The Penghu Islands （澎湖英文）are the best island vacation getaway in Taiwan. Only an hour’s plane ride from Taipei, these islands provide multiple world-class beaches, as well as snorkeling, diving, windsurfing, and other water activities. In addition, there are lots of restaurants, interesting historical sights, and accommodation options on these islands. Overall it is an ideal island vacation getaway that you should not miss.
Historical Background:
The Penghu Islands were historically an important strategic position for trade and military defense in the area. The Dutch, French, and Japanese all led campaigns against these islands. The Dutch first invaded Penghu in 1622, but soon after retreated to Anping after a treaty was made with the Ming Dynasty. Konxinga later took control of Penghu and Taiwan after defeating the Dutch in 1661, Later, Kongxinga’s kingdom fell to the Qing Dynasty. In 1885 during the Sino-French war for control of Vietnam, the French sent a fleet to Taiwan but failed to take the island. Later they attacked the Penghu Islands and occupied them for a short time, before retreating to Vietnam due to the Treaty of Tianjin. After Japan took control of Korea in 1894, they also attacked and occupied Penghu in 1895, after which the Qing Dynasty ceded the islands to them. After World War II, the islands were given to the ROC government, which retreated to Taiwan after the Chinese Civil War and still controls the islands today under a free democratic government.
We have stayed at and recommend Han’s Hostel which had great service and is right next to Shanshui Beach, the best beach in Penghu (you can book on Agoda here, Booking.com here, or Trip.com here) a newly renovated homestay in downtown Magong with great service and great prices (you can book on Agoda here or Booking.com here). Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Agoda here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation on the islands. You can also find out more about where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide here.
When to go to Penghu:
The best time to go is Autumn. Spring is also a nice time to go, but there is a greater chance of spring showers during that time. The summers may be too hot, and winters too cold and windy.
How to get there:
By Plane: There are daily flights from Taipei Songshan, Taichung, and Kaohsiung airports to Makung. the flight takes roughly under an hour. Rates can range from around 2200-6000 NT for a round trip. There are also flights to and from Chiayi, Tainan, Kinmen, and Chimei, with charted flights to Hong Kong starting September 2018. There are flights to and from Taipei Songshan Airport three times a day via Uni Air. You can book flights on KKday here, Trip.com here, CheapO Air here, or Kiwi here. By Boat: There are daily ferries from Chiayi and Kaohsiung. A one-way trip takes about 4 hours from both locations. A one-way ferry from Kaohsiung costs about 900 NT for just a reclining seat, and a one-way ferry from Chiayi costs about 1000 NT. You can book ferry boat tickets from Chiayi on Klook here, or ferry boat tickets from Tainan on KKday here.
Getting Around on the Islands:
By Ferry Boat: The only way to get to smaller islands without airports is by ferry. You can check Klook here or KKday here for ferry tickets or buy them at the harbor. By Scooter: We recommend taking a scooter as the most efficient and convenient type of transport on the islands. However, most places require a local scooter license. You can rent a scooter for Penghu on Klook here or on KKday here. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. By Car/taxi: A car is also sensible in Penghu because the main island is pretty spread out. You can rent a car for Penghu on Klook here or on KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. By Bus: a bus is possible on the main island, but it will be slower and more unpredictable. By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan’s landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can search on KKday here and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here.
Map:
Please see a list of places we will cover in the map below:
What to see and do in Penghu?
Please note that the following list of places is still a work in progress. We will be updating the below places with more information as time goes on.
Guanyin Temple Swimming Area (aka. Guanyinting, Guanyin Temple Leisure Park, and Guanyinting Recreation Area), is one of the main tourist attractions in Magong and Penghu. It is a relaxing place to enjoy views of the ocean and the sunset, as well as other activities such as jogging, swimming, parasailing, and fishing. For our full blog on this area, click here.
Next, we visited the historic walls of Makung. Among the many historical sights in the city, perhaps some of the most significant are the remains of the ancient wall surrounding the city during the Qing Dynasty, as well as the first military dependents village established by the KMT surrounding these old walls. Check out our full blog on Magong City Walls here.
Above is a view of the restored Duxingshi Village, which is now open for tourists, taking them back in time to the KMT-dependent village era. For our full blog on this place, click here.
