent a motorcycle to travel around the island.

It’ll take about 1 hour plus to cover the main sights, including Da Shi Scenic area , the Twin Hearts Stone Weir and the Tomb of the Seven Beauties (a fee applies but you can take photos from the entrance).

Blue Hole: The boat will only stop near the hole to let you take photos/videos. It can be choppy here so hold on tightly to your valuables.

Dongji island: The tour guide may show you the route to walk around the island (ours did).

You can climb up the hill to see the grasslands and the abandoned Japanese barracks from afar, before walking to the lighthouse.

Then you can walk down to the Visitor Centre to watch a short show.

Lastly, you can walk up to the hill which provides a good view of the harbour and the surrounding islands. You can also see the lone Chunghwa Telecom building in the distance.

Full day island-hopping trips usually end about 430–5pm.

We took the full day trip by 得以 (De Yi), and found the boss (who looks like a Chinese Laurence Fishburne) to be informative. He also played the role of a tour guide on Dongji Island and pointed out interesting facts to the tour group which we appreciated.

Upon coming back Penghu island, you can rest before going out for dinner.

However, if you choose to start renting your own car or motorcycle in the evening, you can explore these two beach areas: Shanshui beach and Fenggui Cave .

Shanshui beach: There is a boardwalk and a hilly area called 山水吼洞 which used to be under the military that you can climb to for great photos of the beach. There are also cafés nearby for dinner.

Fenggui Cave: There’s a small blowhole here, and many families like to come to explore the small rocky beach area.

Day 3: Penghu Island Tour

After breakfast, visit Kui Bishan for a morning of beach side exploring a rocky path exposed by the low tide. You can see many hermit crabs, shrimp and other sea creatures here.

Take photos of wind turbines at Zhongtun , see oysters being processed by hand (you can also buy to cook).

Appreciate the 300+ year old Tongliang Great Banyan tree at Bao An Temple, and marvel at the scenery along the Penghu Great Bridge

On Xiyu island, there is a natural formation called a Whale Cave which is near the Xiaomen Geological Gallery (free entry) that explains the geological formations of Xiaomenyu and other parts of Penghu.

The nearby stalls sell delicacies such as sea urchin omelette and cactus ice cream.

There are two places to take photos with the columnar basalt formed from cooled lava: Chixi and Daguoye .

Walk around Erkan Ancient Residences where coral is used in the walls of houses.

Relax at the cosy Shepherd’s café nearby which operates from a refurbished old house.

The 牛心山 aka Cow’s Heart Mountain is along the way to the Xiyu East Fort , which I think isn’t very well maintained with poor signages and overgrown plants.

In contrast, Xiyu West Fort has its own visitor centre and ticket booth (NT60/adult).

The Xitai Fake Cannon is next to a lookout point that’s worth a quick stop, before you reach the end of the road where Yuwengdao lighthouse is located behind army barracks.

Enjoy the sunset at the romantic Guanyin Pavilion Leisure Park where you can walk to the 西瀛虹橋 bridge , swim within the bay area (that has a small beach) and let your kids play at the playgrounds.

Have a good BBQ buffet dinner for NT350 onwards (depending which BBQ stall you go to). You can find a couple near the leisure park along Minzu Road .

There are also more expensive stalls at the front and top of the ship which has been converted to 菊島之星 shopping mall

Day 4: Jibei island / Lintou beach area

Take a half day island-hopping tour to Jibei island to walk along the Jibei sand tail and see the 觀景涼亭 stone weirs .

Alternatively you can explore Lintou Park , Lintou beach and Aimen Beach for a relaxing chill out by the sea before you prepare to leave Penghu Island.

At Penghu airport, there is a 7–11 if you need food, a playground on the second floor before you enter the waiting area and shops inside the waiting area also.

Try to have lunch before you go to the airport though.

Penghu is one of Taiwan’s best kept secrets. With a short plane ride and a good hotel or minsu who can help you plan your trip, your Penghu holiday can be a great one!

Special thanks to Happiness B&B for providing one of the best B&B services we’ve ever experienced, from airport and ferry terminal pick-ups, to arranging our island-hopping tickets, to booking our vehicle for self-drive, to recommending the best places to eat, and always cheerfully answering our queries on WhatsApp.

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11 Unmissable Things To Do In Penghu

Planning a trip to Penghu and wondering what to do? This guide unpacks the best things to do in Penghu and includes handy tips to help you plan the perfect Penghu trip.

The Penghu Islands (澎湖) are a cluster of 90 small islands and islets in the Taiwan Strait just off the west coast of Taiwan. If you are looking for a relaxing getaway or interested in exploring a unique part of Taiwan, look no further! This gorgeous archipelago offers fantastic ocean views and is rich in history and culture. With inviting turquoise waters, white sandy beaches, and ‘oh so delicious’ seafood, Penghu is a great add-on to any Taiwan itinerary !

Read along to find the very BEST things to do in Penghu!

Disclaimer: This post probably contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase through one of these links, I might receive a tiny commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Table of Contents

Penghu Itinerary Pre-Travel Tips

Before we dive into this Penghu travel guide, here are a few quick tips for planning the perfect Penghu itinerary.

• Penghu can only be accessed via plane or ferry. Grab your return ferry ticket via Chiayi here, and read my guide on getting to Penghu for more in-depth tips. 
• Search the best hotel deals for Penghu well in advance as rooms fill up quickly, especially during the warmer months. Since boats could easily be canceled on short notice due to weather conditions, make sure you book a room with a free cancelation policy. 
• Download  Google Translate  and  Google Maps  so that you can access maps, plan your stops, and translate Chinese menus on the go. Read my guide on best Taiwan travel apps for more tips.
• Taiwan is very safe country to visit, but it’s always best to be prepared for unforeseen circumstances. World Nomads  offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world.

*  As an affiliate, I receive a fee when you get a quote from World Nomads using this link. I don’t represent World Nomads. This is information only and not a recommendation to buy travel insurance.

11 of the BEST things to do in Penghu

In this guide, I’ll cover the best things to do in Penghu. Whether you’re looking for a quick weekend getaway or planning a more extended stay, there’s plenty to keep you busy for a few days.

Discover the temples

It’s pretty hard to walk around Taiwan without spotting a few temples on your way. The Penghu Islands are no different. Many temples are dotted across the islands, which means you’ll have no problem finding a temple to admire.

One of my favorite temples in Penghu is the Magong City God Temple . Come here to marvel at the temple’s gorgeous and colorful architecture.

Then wander through the old quarter of Magong City, and follow the crowds to the oldest temple in Taiwan, Tianhou Temple (澎湖天后宮). Tianhou Temple, also known as the “Palace of the Queen of Heaven,” is the most famous temple in Penghu. For centuries local fishers have come here to pray to the sea goddess, Mazu, for safe seafaring. It’s a cool place to stroll around, and you’ll find some prized arts and relics dating back to the Ming dynasty on display inside.

Wander through Zhongyang Old Street

Zhongyang Street (中央老街) lies in the historical heart of Magong City. Here you can wander around beautiful little alleyways lined with red lanterns. Then duck into hidden gems such as DIY shops, local delicacy stores, and quaint traditional tea houses. The old street is also one of the best places to pick up souvenirs.

Explore Shuncheng Gate

Once you’ve explored Tianhou Temple , make your way to the harbor where you will find the last remnant of Magong’s City Walls,  Shuncheng Gate (小門地質館), also known   as the S mall West Gate . 

Follow the small stairway (just to the right) to the top for gorgeous views over the port. If you walk along the wall, you will also find some ruins of the old fort.

Relax by the beach

Whether you fancy water sports, sunbathing or swimming in the crystal clear waters, there are plenty of great beaches to choose from in Penghu. In fact, Penghu is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Taiwan !

Here are the best beaches in Penghu.

• Shanshui Beach (山水沙灘) is the most popular swimming spot in Penghu. Moreover, no matter which season you go, the beach is likely to be pretty deserted!
• If you love water sports,  Aimen Beach  (隘門沙灘) is a cool spot where you can enjoy everything fro jet skiing and banana boat rides to kayaking and SUP .
• Lintou Beach (林投海灘) is one of the longest white beaches in Penghu and a personal favorite of mine. If you don’t want to get your feet wet but still want to enjoy the ocean breeze, head over to White Beach . This beautiful Italian restaurant offers a great beachfront view (which is quite uncommon in Taiwan) and a relaxed atmosphere. It’s a great place to kick back, swing in the hanging chairs, indulge in the fantastic food or enjoy the gorgeous view. For more details, check out their Facebook page here .

Travel Tip: Most of the beaches in Penghu is peppered with coral fragments, so remember your flip-flops! A hat, high SPF sunscreen, and sunglasses are also a must.

Penghu is also home to fantastic snorkeling spots. The best way to find these is to ask your hostel, minsu , or hotel for more information and options. Most tours include the standard gear, but if you prefer to come prepared, check out this guide on best snorkels .

Explore the geological sites at the Whale Cave

If you are interested in geology, the Whale Cave (鯨魚洞) in Xiyu Township is a must. The cave is probably one of the best examples of sea erosion in Penghu, making it a popular tourist spot. Years of erosion from the intense monsoons and sea waves have hollowed a cave, forming a sea arch. While here, stop by the Xiaomen Geology Museum (小門地質館) to learn more about Penghu’s unique geology.

