• Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • About
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Last Minute Wanders

Trips & Treks for the Thrifty Traveller

  • Last Minute Wanders
  • Start Here
  • Travel Planning
  • Destinations
  • Hiking
  • FREE Training

Penghu Islands: off the beaten track in Taiwan

Dated: April 27, 2020

280 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
Coastal view of basalt cliffs and small shelter by the sea
Penghu Islands, Taiwan

Before I started planning a holiday to Taiwan, I had no idea that the Penghu islands existed.

An archipelago of 90 islands and islets on the south-west of the Taiwan Strait makes up the Penghu Township.

It is popular with local holiday-makers but not so well known to foreigners.

But, if you make the short trip out from Taiwan’s mainland, you’ll be rewarded with history, beautiful beaches, geological marvels and, of course, temples!

I visited with Theo in October 2016, in the low season, so there weren’t many people around. But in the summer it is proving to be slowly gaining popularity!

Here are some of my favourite things to do in Penghu.

Getting there

There are regular flights to Penghu from mainland Taiwan.

You can fly from Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, Chiayi and Kaohsiung, plus there also is a charter service from Kinmen.

If you fly from Taipei, as we did, be aware that the flights depart from the domestic terminal at Songshan.

Alternatively, you can catch a ferry from Chiayi and Kaohsiung.

Magong Island

Four concrete holes over a well with Chinese characters on a sign
Four-Eyed Well in Magong’s Old Town

The largest of the Penghu Islands is called Magong, and this is where we booked our accommodation.

Magong City is located on the western side of the island and is a good place to start your trip.

There are many attractions on this island and I recommend that you rent a scooter or a car to get around, or you will find yourself stuck in the main town.

We asked at our hotel and were directed to a nearby scooter rental place, where we easily rented one with our UK driving licences.

If you’ve never rented a scooter before, check out this article for some tips!

Xiying Rainbow Bridge

A short walk away from our hotel was the Xiying Bridge; a long, blue footbridge over the bay opposite the Guanyinting Recreation Area.

It’s nice to climb the bridge to look out over the water and back over to the city, but the real attraction happens after the sun has gone down.

Every night, the bridge is lit up with multiple colours, hence the name Rainbow Bridge.

Temples

Chinese style temple with red colours and lanterns
Tianhou Mazu Temple, Magong

There are so many temples in Taiwan, and Penghu is no exception.

The most popular temple is Tianhou Temple, in Magong City. It is dedicated to the Chinese sea goddess, Mazu, and is said to be the oldest temple in Taiwan.

The decorations are beautiful and it is well worth a visit.

Once we’d rented our scooter, we drove around the main island of Magong and stopped at almost every temple we saw. It was a beautiful drive and some of the temples were stunning.

Magong Old Town

Narrow street lined with wooden shopfronts, lanterns and scooters
Zhongyang Street in Magong’s Old Town

Before you leave the main city to explore the rest of the island, make sure you check out Magong’s Old Town.

Zhongyang Street is a beautiful, narrow street hung with lanterns. Most of the old buildings are now cute little shops and cafes with gorgeous wooden fronts, and benches and scooters outside.

You can also see the Four-Eyed Well in this area; the four smaller holes were made to stop children from falling into the water.

Beaches

Man and woman on a beach
Shili Beach

There are some lovely beaches in Penghu, including Shanshui Beach and Shili Beach on Magong Island.

As we visited in the low season, we had the beaches to ourselves and it was even warm enough to go for a swim!

At Shili Beach, there are also some impressive breakwaters. We enjoyed watching the waves crash against them over and over again.

If you take some time to explore the different islands, you’ll find some other lesser known but just as lovely beaches.

Food

Man cooking meat on barbecue on table outside
Self-serve barbecue in Magong City

There are so many opportunities to find some delicious food on Magong.

From fresh seafood, to barbecues, to cactus ice cream, there are lots of things to try.

Theo and I were walking down a dark road one night, when we came across a large open area filled with tables and people eating.

We decided to check it out and found that it was an all-you-can-eat barbecue!

You pay a set amount upfront and then you can help yourself to as much food as you like from the buffet, which you then cook on the barbecues on the table.

It was a very similar concept to the Korean Barbecue restaurants I’ve visited before, but cheaper and out in the open. Theo was in his element!

I also recommend finding some cactus ice cream. We were skeptical at first but it was absolutely delicious!

Xiyu Island

We decided to take a boat trip from Magong City to see a few sites in the area as part of a tour.

The first stop was at Xiyu Island and we then carried on to Hujing Island.

It is also possible to drive to Xiyu Island across a series of bridges, including the Penghu Great Bridge, which I’ll get to later.

Erkan Old Village

Street of old stone buildings with people outside
Buildings in Erkan Village

Our first stop of the tour was Erkan Old Village.

This traditional village of red tiles and coral stonewalls is still inhabited today by many residents with the surname Chen.

The village has stayed in the same family for generations and is now visited by many tourists.