Penghu Trans-Oceanic Bridge （Penghu Great Bridge) 澎湖跨海大橋
One of the most iconic tourist spots in Penghu is the cross-ocean bridge. It is the longest bridge in Penghu, but by no means is it the longest bridge in Taiwan. I was actually kind of disappointed at how short it was. Anyway, everyone takes a selfie here, and so should you.
Chixi Columnar Basalt 池西柱狀玄武岩
You don’t have to go to Chixi or even Siyu Island to see columnar basalt in Penghu, the stuff is everywhere! It has become a major attraction for Taiwanese because this geological formation is very rare on the Taiwan mainland. However, coming from the western US I have seen this stuff a million times. Devil’s Tower in Wyoming is way more impressive.
Dayi Temple Lies in the northern part of Siyu Island in Penghu County, Taiwan. On the outside, it is a normal Taiwanese Daoist temple like any other, but due to its collection of live endangered sea turtles, whale bones, rare marine specimens, and coral rocks kept in an underground chamber, it has become one of the main tourist attractions on the archipelago.
The morality of keeping these endangered species in the temple chamber has been a topic of debate over the past few years, and it is clear to see that they are not living in an ideal environment. This, including allegations of animal rights violations, is discussed further in our full blog of the temple here.
Siyu East and West Forts are some of the best-preserved fortifications in Taiwan dating back to the Ming Dynasty. They provide a rich history of the many invasions of Taiwan throughout the ages. Currently, they are open to the public if you can get yourself over to the west side of Penghu. Siyu West Fort (pictured above) is way better, so if you have a choice between the two spend your time there.
A view of Siyu East Fort. This fort is free to visit, but there are no cannons and not much else to see, but still an interesting historical visit. For our full blog on these forts, click here.
Xitai Fake Cannon 西臺餌砲
Xitai Fake Cannon is an interesting artifact on Siyu Island left over from WWII, used as a decoy by the Japanese to confuse American bomber crews. The fake cannon is a witness to the war as well as a reflection of Wai’an’s strategic geographic importance during WWII.
Yuwengdao Lighthouse 漁翁島燈塔
Yuwengdao Lighthouse is another major attraction in Penghu, located on the very western part of Siyu Island. You can’t go to the top of the lighthouse, but you can enjoy the nearby ocean views.
Erkan Historical Village is a unique place in Taiwan that preserves nearly 300 years of Southern Min culture. Isolated and cut off from the rest of Taiwan for quite some time on Siyu island of Penghu County, the village is a living museum for visitors. Every home is built in traditional red brick Southern Min style, offering a unique splice in time. Click here for our full blog on the village.
Tongliang Great Banyan 通梁古榕
In this small village of Tongliang on Penghu Island is an ancient banyan tree that covers almost an entire city block. It is the oldest tree in Penghu, dating back to around 1700 when there was a shipwreck nearby. According to legend, the only thing recovered was a banyan sapling that was later planted and became this huge tree. Near the tree are also some food stands that you can check out if you are hungry.
Whale Cave is a natural basalt sea cave on the north side of Hsiaomen Island in Penghu (Shomom 小門嶼), and one of the many tourist attractions in the area. According to some it looks like a whale, but that is not the true origin of its name. The actual reason for the cave’s name “Whale Cave” is that, a long time ago, a whale got stuck in the cave and died. According to local legend, a bone from that whale is now inside Dayi Temple. See more about Whale Cave in our blog here.
At Penghu Aquarium you can see sea turtles, rays, and dolphins. It also includes a glass tunnel underneath the main tank. You can buy tickets to the aquarium on KKday here. You can also book a night to sleep in the aquarium here.
The Best Beaches in Penghu 澎湖最佳沙灘
Penghu’s beaches could easily beat any beach on the main island of Taiwan. The water is clear, the sand is golden, and the weather is great. In this blog, we will share a list of the best beaches in Penghu, so you can more effectively spend your time on your next trip to this island paradise. Check out our full Penghu Beach guide in our blog here.
Penghu Shanshui Beach 澎湖山水沙灘 – The Best Beach in Penghu
Shanshui Beach is the best beach in Penghu. The sand is white, the waves are big, and the water is clear and warm. Popular activities here include snorkeling, swimming, surfing, and SUPing. It is a great beach destination if you come to Penghu. Check out our full blog on this beach here.