Admire the Tongliang Great Banyan

One of the coolest places to visit in Penghu is Boa’an Temple . The temple lies at the western tip of Baisha Island, and although it is not very big, it is considered a sacred place.

Apart from the locals who come here to pray for the safety of loved ones, the temple is a popular tourist spot. And, for an excellent reason. What sets this temple apart from others you might have already seen in Taiwan, is the massive 200-year-old Tongliang Great Banyan tree (通樑古榕) in front of it.

At first glance, you might think that the Banyan is formed from different trees. When, in fact, it is not. The Banyan has shaped so many subsidiary roots over the years that it has created a massive canopy over the courtyard covering 660 square meters. It’s quite a sight to see!

Wander around Erkan Old Village

The Erkan Old Village (二崁村聚落協進會) on Xiyu Island is another favorite of mine. The century-old residential complex is rustic yet simple. Enjoy ice-cold almond milk and sun-dried squid as you wander through the maze-like streets and marvel at the unique architecture built from stone and coral.

Erkan is also famous for Chuanxiang incense, which wards off evil. Surprisingly, it also acts as a mosquito repellant. As you enter the complex, you will see rows of baskets filled with incense sticks being dried in the sun.

Enjoy ‘oh so delicious’ treats

When you visit Penghu, you will have no problem finding some fantastic local delicacies to try. The most popular snacks to eat in Penghu include cactus ice cream (仙人掌冰), brown sugar cake (黑糖糕), onion pancake (蔥油餅), snowflake shaved ice (雪花冰), shaved ice (剉冰) and of course, fresh seafood . Make sure to try local favorites such as fresh oysters, abalone, and squid!

Squid is quite famous in Penghu, and you will have no trouble finding something with squid around every corner. Whether it’s deep-fried or coupled with vermicelli, the squid here is fantastic! Interestingly enough, it tastes a little different from the squid found in Taiwan.

For fantastic pizza, I highly recommend Mercato Pizza 瑪咖朵披薩 (formerly known as Fish Market ). The restaurant is just a short walk from the Tianhou Temple, and the interior is super cool! The pizza is delicious and the prickly pear cactus drink is a huge must! Added to that, the staff are welcoming and speak excellent English. For more details, check out their Facebook page here .

Try Squid Fishing

From June to September, another popular activity in Penghu is squid or octopus fishing. Tours usually last two hours, and you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor afterward. Although there are many packages available, this fishing and sunset dinner cruise is very popular.

Go Island hopping in Penghu Islands

The outlying islands of Taiwan , including the ones in Penghu, are absolutely stunning! As a result, island hopping is a popular activity in Penghu and a great way to get a closer look at the area’s unique beauty. Best of all, most of the archipelago’s outer islands are just a short(-ish) boat ride away!

Finding the right day trip to suit your pocket and interests isn’t hard either. I highly recommend taking a trip to Qimei Island (七美鄉), home to Taiwan’s most iconic sight, the Twin Heart Stone Weir (七美雙心石滬). Other amazing day trips from Penghu include Jibei Island (吉貝嶼), home to a stunning stretch of ivory-white sand and Wang’an Island (望安鄉) that offers a cool peek into the past.

See the Blowholes & the Massive Basalt Columns

The Whale Cave isn’t the only geological attraction in Penghu. And if you have a bit more time, it’s worth checking out the Fenggui Blowholes (風櫃洞) , Tongpanyu (桶盤嶼), and Daguoye Columnar Basalt  (池東大菓葉玄武岩).

The blowholes are in the southwestern corners of Penghu near the Fongguei Cave . It’s a cool place to see (and hear) water spouting out of a basalt blowhole. Climb up the odd-looking UFO-like tower for scenic views over the entire bay!  

Tongpanyu , also known as the Penghu Yellowstone Park , is an island home to fascinating (and huge) basalt columns. Sadly you can’t visit here, but you can spot this attraction on a boat trip en route to the other islands. 

Daguoye Columnar Basalt in Xiyu Township is another set of awesome   basalt-column formations, which you can actually visit and see up close! If you still have time, head northwest on Country Road 5 where you’ll find Chixi Rock Waterfall (池西岩瀑) – another popular place formed by cooling lava that resembles a waterfall! 

Where to Stay in Penghu

Penghu has loads of amazing places to stay. Whether you want to be right in the heart of Magong, near the beach, or looking for a hidden retreat – Penghu has something for every kind of traveler. 

Most of the accommodation lies within Magong City (馬公市), the main metropolis hub in Penghu. However, if you’re looking for something more secluded away from the city’s bustle, Baisha (白沙鄉), Huxi (湖西鄉), and Xiyu (西嶼鄉) townships offer loads of excellent options. 

Here are the best places to stay in Penghu:

LUXURY:   Discovery Hotel is conveniently located near the Penghu South Sea Visitor Centre, the main tourist harbor in Magong City, making it the ideal base for those looking to explore the nearby islands. The 5-star hotel features beautifully decorated rooms with harbor views and loads of space. The outdoor pool is just an added bonus and the perfect spot to watch the sun melt away over the boats docked in the harbor. Check rates and availability here . 

AFFORDABLE LUXURY:  The aptly named Oasis Hotel is located in the northern corners of Magong, away from the city’s bustling downtown area but close enough to all the action. The hotel features large, comfortable rooms and the most amazing rooftop pool under the sun! Check rates and availability here . 

MID-RANGE:  Practically brand-new, Color Coral Hostel has gorgeous modern rooms offering picture-perfect views over the harborfront. The glimmering rooftop jacuzzi is the perfect spot to relax after a day out exploring all of Penghu’s top attractions. Check rates and availability here . 

BUDGET:    Bayhouse Hostel is a cool beachfront hostel mere steps from Shanshui beach – one of the best swimming beaches in Penghu. The hostel features simple yet clean dorm-style rooms and private rooms for those who value their privacy. Besides the excellent location, perhaps the best part about staying here are the awesome owners! Damon and Frank will go out of their way to make you feel right at home, pick you up at the airport and introduce all the best spots to check out in Penghu! Check rates and availability here . 

How to Get Around

Magong is a huge city, and you’ll definitely want to see more than just downtown. The easiest way to get around Penghu is to rent a scooter. Most hotels and hostels can help you organize this, but you can also book one here via Klook. If you’re traveling in a group, it might be better to rent a car (which your accommodation can also arrange for you.) Whether you’re renting a car or a scooter, it’s important to know that you need an international driver’s license or a local license to do so. Make sure you’ve got the right license because you won’t be able to rent a scooter or car without it. 

If that’s not an option for you, rent a driver for the day to help you get around stress-free. My friends recently used The Dragon Taxi Company and couldn’t recommend them more. Their driver, Philip Ou, spoke perfect English and was super helpful. You can get in touch with him on (+886) 091 0268 487. Rates start at TWD 1200 for a day depending on your itinerary.

Best Time to Visit Penghu

Penghu is the perfect tropical escape during Taiwan’s warmer months, April through September. The weather is mostly sunny during these months, with average high temperatures ranging between 26°C and 32 °C. July and August are the hottest and also the busiest months in Penghu. Expect accommodation prices to be higher and don’t rule out torrential rain.  

Winter is not a great time to visit Penghu, with January and February being the coldest months. During these months, it’s extremely windy and not uncommon to see average temperatures dipping below 15°C. 

What to Pack

Great, now that you have the inside scoop on what to do in Penghu, let’s talk about what you need to pack. Along with tips you’ll find in my Taiwan packing list , here are a few more essentials you’ll need for a seamless Penghu trip. 

• Eco-friendly Sunscreen:  Make sure to pack a  reef-safe sunscreen  that won’t harm the environment. 
• Travel towel : If you’re going to spend time at the beach or go island hopping, pack a lightweight towel, like this Turkish beach towel  that dries in a jiffy and won’t weigh you down. 
• Waterproof Cellphone Case & Drybag:  If you’re looking to join some of the fun water activities on offer in Penghu, pack a  waterproof cellphone case  and a  dry bag  to keep your belongings dry. 
• Camera:  The Penghu islands are absolutely breathtaking! Don’t forget your camera so that you can capture all your favorite bits! I always travel with my  Olympus Mirrorless camera , but a  Go Pro  is a great alternative if you prefer something more lightweight. Of course, you can never go wrong with  DJI mini drone  either! 
• Mosquito repellant:  Don’t forget bug spray when visiting Penghu (and practically everywhere else in Taiwan)! I recommend this eco-friendly bug repellant . 

Have you been to Penghu yet? What tips do you have for fellow travelers planning a Penghu trip? Got any suggestions on things to do on the Penghu Islands? Drop your comments below.

Liked these things to do in Penghu? Remember to save this post for your future trip!

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June 14, 2018 at

The Penghu Islands seem like paradise on earth and there seems to be so much to see and do there. I loved your post and it is an excellent travel guide for there. Thanks for inspiring me to add the Penghu islands to my bucket list!

June 15, 2018 at

Thanks Lydia! You are absolutely right; there are tons of cool things to do. Glad we inspired you to add a new place to your bucket list! 🙂

Thanks for sharing. I had not heard of these islands and they look and sound amazing!

🙂 Penghu is truly amazing!

January 5, 2020 at

Penghu is absolutely amazing, and I loved the fireworks show when I went in the summer. This magical place is the best kept secret in SE Asia!