Most of the houses have adapted to this by offering some form of refreshment or souvenir to visitors. This is a great place to try something new!

We were told that the number of vertical stone bars in the windows used to show how wealthy the owner was: five bars meant wealthy, any less than three showed little wealth.

Basalt Columns

An island of basalt columns viewed from sea
Basalt columns seen from the boat

There are many examples of basalt columns in Penghu, including on Xiyu Island.

The Penghu Islands are largely made from volcanic activity; basalt lava rises up from beneath the ocean and rapidly cools, forming pentagonal or hexagonal columns.

You can see some of the columns up close by travelling a short distance south from the Erkan village. We saw some pretty impressive columns from our boat.

Whale Cave

Large rock with archway to sea
Whale Cave

Right at the northern tip of Xiyu Island is a bridge that crosses over onto the tiny island of Xiaomen.

On the north of this little island is a geological formation known as the Whale Cave.

It is not actually a cave, but a hole which has been eroded from the basalt rock right through to the other side.

It is called Whale Cave because the hole is supposed to be shaped like a whale, although I can’t see it. What do you think? Am I missing something?

Xiaomenyu Lighthouse

Woman silhouette by lighthouse at coast
The view from Xiaomenyu Lighthouse

Nearby the whale cave is Xiaomenyu Lighthouse, which is located on a lovely lookout point over the ocean.

We got here as the sun was starting to get low in the sky and it looked gorgeous.

There is a pathway from the road to reach the lighthouse and you will pass some old stone walls in the fields below you.

It can get pretty windy on the headland so be careful near the cliffs.

Baisha Island

Baisha is situated between Magong and Xiyu and a road runs between all three islands. So you don’t need to take a boat trip to see them.

Tongliang Banyan Tree

Walkway covered by many tree roots and branches
The incredible Tonglian Banyan tree

The legend of this 300 year old tree in the village of Tonglian is that it was the only survivor of a shipwreck just off the coast.

Locals planted it in front of the Bao’an Temple and it now covers an area of more than 660 square metres!

You can walk underneath its aerial roots to reach the temple, and there are plenty of food stalls around.

In an area where there is not much tree growth due to inhospitable conditions, it is a wonder that this tree has thrived in this way.

Penghu Great Bridge

Sometimes known as the Penghu Trans-Oceanic Bridge, this impressive road crosses the ocean to connect Baisha and Xiyu islands together.

The bridge was built because the currents between the two islands can be too strong to sail across.

It is 2,494 metres long and 13 metres wide, and it is a completely exhilarating experience to ride across it on a scooter!

While the wind didn’t feel too strong on the island, as soon as our scooter passed under the arch and onto the bridge it was suddenly like being in a wind tunnel! So be careful if you’re not used to riding a scooter.

Hujing Island

View from hill of small town and hill on other side.
View of Hujing Island from the Tropic of Cancer

Hujing Island was another stop on our boat tour.

The Tropic of Cancer crosses the southern end of the island and there are some sculptures here to mark the spot.

Two sets of upward-facing hands have been set at each end of a blue line on the ground. This is where the Tropic of Cancer passes through.

From here there is a lovely view of the town below, and there were some cute little goats hanging around too.

Further back along the same road is a Japanese bomb shelter from WWII, which is interesting to have a quick look into.

Man lifting woman for a kiss between two large hand sculptures
A bit of silliness on the Tropic of Cancer

I absolutely loved my trip to the Penghu Islands; it seems like a completely different world compared to the bustle of Taipei.

I would love to explore more of Taiwan, but I’m glad I discovered one of the country’s best-kept secrets first and I would definitely go back!

Had you heard of the Penghu Islands before this? Where else in Taiwan would you like to explore? Let me know in the comments! πŸ™‚

Want more like this? Check out these articles:

  • 6 useful tips for scooter rental in Asia
  • How to spend 24 hours in Taipei
  • Hong Kong: escaping the chaos

All images in this post are the property of lastminutewanders.com

Coastal cliff view with text overlay - Penghu Islands: off the beaten track in Taiwan
«
»

Posted Under: Destinations, Taiwan

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Hello and welcome!

My name is Sarah and I am the owner of Last Minute Wanders.
I started travelling long-term in November 2012 and I haven't looked back!
Exploring new destinations fills me with joy and I'm here to help you plan your own long-term travel adventure, without the drama. Read More…

FREE TRAINING!

Subscribe today to get your FREE access to the Travel Plan The Easy Way training! 

You'll learn everything you need for a stress-free travel planning process, and you'll also get weekly travel tips, lessons and destination inspiration straight to your inbox!

Privacy Policy: I hate spam and promise to keep your email address safe. You can unsubscribe anytime. 

Thank you!

Your FREE TRAINING is on its way to your inbox right now!

.

Featured Articles

Ancient stone gateway tower with corridors leading off to left and right and a stone courtyard in front

Top 6 things to do in Cambodia

Silver car with back doors open parked on grass in front of beach

Living in a campervan: surviving van life long term

Pure white sand beach against clear blue sky with white truck in the distance

How to travel for free around the world!