Aimen Beach 隘門沙灘
Aimen Beach is the longest beach in Penghu and may be the most popular beach in Penghu for water activities (澎湖隘門沙灘及林投公園). Popular activities include jet skiing, surfing, windsurfing, and snorkeling. The beautiful golden sand and clear blue waters are also great places for taking photos. In addition, Lintou Forest Park next to the beach is also a nice place to relax. It is an amazing beach destination in Penghu. Check out our full blog on this beach here.
Neian Beach 內垵遊憩區
Neian Beach is perhaps the most picturesque beach in Penghu. The entrance is perched high on a hill, giving you great views of the area. There are also many pavilions and wooden boardwalks here. Overall it is a great place for taking photos.
Penghu Shili Beach 澎湖嵵裡沙灘
Shili Beach in Penghu (澎湖嵵裡沙灘) is an ideal beach getaway with clear waters and white coral sand. Here popular activities include swimming, kayaking, and SUPing. The best part is usually there are few people here. It is definitely worth a stop on your next trip to Penghu. Check out our full blog on this beach here.
Lintou Park is a forest park that sits right next to Lintou Beach. There is also a beautiful pavilion corridor inside Lintou Park. Lintou Park saw its first major tree planting in 1946, when over 90,000 Casuarina trees were planted along the coastal area. By February 1953, when the park was officially established, the Casuarina trees had already formed lush greenery throughout the area. The beach at Lintou Park stretches across three villages—Jianshan, Lintou, and Aimen—with a total length of more than 3,000 meters, making it the longest beach in Penghu. It hugs the southern coastline of Huxi Township and boasts stunning scenery. The sand is fine and dense, the water clear, creating a pristine and beautiful “white coral fragment beach.”
Jianshan Beach 尖山沙灘
The beach extends further north all the way to Jianshan Beach 尖山沙灘, which is named after Jianshan Village. Overall, you have over 3 KM of pristine white sand beach stretching from Jianshan Beach to Aimen Beach, with Lintou Forest Park hugging the shoreline. You can find more info in our blog here.
Moses Parting Sea 摩西分海
The “Moses Parting Sea” in Penghu is a 50-meter-long gravel path connecting the main island of Penghu to Chi Islet during low tide. This phenomenon has been likened to Moses parting the Red Sea in the Bible and has become one of Penghu’s major tourist attractions. It is definitely a must-visit if you come to Penghu. Check out our full guide to this beach here.
Fongguei Cave 風櫃洞
Fenggui Cave in Pengu is a basalt column sea cave named because of the whistling sound it makes as the wind passes by. Here there has also been a tower erected so that visitors can enjoy 360-degree views of the sea cave and nearby coastline. It is definitely a must-visit if you come to Penghu. Check out our full guide to Fenggui Cave here.
Penghu Serpent Head Mountain (Shetoushan) 澎湖蛇頭山
Serpent Head Mountain is the highest point in Penghu and is one of Taiwan’s top 100 lesser peaks. It is also home to the first western fort built in Taiwan; this was the first spot where the Dutch established a trading post in Taiwan before colonizing the island. It also has a memorial to French soldiers and the wreck of a Japanese warship. It is a beautiful and historically important location in Penghu that is definitely worth a visit. Check out our full blog to this area here.
Qimei is a beautiful island getaway on the southernmost end of Penghu County. You can get there by boat or by plane from Makung. The main attractions there is the iconic double heart rock (Twin Hearts Stone Weir), as well as little Taiwan rock. Getting there is not easy, but it is definitely worth the visit. For our full blog on Qimei click here.
Another thing we tried was the famous purple rice balls sold on the street (pictured above). Inside is some delicious pork, peanut, and fried bread sticks. You should definitely give them a try on your next trip to Penghu.
And also the other 70 or so small Islands and Islets in Penghu. Maybe one day this blog will include them all!
Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more of our blogs to come!
To see more of Taiwan’s outer islands, check out our ultimate guide to Kinmen here.
There are many tours available on the islands. For more information, look at other tour/ferry sites or book a personalized tour with Klook here or KKday here.
You can also check out our full guide to all of Taiwan’s outer islands here.
You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here.
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