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10 Best Things to do in Penghu + Tourist Spots & Places to Visit

What are the top tourist attractions to visit in penghu islands.

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Top 10 Tourist Spots in Penghu, Taiwan + Amazing Activities & Things to Do

Table of Contents

With its crystal clear waters, powdery white sand beaches, and captivating cultural heritage, the Penghu or Pescadores Islands have become a much sought-after tourist destination in recent years. The archipelago, comprised of 90 islands and islets, is 50 km west of Taiwan’s main island and stretches across 141 square kilometers. Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway or an adventure-filled vacation, the Penghu Islands will surely provide an unforgettable experience. Here are some of the must-visit spots in Penghu:

1. Qimei (Chimei) Island

Qimei Island is an idyllic paradise for nature lovers, boasting some of the most spectacular sights on the planet. The most iconic of these is the ‘Twin Hearts Stone Weir,’ two enormous rocks carved into the shape of two hearts. This remarkable natural wonder is a must-see for anyone lucky to visit the island. The’ Beauty Cave’ is a must-visit for those looking for a more immersive experience. Filled with magnificent rock formations and shimmering stalactites, the cave is a great spot to marvel at the beauty of nature. If you’re looking for a more active experience, Qimei Island has plenty to offer.

Snorkeling is a fantastic way to explore the vibrant coral reefs and diverse marine life that inhabit the waters around the island. At the same time, fishing is a great way to take in the local scenery and catch some of the island’s many fish species. Qimei Island is a truly unique destination, allowing visitors to explore its stunning natural landscapes and enjoy various thrilling water activities.

2. Magong City

The capital city of Penghu, Magong, is a vibrant destination for those looking to explore the local culture and history. With its rich history, Magong is a fascinating place to visit. From the traditional Fujianese-style houses that line the streets of Penghu Old Street to the stunning Tianhou Temple dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu, Magong is a must-see destination.

The cobblestone streets of Penghu Old Street are a unique experience, lined with traditional Fujianese-style houses that have been standing for centuries. These houses are a testament to the city’s past, with many still featuring the original wood carvings and intricate details that make them so special. Don’t miss out on the chance to explore the streets and take a peek inside some of the homes to get a glimpse into the past.

Exploring the capital city of Magong is a great way to gain an appreciation for the culture and history of Penghu. With its unique streets, traditional houses, and religious sites, Magong is an excellent place to explore the local culture and history.

3. Baisha (White Sand) Beach

Baisha Beach is a hidden paradise located on the stunning Penghu Island. Its breathtaking white sand beach and crystal clear turquoise waters make it a perfect relaxing spot. Its picturesque views of the horizon and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore make it a great place to unwind and soak up the sun. The beach is also an excellent place for adventure seekers, offering a variety of water sports activities such as swimming, kayaking, and jet skiing.

The calm waters and gentle waves make it an ideal spot for a leisurely swim or a thrilling ride. The beach is also lined with palm trees, providing a perfect place for a picnic or a romantic stroll. Baisha Beach is the ideal destination for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and enjoy some peace and tranquility.

4. Jibei (Jibe) Island

Jibei Island is a paradise for nature lovers, boasting breathtaking coastal scenery and awe-inspiring rock formations like the iconic “Lovers’ Cave.” Its picturesque landscape makes it the perfect destination for outdoor activities such as hiking, birdwatching, and exploring the island’s quaint fishing villages. With its stunning views and abundant wildlife, Jibei Island is a must-visit destination for any traveler. The “Lovers’ Cave” is one of the most popular attractions on the island, and its unique rock formations are sure to take your breath away. Visitors can explore the cave and marvel at its majestic beauty or take a leisurely stroll along the rocky coastline to admire the stunning views.

For the more adventurous, the island offers plenty of opportunities for hiking and birdwatching. Don’t forget to take a trip to the island’s charming fishing villages, with their traditional architecture and colorful boats. Jibei Island is a true gem of the East China Sea, offering visitors a unique and unforgettable experience. From its captivating coastal scenery to its awe-inspiring rock formations, the island will leave a lasting impression.

5. Erkan Village

Immerse yourself in a unique blend of old and new in Erkan Village, a picturesque fishing village tucked away in the heart of Penghu. As you wander through the village, you’ll be greeted by friendly locals and surrounded by traditional houses that have been standing for centuries. The salty sea breeze carries the tantalizing aroma of freshly caught seafood, and you’ll find yourself drawn to the many shops and stalls that line the streets.

From traditional handicrafts to delicious seafood dishes, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Don’t miss a visit to the local seafood market, where you can sample the freshest catch of the day and pick up some local delicacies, such as dried squid or cuttlefish. Erkan Village is the perfect place to experience Penghu’s traditional way of life.

6. Fenggui (Windmill) Cave

Fenggui Cave is a breathtaking natural sea cave on the picturesque Wang-an Island. It is renowned for its awe-inspiring rock formations and the mysterious sound of the wind echoing through its depths. Exploring the cave offers an unforgettable experience that is unlike any other. From the moment you enter, you will be mesmerized by the captivating rock formations that line the cave walls.

The sound of the wind echoing through the cave is like something out of a dream, creating a surreal atmosphere that is both calming and mysterious. The unique shapes of the rocks form a magical landscape that will leave a lasting impression. It is an experience that must be seen to be believed and one that you will never forget.

7. Visit Tianhou Temple

Visitors to the Penghu Tianhou Temple are welcomed by a breathtaking sight of traditional Chinese architecture, its intricate carvings, and vivid murals adorning the walls. From the majestic entrance gates to the towering pagodas, the temple is a sight to behold. According to legend, the temple is the home of the spirit of Mazu, the revered sea goddess believed to protect the people of Penghu. Tourists and locals alike come to the temple to pay their respects to the goddess and appreciate the beauty of the temple. Open from 7:00 am to 5:30 pm daily, the Penghu Tianhou Temple is a must-see for anyone visiting the area.

The temple is filled with a peaceful and serene atmosphere, with many visitors admiring the intricate carvings and colorful murals that adorn the walls. The sound of incense and the smell of burning joss sticks fill the air, creating a spiritual and calming atmosphere. Visitors can also take a moment to appreciate the traditional Chinese architecture, with its intricately detailed roofs and ornately decorated walls. For those looking to pay their respects to the sea goddess, a shrine is dedicated to Mazu inside the temple. With its stunning architecture and spiritual atmosphere, the Penghu Tianhou Temple is a place of beauty and serenity and a must-see for anyone visiting the area.

8. Daguoye Columnar Basalt

An incredible discovery was made while excavating the earth and stones to build a wharf at the seaside of Daguoye during the Japanese occupation. After thousands of years of slumber, the impressive columnar basalt was uncovered.

This is the most easily accessible columnar basalt on Magong Island and provides a fascinating insight into the island’s history. The wharf was built to improve marine communications between Magong Island and Xiyu, but this unexpected find has left an even more lasting impression.

Explore the wonders of Penghu! Penghu has something for everyone, from its breathtaking natural beauty to its vibrant cultural heritage.

Best Time to Visit Penghu

Spring and autumn are the best time to visit Penghu, an archipelago in Taiwan. Here are the reasons why:

Spring (March to May)

• During spring, the weather in Penghu is pleasantly warm, with temperatures ranging from 20 to 25 degrees Celsius (68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit).
• The islands are less crowded, allowing visitors to enjoy a peaceful and serene atmosphere.
• Springtime also brings blooming flowers and cherry blossoms, creating a picturesque landscape.

Autumn (September to November)

• Due to mild temperatures and lower humidity levels, Autumn in Penghu is also an ideal time to visit.
• The weather during autumn is perfect for outdoor activities, such as swimming, snorkeling, and exploring the beautiful sandy beaches.
• You can witness stunning sunsets during this time, as the clear skies offer spectacular views.
• It’s worth noting that Penghu experiences hot and humid summers and cool winters.

Summers (June to August) can be pretty hot, reaching 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit). If you plan on visiting during these months, stay hydrated and protect yourself from the sun.

Spring and autumn are the best seasons to visit Penghu, offering pleasant temperatures, fewer crowds, and beautiful natural scenery.

How to Get to Penghu, Taiwan

To get to Penghu, Taiwan, you have several options:

The fastest and most convenient way to reach Penghu is by air. There are regular flights from major cities in Taiwan to Magong Airport, the main airport in Penghu. You can book a domestic flight from Taipei, Taichung, Kaohsiung, or Tainan. The flight duration is approximately 30 minutes.

2. By Ferry

If you prefer a more scenic route, you can take a ferry from various ports in Taiwan to Penghu. The ferry ride takes longer than flying, allowing you to enjoy the beautiful sea views.

• From Chiayi: Daily ferries are from Budai Harbor in Chiayi to Magong Harbor in Penghu. The journey takes about 4-5 hours.
• From Kaohsiung: You can also take a ferry from Kaohsiung Harbor to Magong Harbor. The ferry ride takes approximately 2-3 hours.
• From Chi Mei and Anping: Ferry services are available from Chi Mei Harbor and Anping Harbor in Tainan to Penghu. The duration varies depending on the route and usually takes 2-3 hours.

Please note that ferry schedules may vary depending on the season and weather conditions. It is advisable to check the latest schedules and book your tickets in advance.

3. By Chartering a Boat

If you prefer a more adventurous option, charter a private boat to Penghu. This is especially popular for travelers who want to explore Penghu’s smaller islands and hidden gems. However, it is important to ensure the safety and reliability of the boat service before making any arrangements.

4. By Booking a Cruise via Resorts World Cruises

Resorts World Cruises offers Hong Kong to Taiwan Cruise, and one of the featured destinations is Penghu in Taiwan. You can choose to do a DIY tour or book a package tour offered by the cruise company.

Once you arrive in Penghu, you can explore the main island and its smaller islands by local transportation or by renting a scooter or car. Enjoy Penghu’s sandy beaches, breathtaking landscapes, and rich cultural heritage!

Penghu, Taiwan Travel and Tour Packages

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Penghu Island – The Guide to Taiwan’s Beautiful Hidden Islands

Taiwan is undeniably one of the most diverse island in East Asia. But did you know that there are several smaller islands that lie off the coast of the country? There’s the divers-paradise Green Island , the fishing hub Orchid Island and of course, the hidden gem – Penghu Island .

While there are a total of 166 islands off the coast of Taiwan, there are just 13 major Taiwanese islands . In addition, Penghu Island isn’t technically a single island. Rather, Penghu is an archipelago of 90 small islands situated in the Taiwan Strait.

Unfortunately, most of the smaller islands are not accessible by a tour boat. As you can imagine, some islands are so small that you wouldn’t be able to do much on there. However, there are 6 main components of Penghu Island: Hujing Island, Magong, Baisha, Siyu, Cimei and Wang-an.

RECOMMENDED: 10 Best Islands of Taiwan

Table of Contents

History of Penghu Island

The origins and history of Penghu can be traced back thousands of years . When archaeologists dug up ancient artifacts from Penghu, they discovered that these islands were inhabited by humans roughly 5,000 years ago ! They were likely immigrants from the southeast coast of China prior to the Northern Song Dynasty in AD 998.

In the Southern Song Dynasty, there is evidence pointing to Penghu being a fishing hub . Even until today, the island remains a base for fishing activities. And if you’re interested, there are a few options for local fishing charters and boat tours that you can take.

During the Ming Dynasty of the 15th century, a maritime ban forced local residents of Penghu to evacuate. Shortly after, the restrictions were removed and the fishing community was firmly reestablished as a booming industry .

In this period, Penghu Island (along with Taiwan) was colonized by the Dutch. However, after the Dutch were defeated by the Portuguese in the Battle of Macau (1622), the Portuguese took control of Penghu . They strategically built a fort on the island in hopes of pressuring China into trading with them.

The Battle of Penghu

Shortly after the Ming Dynasty was overthrown, a group of loyalists established the Kingdom of Tungning in Taiwan. The rogue government’s sole mission was to overthrow the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty. So in 1683, the deciding naval battle was fought on Penghu Island.

It’s estimated that each side had over 200 warships they took to the sea. But with a crucial mistake , the Tungning admiral maneuvered into a fatal situation which had his troops severely outnumbered. Needless to say, the Tungning forces quickly ran out of ammunition and surrendered .

The General of the Tungning fleet contemplated suicide before being stopped by Shi Lang, the commander of the Qing’s forces. Though they agreed on peace, it was obvious that Taiwan and the remaining of the Tungning’s land forces were defenseless. They officially surrendered, thus officially ending the Tungning Kingdom.

Best Things to Do in Penghu

As the second smallest county in Taiwan, Penghu County may seem like a boring place to visit. However, it’s quite the opposite. There are plenty of amazing nature attractions you can find on Penghu.

Though tourism wasn’t established until the 1990’s, it’s currently the biggest money maker for the county. Fishing has been limited, but tourists can’t help but explore the beautiful island.

Twin Heart Stone Weir

The Twin Hearts Stone Weir is without question, one of the most famous attractions on Penghu Island (if not the most!). On a good summer day, expect to see a flock of crowd admiring this remarkable work of ancient local fishermen.

It’s exactly as the name suggests, a fishing weir made of stacked stones that resemble the shape of two adjacent hearts. The purpose of the weir is to direct unsuspecting fish that swim towards the shallows and ultimately trap them in the enclosure during low tide.

You may see several fishing weirs on the island, but the Twin Hearts is by far the most unique and well preserved (considering the age). Low tide is the best time to see the attraction. However, depending on the lunar calendar, the best time can vary.

We went during the early afternoon. Though it was in the process of transitioning to high tide, the sight was still clear as day and beautiful to see. Also, there’s really not much to do here other than the main attraction. Just enjoy the view and take a few pictures.

There is a small vendor area where you can buy some refreshments, snacks and cheap souvenirs. Still, it’s a cool sight to see in person. It certainly looks more impressive in real life than in pictures.

Little Taiwan

After checking out the Twin Hearts Stone Weir, make your way to the nearby “ Little Taiwan .” As can see, it’s called that because, well, the platform is in the shape of Taiwan . Because of it’s close proximity to Twin Hearts, Little Taiwan is the 2nd most popular attraction on the island.

This natural attraction is also located in the Cimei Township of Penghu Island. From Twin Hearts, it can be a short 5 minute drive by motorbike. However, if you must walk, it shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes.

And while you’re likely able to see Twin Hearts during high tide, Little Taiwan is only visible during low tide . So make sure you check with the locals on your trip. If you’re going with a tour, they’ll know exactly when to bring you here.

The Many Temples of Penghu

Penghu Island isn’t home to just one temple, but to many gorgeous and distinctive temples. Each temple, unique in its own right. So if you have the time, I highly recommend checking all of them out! They’re all worth a visit.

Tianhou (Mazu) Temple

Also known as Tianhou Temple, the Queen of Heavens Temple is the most famous on the island. Located in Magong City of Penghu, Tianhou was built in 1592 – making it the oldest temple in all of Taiwan. What’s amazing is that the temple was able to stay in such good condition for over 400 years.

The Taoist temple was built to serve the tao goddess of the sea . Apparently, it’s been destroyed twice by Japanese pirates. And previously, it was called the Niangma Temple and Tianfei Temple.

Guanyin Temple

Also in Magong, the Guanyin Temple is a Buddhist temple that historically helped the integration of buddhism with taoism. In other words, the temple was used to worship both Guanyin (Buddhist god) and Long-Wang (Tao god). It was founded over 100 years after Tianhou by the Qing Dynasty.

PRO TIP: Today, Guanyin serves as the location where thousands of tourists gather for the Firework Festival from the months of April to June. If you’re in Taiwan during these months, it’s a great time to head to the island for this marvelous event.

Shuixian & Chenghuang Temples

Perhaps the smallest of the three, Shuixian Temple is a Taoist temple built the same time as Guanyin. Although it’s an old temple, it’s been erected twice in its life time.

Similarly, Chenghuang Temple is also a taoist temple that primarily serves Chenghuangye – the Taoist god of the underworld (think, Hades). For this reason, this temple is often referred to as the “city god” temple.

Crab Museum

I promise, it’s more interesting than it sounds. What better way to enjoy the Taiwanese island than to marvel at the various species of crabs found in nearby waters? I’m only half kidding.

In all seriousness, the crab museum is a great bang for the buck . And if you’re traveling on a hot summer day, it’s a great way to escape the heat (yes, there’s air conditioning ). What I thought was the most interesting was the crab feeding “shows.”

Staff would cut apples into small slices and let the feeding frenzy begin! Where else in the world would you be able to see crabs feast on apples? It’s kind of cute, but weirdly amazing at the same time. Oh, and there’s some shrimps too.

If you’re traveling with kids, the Penghu Crab Museum is the perfect place to take them. While I don’t have kids yet, there were plenty of excited children who seemed to be having a blast.

Shan Shui Local Beach

When traveling to a tropical island, the beach is a must . Penghu’s Shan Shui beach is no exception. As expected, it’s a quiet and pristine beach. If you can, I highly suggest heading there in the morning to beat the crowd and enjoy the serene beauty of the beach.

The sand is white, and the water is blue and shallow. It’s a fantastic place for the kids to play. Plus, there are some nearby parks if you want to get away from the sand (why would you?). This beach is far from the normal “tourist foot path” so it’s don’t expect your tour to take you.

Best Sunset in Taiwan

Some of Taiwan’s famous mountains are world renowned for their mesmerizing sunrises. But at Penghu Island, the sunset is one of the best you’ll see in this country.

Make sure to check the local weather report to see when the sun is expected to set. Head on over 30 minutes before the sunset time and I promise you won’t regret it.

Stand Up Paddle Board

If you’re looking for an active thing to do, try stand up paddle boarding (SUP) on this beach. You can rent these boards from a few local shops around the area and go for a stroll through the clear blue waters .

You’re essentially standing up on a larger-than-normal surfboard and maneuvering with a single paddle . It took me a while to get used to balancing, but once you get the hang of it, SUP is super fun. Just make sure you have an extra set of clothes because you’re likely to fall at some point.

Swimming at the Beach

The Shan Sui beach is a great place to go for a swim. There are few people (even on weekends) so you’re not swimming in a crowded area. However, it’s not a great place to go snorkeling. Instead, I’d like to bring a floatie with me and just relax while lounging in the water.

There are some showering stalls near the beach if you want to rinse the sand and salt water off yourself after you finish your swim. And if you get hungry or thirsty, there will be a few vendors nearby that sell basic refreshments and snacks.

Penghu Basalt Columns

Apparently, Penghu Islands is made up of nearly a hundred islands made up of several layers of basalt lava flow . The result is an amazing sight, as columns of these lava rocks appear like they’re stacked in a uniformed manner.

According to Taiwanese geologists, the basalt was formed through millions of years. The lava would rise up from the sea or from underground fissures, ultimately cooling off and forming the basalt formations. What’s even more impressive is that the oldest known basalt is roughly 17 millions years old !

And although they’re all over the Penghu island region, there’s a dedicated Basalt Reservation Area tourists can go to check out. The easiest and best way to view the basalt columns is with a boat . There will be plenty of boats that frequently go on tours to sight see different columns throughout the reservation area.

Not all basalts require a boat to view. For example, in Siyu township, you’ll be able to find plenty of basalt columns on land . Just make sure you know where you’re going. Asking a local or going with a tour group sounds like a good idea.

Motorbike Across Penghu Great Bridge

The Penghu Great Bridge that connects Siyu Island to Baisha Main Island is a remarkable achievement in Taiwanese architecture. According to the locals, there was an old bridge that was built too low. As a result, cars, people and parts of the bridge would be swept away during typhoons.

The Penghu Great Bridge is the third iteration of that bridge. It’s roughly one and a half miles long (2478 meters), which makes it a fairly long bridge.

If you’re traveling around the island by motorbike, I’d highly suggest taking this bridge even if you don’t need to get to the other side. It’s just so fun and the view is amazing on a nice sunny day.

PRO TIP: Next to the bridge is the famous Yi Jia Cactus Ice Cream that can really only be found in Penghu (at least I’ve never seen it anywhere else in Taiwan). So if anything, this can be your excuse to travel on the famous Penghu bridge.

Witness the Sea Split Apart

Kueibishan is a really interesting place, especially if you can get there at the right time . For part of the day, you’re looking at a small island just off the shores. However, when it’s low-tide, the “magic” happens. Just like with Moses and the Red Sea, the sea opens up and tourists are able to cross to the island.

Getting there before low tide is ideal because you get to actually see the sea “move apart.” Without seeing that part, you’re essentially just walking on rocks and shells. It’s just not as cool unless you see the before and after. But if you want to come later and watch the path gradually close , that’s pretty awesome too.

There are a lot of mixed reviews for this attraction. Some call it the “best attraction on Penghu Island.” Others call it a waste of time and nothing special. I’m guessing the ones that didn’t enjoy this didn’t come at the right time. So, plan your trip to Kueibishan accordingly!

Go Squid Fishing at Night

One of the most unique local activities you can do on Penghu Island is…fishing. You’re not fishing for fish, but rather for squid. And apparently, this generally takes place at night because that’s when the squids comes out.

If this sounds like a great time to you, make sure to head to Penghu Island sometime between June and the Mid Autumn Festival (September/October). They generally stop this activity by the time of the festival, so make sure to check the dates as it can vary by year.

There are many ports around the island that can take you to go squid fishing. For example, you can find these boats at the Sougang, Chitou, Shagang and Chikan fishing ports.

You take these boats out at night and they light up the water for you. It’s a pretty interesting experience but can be kind of uneventful if you don’t catch anything at all. After catching the squid, the staff usually makes squid sashimi and noodles for you to enjoy!

How to Get to Penghu Island

Penghu Island is no longer a “secret.” Because their economy lives off tourism , they’ve really made it easy and convenient to get there. There’s even a small airport for domestic flights!

There will be domestic planes that leave daily from main cities, such as Taichung, Tainan, Chiayi, Kaohsiung and of course, Taipei. Depending on where you’re flying from, it should take between 30 to 50 minutes to get to the island.

For how far you’re going, flights are not that cheap . However, if you plan to do a quick one-night trip, then flying is the best way to maximize your time on the island.

If flying isn’t your thing or you’re willing to spend more time to save some cash, Penghu Island is also easily accessible by ferry . In fact, the ferry should be less than half of what you’d have to spend flying. And if you want to bring a motorbike , you can pay extra to bring it on the ferry.

There are two ferries that head to Penghu Island. The first one leaves from Chiayi between 10 AM to 10:30 AM daily. But if you’re in Kaohsiung , you can catch the ferry that leaves 8:30 – 9 AM daily. On Wednesday and Fridays, there’s a night ferry that leaves Kaoshiung at 11 PM.

Where to Stay in Penghu

If you plan to stay overnight on Penghu, there are a lot of great options for accommodations. In the past years, the government did a great job making the island “tourist-friendly.” And of course, that means building many hotels and hostels.

For ultimate luxury, you’ll want to book at the Four Points Hotel by Sheraton . The hotel is located in Magong and has an amazing view of the harbor. If you go during the off-season, you’re likely to find some great deals that won’t break your wallet.

The Discovery Hotel is the other 5-star hotel on the island. Since it’s right next to the Four Points, you get that same view of the Magong Nanhai Wharf. Known for their delicious breakfast and great amenities, the Discovery Hotel is the perfect place to stay for families.

Budget hotels such as the Green Hotel offers the upscale feel without the luxury price. Rooms are spacious and clean with a modern design. Plus, it’s just a 15-minute ride from Penghu Airport. Some rooms at the Green Hotel also have a kids slide built into the room! Great for families with small kids.

The Rainbow Hotel is a relative new boutique hotel. You’ll have easy access to the beautiful waters, as the hotel is located on the beach front. Plus, it’s just a few minutes walk from the famous Tianhou Temple. As you can guess, the location is the best part.

Because the island is so small, it really doesn’t matter where you plan to stay. However, if you have a choice, I’d always stick with Magong township . It’s literally in the center of the main islands and there’s a lot going on around the city. And because it’s next to all the main roads, traveling by car or motorbike is easy too.

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Richard Jeng is a Taiwanese-American who's reconnected with his heritage and roots in the beautiful country of Taiwan. After college, he visited Taiwan and instantly fell in love. A year later, he moved to the country to deep dive into the country's culture, nature, history and food.

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To and Through the Sun-Drenched Penghu Islands

Westward ho into the taiwan strait.

TEXT / RICK CHARETTE PHOTOS / RAY CHANG

Commonly shortened simply to “Penghu,” this is a wide-flung archipelago of low-lying islands in the Taiwan Strait’s mid-section. Locals describe their home as “pearls scattered on the turquoise sea.” The sun shines so constantly and intensely here, and the shallow turquoise waters coruscate so brilliantly, it’s said that Penghu has two suns – one in the sky, the other in the water.

This is a slow-paced realm of old fishing villages, old temples, old lighthouses, and old fort ruins. Small farm plots are protected from the famed winter winds that rush down the strait by hoary stacked-coral walls. The main islands, connected by bridges, form the outer walls of the comparatively calm Inner Sea. Sailing and other sports are popular on the water, snorkeling and diving in the water, scooter and cycle touring on the land. The archipelago is rocky, with massive formations of exposed volcanic basalt columns prominent and seascapes dramatic. Ferry rides to the outlying North Sea and South Sea islands are popular, as are nighttime squid-fishing outings.

Northern Islands

Jibei island.

The islands north of Penghu’s main island grouping float in what is called the North Sea. Travel to Jibei is by ferry from Chikan Fishing Harbor , on the north shore of the island of Baisha. There are multiple departures daily, by different operators (and multiple return trips from Jibei).

The small island’s best-known feature, by far, is the Jibei Sand Tail , Penghu’s largest, which is clearly seen from planes as flights approach/leave Magong Airport. Extending into the pastel-hue waters at the island’s south end, it is about 800m long and 200 wide. The landform has been crafted by the ocean tides and currents, with fine coral debris and shell sand accumulating. The local currents change in accordance with seasonal directions, ever-changing the shape and size of the ginormous sand spit. Locals call this the island’s “wagging tail.” The spit is a popular swimming/snorkeling location.

The standard tourist means for moving about the island is the same here as on Penghu’s other islands of size – rented scooter . These are available aplenty at Jibei’s harbor; all Penghu scooter-rental operations are vetted by the local authorities. The standard tour route, which delivers you to all major Jibei sights, is the narrow paved road that runs around the island’s perimeter (a short side road brings you to parking facilities at the Jibei Sand Spit’s north end). Be sure to always have good sun protection with you when in the Penghu outdoors; shade, nature- and human-created, is in short supply.

On the coast a few hundred meters northwest of the Jibei Sand Tail is Xikan Hill , separated from it by a long, wide beach. This hill is just 18m in elevation, its flat-top pinnacle the island’s highest point. Once a basalt-column reef separate from the Jibei mainland, long-term accumulation of coral debris long ago filled in the gap. A boardwalk pathway leads from a small north-side parking lot to two wood-built lookouts perched right at the seaside basalt-cliff edge. From here sweeping, unobstructed views are enjoyed south, west, and north. An information board with good English helps you pinpoint the various large and small islands in far-off view, and describes the latter’s special geological/biological features.

Penghu is home to about 600 well-preserved stone weirs , an ancient fishing device, likely the highest concentration in the world. Walls of stacked rocks are created in intertidal zones; fish swim in when the tide is in, and are trapped when it goes out. When seen from high vantage points the weir clusters remind many of the Nazca Lines, especially when just under the water’s surface. Jibei has Penghu’s largest stone weir collection, with over 80. The best viewing spot is the island’s north tip – there are a number of the archipelago’s iconic heart-shaped fish traps here, and access is easy for up-close inspection at low tide (be sure to first check the tide schedule at the harbor’s visitor center).

As so many do, end your Jibei frolic with a heat-defeating shaved-ice dessert treat at the invariably busy Xiangxiang Ice Shop , which has big-window views of the ferry-docking harbor area and out toward Baisha. Two of the most popular selections are assorted fruits with shaved ice served in a seashell and cactus ice + cactus jelly shaved ice served in a shell. Cactus ice, made from cactus fruit, is a classic Penghu treat.

Xiangxiang Ice Shop (香香冰店) Add: No. 182-13, Jibei Village, Baisha Township, Penghu County (澎湖縣白沙鄉吉貝村182-13號)

Along with the Jibei Sand Tail, Jibei water-recreation fun is an intrinsic element of the Jibei brand and experience. The main action venue is the aforementioned long beach that runs between the sand tail and Xikan Hill, which has a heady range of water-play toys. There are covered rest areas and umbrella-shade seating, shower and toilet facilities, and counters serving drinks and light foods.

The stars here are engine-powered vehicles, the jet-ski and speedboat, especially the former. What can you get up to? Most popular on the long choice list are the various types of jet-ski drags, on banana boats, flying sofas, doughnut boats, sea UFOs, magic carpets, and other inflatables. You can also enjoy fast jet-ski rides – no, you won’t be driving – in which the operator makes your sea-steed bounce around the waves like a bucking bronco. Jet-skis are also used for the in-demand power snorkeling outings, with groups pulled along holding onto a raft-like inflatable, enjoying the world of the underwater coral reefs.

Speedboats are used for the parasailing experiences. And if desiring a slower tempo, head out on your own in the quieter area between the main play zone and Xikan Hill on a stand-up paddleboard or inflatable sea kayak.

A few points to note: on-site personnel usually does not speak English; activity participants must wear life vests and safety helmets (no helmets during snorkeling outings); instruction is provided before all activities.

Mudou Island

While here, many travelers also choose to take a pleasant boat trip to the miniscule island of Mudou, north of Jibei, which can be seen from Xikan Hill and north shore spots. More specifically, it is Mudou’s renowned lighthouse that catches the eye out amidst the vast swathe of turquoise water, standing prominent atop the high, pretty much barren rocky outcrop. Looking so lonely out there by itself, it’s hard to imagine people once voluntarily lived there. Mudou is the Penghu Archipelago’s northernmost island.

A large, open-sided barge-like boat with low prow and sides pulls up close to shore, you wade in and climb a prow ladder, and off you go. A tip: do not sit right at the front – the flattish prow can send up a good deal of spray, and the roof does not extend right to the front, meaning extra sun exposure. The ride, slow and leisurely compared to the Penghu ferries and charters, takes about 25mins one way .

The boat lets you off on a sandy beach beside a high, long concrete pier built to create a sheltered landing spot, and you are then free to wander the rugged, parched outcrop on your own. At a set time after landing, about 40mins, everyone is loaded back on and you’re off again, Jibei-bound.

Built in 1902, the Mudou Island Lighthouse has a height of 39.9m. Strikingly painted with thick black and white horizontal stripes, this is the tallest lighthouse in Taiwan as well as the tallest steel-frame lighthouse in East Asia. At its base are concrete-built residential and storage facilities. All are closed to public entry; the lighthouse is now automated. Looking outward from the island’s high points, you’ll clearly see the ominous black shapes that are the lighthouse’s raison d’être – the surrounding waters bristle with hidden reefs that have snared many a passing ship.

Note: You can buy your Jibei ferry tickets at the harborside North Sea Visitor Center, but it’s recommended to do so in advance online (klook.com, kkday.com, etc.), especially during the busy summer season. Tickets for the water-fun activities and Mudou excursion can be bought in combination with the ferry tickets, and this is also recommended.

Southern Islands

Tongpan and hujing islands.

The place to catch ferries to the various South Sea Islands is the South Sea Visitor Center , at Magong City’s Magong Harbor. Note that at the center you’ll also find info/ticket desks for operators that offer special boat tours, such as the snorkeling-centered excursion to the South Penghu Marine National Park introduced later.

The islands of Tongpan and Hujing, just southwest of Penghu main island, are clearly visible as your craft exits Magong Harbor and makes its south-heading turn. Hujing is much the larger of the two.

Though Tongpan, north of Hujing, has few roads and no scooter rentals, it’s small enough that walking is not a problem. This island, famously, has what is considered Penghu’s greatest display of basalt columns. It is a typical basalt mesa landform, and a solid exposed shoreline wall of tall and almost perfectly symmetrical columns stretches from the northwest corner to the southwest and on to the southeast corner. This spectacular showcase of nature’s wondrous sculptural talent is the focus of the Tongpan Geology Park .

The lone fishing village and harbor are in the middle on the north side. There are few full-time island inhabitants left, and you’ll come across many abandoned old residences in and outside the village.

To get to the basalt columns, most tourists take the pathway over the mesa to the southwest area. You can also take a pathway that leads around the island at the base of the columnar cliffs. On the former, you move through a full small neighborhood of abandoned imperial-era traditional residences that demonstrate the wealth this island once produced, with exterior walls featuring cut stone rather than the more common simple coral blocks, and decorated with delicate painted-artwork ceramic tiling.

On a sea-eroded platform on the island’s southwest shore, accessible via the aforementioned perimeter pathway, is the Lotus Seat . This is a large stepped basin with a raised middle “seat,” created from columns in concentric circles eroded down to their roots. 

Hujing has a distinctive shape that roughly resembles half a giant dumbbell. The middle section, made of gathered sand and coral, is flat and low. This is the location of the island’s somnambulant fishing settlement and harbor. The two large “dumbbell ends,” Xishan and much bigger/longer Dongshan (“West Mountain” and “East Mountain”) are large, high formations made of basalt columns. These are flat-topped and feature steep columned cliffs, some with rock exposed, some covered with vegetation.

Visitors are limited to the village and Xishan area; the Dongshan area is a military restricted zone with limited access for locals. Up on Xishan, on the north is cliff-edge Guanyin Park , a small, tranquil grass-lawn park dramatically filled with large Buddhist statues of the Goddess of Mercy and 18 Arhats, plus a Ping An (“Peace and Security”) Bell. About mid-way along the plateau road you pass through an area thick with abandoned military facilities, all accessible on foot (no entry inside structures), including a command post, bomb shelter, barracks, and pillboxes. And in the southeast corner is another grassy cliff-edge park, this with a Tropic of Cancer theme that looks directly down into Hujing’s fishing village. A long, wide blue Tropic of Cancer marker line runs along flagstone pavement, “pointing through” two sets of large Lotus Hands statues off either end, through which graceful framed scenic photos can be taken.

Qimei and Wang’an Islands

These are the two largest islands in the South Sea, and Qimei is the region’s southernmost.

On Qimei , you head out east from harborside in the southwest along the island-perimeter circumnavigation road and quickly find yourself atop its wide grassland plateau, the road providing terrific views down to the rocky shores from along plateau-edge lookouts.

Meandering grass-chomping goats far outnumber wheeled vehicles – even the hordes of tourist-toting scooters in high summer. Qimei’s iconic symbol is the Twin Hearts Stone Weir , at its northeast tip, which can be reached from the top of the adjacent bluffs via a paved, stepped path. The romance and scenic beauty of this place entice a steady tide of soon-to-be-newlyweds for wedding-photo shoots.

Another key Qimei enticement is the island’s shoreline collection of unusual nature-art rock formations. Best-known is Little Taiwan , about mid-way on the east side, a giant flat stone slab that sticks out from the mainland and does look uncannily like a map of mainland Taiwan, with its distinctive tobacco-leaf shape.

South of this on the east side, a short side road leads down to the Yueli Bay Recreation Area , site of a lovely arcing bay, Qimei’s sole sand beach (soft white coral sand). The coral reefs in the bay and abundant colorful tropical fish make this a great snorkeling spot; guided sessions and camping facilities are offered.

The name “Qimei” means “Seven Beauties”. Legend says the Tomb of the Seven Beauties , on the plateau just southeast of the harbor, is built around a well down which chaste Ming Dynasty damsels tossed themselves when ne’er-do-well wako pirates attacked.

Wang’an is to Qimei’s northeast. Low in the south, it rises to 53m (Tiantai Hill) in the north. Studded by peninsulas, its main road does not strictly follow the coastline; you take side roads to get out to the peninsula tips.

The ferry harbor is in the southeast. Clearly visible to the east, across a patch of water, is the small island of Jiangjun’ao (see next section) and its single, building-dense fishing village. Immediately north of the ferry harbor is the Wangan Green Turtle Tourism and Conservation Center , overlooking a protected sandy beach where sea turtles come to lay their eggs (guided in-season viewings, with limited spaces). Its exterior is in the stylized shape of a turtle, and inside are displays on Penghu’s marine ecology, with English provided. There’s an English introductory video, and English-speaking guides can be booked. The highlight is a small aquarium that is a temporary home for turtles undergoing rehabilitation after being found sick or injured.

Mighty Tiantai Hill – at least in comparison to the flat land and sea surrounding it – presents boundless views over Wang’an and its numerous nearby islands. The mount has a high basalt-column foundation, with a dramatically exposed seaside section viewable to adventurous types willing to tackle the in-places steep 15min pathway walk from the hilltop.

Zhongshe is an old fishing village of narrow alleys and tight-clustered heritage residences (protection against wind and pirate attack) dating to China’s Qing Dynasty era, almost all stone/coral-built. The majority are still inhabited, and many have been returned to their original state to attract tourists. The refurbished homes of the rich of former days are easy to identify – white stucco covers exterior walls to reflect the intense sun, and exteriors are decorated with elegant glazed ceramic tiles featuring individual paintings.

South Penghu Marine National Park

This park, created in 2014, is southeast of Wang’an, northeast of Qimei. Just under 360 square kilometers in size, it contains four islands and numerous islets. As elsewhere in Penghu, these feature basalt landforms, including columnar-basalt formations. The park area was once home to thousands of humans; today there are less than a hundred permanent residents. Cold weather in 2008 and 2010 severely impacted marine life around Penghu – the warmer southern area somewhat less so than the northern – and the park was thereafter established as a protected Penghu “germplasm bank.” Among its underwater denizens are 254 fish species, including 28 since discovered, and 154 coral species.

For a visit, consider the Blue Paradise One Day Tour by Penghu Coral Reef Travel ( www.excitingpenghu.com.tw ), a full-day snorkeling/yacht touring guided adventure. You meet up at 8 in the morning at the South Sea Visitor Center and are brought back between 5-7 in the evening. Some of the key highlights: snorkeling prep and coral-reef snorkeling off two different South Sea islands, one inside the marine park; an eco-walk on an unpopulated reef island; a seafood feast on a large open-water moored barge, followed, after a rest, by barge-based water fun (“cliff jumping” from second level, “sea walking” contest on floating pads, etc.). As well, all through the day the Coral Reef Travel crew will be providing info (in Chinese) on a wide range of topics – ecology, culture, history, etc.

Your first stop is the aforementioned Jiangjun’ao – more specifically, a moored double-decker barge off the island, just meters off Jinguazai Reef , a tiny uninhabited island. The first guided snorkeling session is in the calm, shallow waters here.

After this, a boat run further south into the marine park, to a broad bay on the island of Dongyuping ’s north side, passing the park’s dramatic-outline, soaring Steeple Islet (no access permitted), an important tern-breeding spot.

In the bay, an open-water snorkeling adventure; you jump in right from the boat, a hundred-or-so meters offshore directly before an ancient, mostly abandoned fishing village with many traditional Penghu coral-wall houses. The winds, waves, and currents are stronger here, and the underwater community more lively and colorful – turtles and stingrays are sometimes spotted.

Now, a boat ride back to your barge base, where you’re first taken for an eco-walk on Jinguazai Reef, which is a few hundred meters in diameter and has a 30m-high mini-plateau area in the middle, followed by a hearty seafood meal on the barge – downing neritic squid, large prawn, oyster, abalone, and other fresh-harvested bounty.

The day’s final act is the barge-based sea-surface sporting fun, including the aforementioned “cliff jumping” and “sea walking” contest, plus “surfing” session with jet-skis zipping you over the waves on different types of floating frolicker-transport tools.

How to get to Penghu Main Island and Where to Find More Info

There are regular flights and ferry runs between Penghu main island and various locations on Taiwan proper. Flights come in at Penghu Airport, near Magong City, and ferries come in at Magong Harbor, right in the city. The air trip takes about 40mins, ferry trips about 4hrs. A limited number of flights are also offered from Kaohsiung City to Qimei and Wang’an islands, respectively, and one ferry service to/from Chiayi County also stops in at Qimei.

For further information on these and other related Penghu-adventuring practical subjects, visit the Penghu National Scenic Area website ( www.penghu-nsa.gov.tw ) and Penghu County Government website ( www.penghu.gov.tw ).

About the author

• Rick Charette

A Canadian, Rick has been resident in Taiwan almost continually since 1988. His book, article, and other writings, on Asian and North American destinations and subjects—encompassing travel, culture, history, business/economics—have been published widely overseas and in Taiwan. He has worked with National Geographic, Michelin, APA Insight Guides, and other Western groups internationally, and with many local publishers and central/city/county government bodies in Taiwan. Rick also handles a wide range of editorial and translation (from Mandarin Chinese) projects. 

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3 Days in Penghu | Weekend Getaway from Taipei

Asia , Islands of Taiwan , Itinerary , Taiwan

Taiwan Itinerary Series | Penghu Islands

Penghu truly surprised me with many things to do beyond my expectation. After spending three days in Penghu, I immediately wanted to go back because it wasn’t enough time to do everything I wanted to do. I shared more details of things to do and a list of activities you can do in Penghu along with essential tips for travel planning in another post. Please first read my Ultimate Guide to Penghu Island of Taiwan before continue reading this sample itinerary in Penghu. I promise it will make much more sense.

Table of Contents

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Day 1: Magong ( 馬公 )

Morning: arrival & check-in.

Magong is Penghu’s main island. Either by flight or ferry, you will most likely arrive in Magong. First, check in at your hotel. Many hotels and homestay in Magong offer complimentary airport pickup. Check my Penghu hotel recommendations here . After the hotel check-in, go to Magong City to rent a scooter or car to get your tour started.

↡↡ Book Your Rentals Here! ↡↡

Lunch: Lai Fu Seafood ( 來福海鮮餐廳 )

Lai Fu Seafood is a local’s favorite restaurant. Enjoy great seafood dishes made with fresh ingredients from Penghu. Besides the seafood, get pumpkin rice noodle as well. It is one of the must-eat Penghu food. I don’t remember the names of many dishes I had here. As they don’t have the English menu, feel free to show these photos to order.

Opening Hours : 10:30 am – 2 pm, 4:30 pm – 9 pm | Click here to Open Google Map for Lai Fu Seafood  

Afternoon: Mogong City Tour

After lunch, let’s start the Magong city tour. Here are a few Penghu attractions you should consider stopping by. Read more about each place in my Penghu Guide .

Shanshui Beach ( 山水沙灘 ) : Walk the beach and appreciate the scenery.

Fenggui Blowholes ( 風櫃 ) : Hear the whistling waves on the basalt cave from the cliff top. 

Post Office Scallion Cake ( 郵局蔥油餅 ) : Grab a quick bite of the Penghu’s famous afternoon snack.

Tianhou Temple ( 天后宮 ) : Stop by the oldest Mazu Temple in Taiwan.

Magong Old Street ( 老街 ) : Get a glimpse of Four-Eyed Well and historical architecture from the earliest settlement area. Get cactus ice cream or souvenirs while walking on the nostalgic street.

Yuguan Shaved Ice ( 玉冠嫩仙草 ) : If you like traditional Taiwanese shaved ice with QQ (“chewy”) toppings like jelly and boba, this is the shop you have to stop by.

Duxingshi Village ( 篤行十村 ) : Head over to the oldest military family housing and snap lots of photos in the retro village. Stop by Chang Yu-sheng Story House and Pan An Bang Memorial.

Evening: Guanyin Temple Leisure Park

Penghu Guanyin Temple ( 澎湖觀音亭 ) : Check out this tranquil temple near the bay.  Enjoy the sunset at the bay overlooking the Rainbow Bridge. If you are in Penghu during the International Fireworks Festival , this is the area to enjoy the fireworks and music festival. 

Dinner : Seaway L’Atelier de Charlie

Enjoy a home-cooking meal at Seaway L’Atelier de Charlie. There is no menu as the chef handpicks local ingredients in season and creates the private dinner for you! This special dinner is more a creative meal than traditional Taiwanese cuisine. Make sure to make a reservation in advance (minimum of two people). This restaurant would’ve been part of my ideal itinerary. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get a table. It’s rare that I recommend a restaurant without trying out myself. That’s how curious I am about this restaurant! Let me know how it goes.

Reservation : (06) 926-8068 | Click here to Open Google Map for Seaway L’Atelier de Charlie  

Day 2: Xiyu ( 西嶼 ), Baisha ( 白沙 ) & Island Hopping

On Day 2, let’s explore to the other side of the main island beyond Magong City. To follow my itinerary, you will need to start the day as early as 7 am as we will be covering a wide area before hopping on a boat. Feel free to leave out places if you don’t want to get up too early, or run short on time before boarding.

Morning: Xiyu Township

Breakfast : If you skip breakfast at your homestay or hotel, try this Guabao shop on your way to the first stop.

Yuwengdao Lighthouse : Enjoy the peaceful morning with a gorgeous ocean view at the historic lighthouse.

Xiyu West Fort : Check out the ancient military fort with the cannons.

Dagouye Basalt Columns: Take a close look at Penghu’s famous basalt columns either Dagouye or Chixi Rock Waterfall.

Erkan Historical House : Take a look at the traditional Penghu houses at the Chen Family village.

Whale Cave: Enjoy Penghu’s geological landscape at the iconic Whale Cave.

Lunch: A-hong Restaurant ( 阿虹的店 )

Before going into the Whale Cave, you probably have spotted many noodle shops near the entrance. Most of them serve the same menu. Grab a seat and enjoy local specialties like squid vermicelli and fried oysters. 

Opening Hours : 9 am – 4:30 pm | Click here to open Google Map for A-Hong Seafood Restaurant .

Early Afternoon: Baisha Township

Penghu Great Bridge : On the way to the Qitou Wharf, stop by Penghu Great Bridge to take a quick snapshot.  Cactus Ice Cream : If you have the stomach for it, grab cactus ice cream right off of the bridge. 

Tongliang Great Banyan : If you have time, stop by the entrance to Baoan Temple to take a look at the 300-year-old sacred tree. Skip if you are running behind.

1:50 pm – 8:30 pm: Fishing Cruise Excursion

Arrive at Qitou Wharf by 1:50 pm at the latest. Check in at the Ferry Terminal to get your tickets for on-boarding. I recommend booking the Fishing Excursion here (in English) . Or, you can call this number if you can speak Chinese: (06) 993-2305.

Offshore Fishing Farm : Learn how to fish at the fishing farm. It’s not as easy as you think!  Inkai Island (Yuan Bei Wharf) : Witness and experience net fishing, and learn about Penghu’s ecological system and marine lives.  Eat fish soup on the boat as an afternoon snack.  On-boat Deep Sea Fishing : With the help of professional fishers, enjoy deep sea fishing. Good luck!  Peng Peng Beach ( 澎澎灘 ) : Get off the boat at one of the most beautiful beaches in Penghu. It is on the inhabited island that can’t be easily accessible.  Cho-Island : Hike up the hill to see a gorgeous sunset and gaze at the squid fishing boats on the horizon as it gets dark. How romantic!  Dinner on Cruise : Enjoy your catch of the day at the course-meal dinner. In Chinese, it’s called “Xian Diao Xian Chi ( 現釣現吃 ).” On the side note, I received the certificate of the highest number of fishing after catching five! It is also my personal record.  Squid Fishing : On the way back, enjoy more fishing. Squid fishing was a completely different ball game. I failed to catch any, but the sailors said it was also the end of the season.

Alternatives:

I highly recommend the Fishing Cruise Excursion as it’s a fun and educational experience for children and adults. Don’t worry about getting seasick. No one on the boat felt sick.

However, if you don’t want to commit to this 6-hour adventure, you could do other activities, including f urther exploring Xiyu and Baisha attractions, r elaxing by the beach and t aking a half-day trip to Penghu’s North Sea islands to enjoy water sports. For more suggestions for activities, check my Ultimate Guide to Penghu Island.

Day 3: Qimei ( 七美 ) & Wangan ( 望安 )

Hope you had a great night sleep because we are going on another island hopping today. It’s a lot of pressure to get to the harbor on time. But I promise it will be all worthwhile. On Day 3, we will explore the Penghu’s South Sea recreational system to see its unique natural landscapes.

8 am South Sea Visitor Center

Get to South Sea Visitors Center by 8 am to get the boat tickets. You can purchase boat+scooter combo tickets to grab a scooter on each island. I spent about 1,000 NT (USD 30) per person including two scooter rentals – one each on Qimei and Wangan. Otherwise, you can book the ferry tour tickets separately and sign up for a bus tour.

Opening Hours : 6:30 am – 5pm | Phone: (06) 926-4738. | Click here to Open Google Map fo South Sea Visitor Center .

8:30 am Magong Nanhai Wharf

Take a ferry to Qimei. The ride takes about 70 min. Make sure you check the terminal number on your ticket.

9:30 am – 11:45 am Qimei

Important! Before getting off the boat, make sure you understand the departure time. You have to be back on board on the scheduled time. The ship will leave whether you are back or not.

Pick up a scooter at the parking lot. I remember these scooters were older than the ones I rented on Magong. But it was working fine. They have plenty for you to choose from, so if one doesn’t work, get another one.

Twin Hearts Stone Weir : We went straight to the opposite side of the island to see this iconic site, which was the reason why we came to Qimei. You can see the stone weir from above the hill. Expect it to be crowded as it is the must-visit site on Qimei Island. There are a few shops and a cafe nearby. You can also take a restroom break here.

Lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant

Although there are other things to see in Qimei such as Wife Waiting for Husband Rock, we were afraid we didn’t have enough time to hit all the spots. Instead, we decided to grab a quick bite. By accident, we found this cute Vietnamese restaurant and had a pho and spring rolls.

11:50 am Off to Wangan

Our boat was scheduled to leave Qimei at 11:50 am. Make sure you check YOUR boat schedule. I suggest you be there by the harbor at least 10 min before the departure time. Remember you have to return your scooter as well. The return process is super easy as you need to drop it off at the designated lot.

12:30 am -2:30 pm Wangan

After a short 35 min ride, we arrive at Wangan. Pronounce as wang-an, not wan-gan. 

Pick up a scooter as you did in Qimei.

Wangan Green Turtle Conservation Center : Wangan is best known for green turtles. We decided to check out the conservation center. As we learned about green turtles, we also appreciated being in a nicely air-conditioned building. It was hot outside. An island dog was smart enough to know where to go for the cold air!

I was slightly disappointed as the Conservation Center only had two turtles at the end of the exhibit. However, after learning the center just keeps the injured ones to heal and sends them back to the ocean, I thought it made sense. It was another learning moment for me!

Before leaving the building, stop by the souvenir shop and pick up a bag of black sugar turtles (100 NT) or two – one with black sugar only and the other with dried plum inside. We also had fruit popsicles. They tasted so good that we ended up getting two each. 

Tiantai Mountain Fairy Footprints: It was our planned next stop. Unfortunately, it was closed due to construction. We ended up roaming around the area and took a quick nap on a bank. The sky was so high and blue! 

2:30 pm Tongpanyu

On the way back to Magong, we passed by Tongpanyu, which is a famous island surrounded by basalt columns. Pay attention to the captain’s announcement. Although he only explains in Chinese, you will know where to look if you are expecting it. It will be on your left, so be sure to get the seat on the left side. If you’re allowed, you can also go out on the deck.

3:20 pm Back to Magong

3:30 pm penghu living museum.

Upon your return, head over to Penghu Living Museum. I enjoyed this museum as I could get a glimpse of the island’s history, culture and ecology. You will appreciate your trip to Penghu much more when you learn how the early settlers endured the hardship and made this beautiful island as inhabitable as it is today.

Opening Hours : 9 am – 5 pm (closed on Thursdays, Lunar New Year’s Eves and typhoon days) | Admission : 80 NT | C lick here to open Google Map for Penghu Living Museum . 

3:30 pm Souvenir Shopping

I love dried squid and handmade peanut candy from Penghu! Stop by a shop to pick up a few bags of dried seafood, flavored peanuts and peanut candies. 

Where to Shop Penghu Souvenirs : 新臺澎海產總匯 – Click here to open Google Map . 

5:30 pm Return Scooter

Thankfully, our host pulled a string to have the rental place to drive us to the airport. I don’t think it’s a standard service, and we much appreciated their service! But I think you might be able to request their help to call a taxi.

Planning Tips

Ok, you like this itinerary but have a headache to plan it on your own? I know! Even though I speak some Chinese, it would not have been easy for me to do it on my own. I’m thankful that my homestay, who happened to be a friend, was able to plan and book everything for us. He rents out the second floor of his home in Baisha and can coordinate any tour activities for you. If you are interested, give a call to Ryan at (09) 8901-2397. He speaks some English.

Alternatively, you can ask your hotel concierge or homestay to see if they can help you make a few phone calls to book the tours in advance.

Also, don’t forget to check out my recommendations for other islands in Taiwan:

>>  Xiaoliuqiu Island :  Swim with Sea Turtles

>> Orchid Island : A Diver’s Paradise with Unique Tao Indigenous Culture

>>  Kinmen Island :  Taiwan’s off-the-beaten destination with Military History, Kaoliang Liquor and Ancient Architecture

>> Best Beaches in Taiwan : Thinking of a beach vacation? Check out my list of the most beautiful and unusual beaches.

Bon voyage!

ENJOYED THIS POST? PIN IT!

Hi Chloe! This guide has been so helpful for ideas and inspiration and I’ve been consulting it as I spend about 5 days in Penghu.

Since you asked for feedback, I just tried to go to Seaway L’Atelier de Charlie because you mentioned it (and the reviews looked good online), but it wasn’t a great experience 🙁 I figured that I would drive my little scooter over and just make a reservation in person, but the person there said they require a minimum of two people. I’ve never experienced that before while solo traveling (or ever, for that matter)… In addition, I was just sensing some attitude from the host so I said thanks anyways and left. It’s too bad because the food looks good online, but that short interaction was a major turnoff!

Anyways, just my two cents. Overall love your post and Penghu is such an interesting place!

Cheers, Kevin

Hi Kevin –

I’m glad to hear that my guide was a help. Hope you had a great time in Penghu!

That’s too bad to hear about the restaurant. I will update my post to reflect the minimum number of people. Since I don’t know the chef, I cannot say much about your interaction with him. Regardless, sorry to hear your expectation was not met. So sweet of you to take your time to share your feedback. Thanks a lot!

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Hello, I'm Chloe!

I'm an aspiring world traveler, who moved across the Pacific Ocean twice. After leaving my PR career, I'm currently exploring Asia from Taiwan and learning Chinese. Follow my journey as I will share my travel experiences, tips & tricks and cultural insights.

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