View down wet beach, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds

12 Beautiful Hidden Gems in New Zealand

Connect with me on Instagram!

lastminutewanders

✈️ Travel & Mindset Mentor
✨ Helping you plan long-term travel without the drama
πŸ‘‡πŸ» FREE TRAINING! Travel Plan The Easy Way

Sarah Meyer | LMW
She's here! πŸ‘ΆπŸ» Little Dorothy Belle finally She's here! πŸ‘ΆπŸ»
Little Dorothy Belle finally made her entrance into the world on Monday evening, two weeks and a day after her due date.
She is absolute perfection and we are more in love than we ever knew we could be. β™₯️
Have you been to Hong Kong? πŸ‡­πŸ‡° If not then i Have you been to Hong Kong? πŸ‡­πŸ‡°
If not then it should definitely be on your list.
From the big city lights to beautiful mountains, beaches and wonderful culture, there is so much more to Hong Kong than you might think!
Want to plan your trip? Follow me for expert travel tips ✈️
#hongkong #visithongkong #asiasworldcity #travelplanning #travelexpert #travelmentor #longtermtravel
We're in Hong Kong! And we brought a new little pa We're in Hong Kong! And we brought a new little passenger along for the ride β™₯οΈπŸ€°πŸ»πŸ‘ΆπŸ»πŸ₯°
Want to know how? Follow me for all the long term Want to know how? Follow me for all the long term travel planning tactics and advice to get you travelling sooner!
Don't forget to:
β™₯️ Double tap
πŸ’¬ Leave a comment
πŸ“€ Share with a friend
πŸ“₯ Save it for later
πŸ’Œ DM me to chat!
#travelexpert #travelmentor #mindsetmentor #travelmindset #travelmotivation #mindsetmatters #travelplanning #travelplantheeasyway #travelplanningmadeeasy #longtermtravel #worldtravel #firsttimetravel #firsttimetraveller #lastminutewanders
Don't listen to the disbelievers! Their fears are Don't listen to the disbelievers! Their fears are being projected onto you but that doesn't mean YOU should stop!
Follow me for long term travel planning tips! 😎
Don't forget to:
β™₯️ Double tap
πŸ’¬ Leave a comment
πŸ“€ Share with a friend
πŸ“₯ Save it for later
πŸ’Œ DM me to chat!
#travelexpert #travelmentor #mindsetmentor #travelmindset #travelmotivation #mindsetmatters #travelplanning #travelplantheeasyway #travelplanningmadeeasy #longtermtravel #worldtravel #firsttimetravel #firsttimetraveller #lastminutewanders #alopecia
Please, please, please always get travel insurance Please, please, please always get travel insurance!
You can be as "careful" as you like but there are always so many things that are out of your control!
Chances are you'll never have to make a claim 🀞🏻 but if something DOES go wrong you'll be SO glad you're covered.
In 10 years of travel I had to make one claim but if I hadn't been covered it would have ended my travels before they even got started!
Don't forget to:
πŸ‘₯ Hit Like and Follow 
πŸ’¬ Leave a comment
πŸ“€ Share with a friend
πŸ“₯ Save it for later
πŸ’Œ DM me to chat!
#travelexpert #travelmentor #mindsetmentor #travelmindset #travelmotivation #mindsetmatters #travelplanning #travelplantheeasyway #travelplanningmadeeasy #longtermtravel #worldtravel #firsttimetravel #firsttimetraveller #lastminutewanders
Here's my experience of travelling with Alopecia A Here's my experience of travelling with Alopecia Areata. Leave a like or a comment if this resonated with you. β™₯οΈπŸ‘©πŸ»β€πŸ¦²
Don't forget to:
πŸ‘₯ Hit follow
πŸ“€ Share with a friend
πŸ“₯ Save it for later
πŸ’Œ DM me to chat!
#travelexpert #travelmentor #mindsetmentor #travelmindset #travelmotivation #mindsetmatters #travelplanning #travelplantheeasyway #travelplanningmadeeasy #longtermtravel #worldtravel #firsttimetravel #firsttimetraveller #lastminutewanders
Long term travel planning doesn't have to be overw Long term travel planning doesn't have to be overwhelming! Follow me for expert tips and advice to get you travelling sooner 😎🌍
Don't forget to:
β™₯️ Double tap
πŸ’¬ Leave a comment
πŸ“€ Share with a friend
πŸ“₯ Save it for later
πŸ’Œ DM me to chat!
#travelexpert #travelmentor #mindsetmentor #travelmindset #travelmotivation #mindsetmatters #travelplanning #travelplantheeasyway #travelplanningmadeeasy #longtermtravel #worldtravel #firsttimetravel #firsttimetraveller #lastminutewanders
Here's a quick summary of places I recommend in Ne Here's a quick summary of places I recommend in New Zealand!
Follow me for more 😎
Don't forget to:
β™₯️ Double tap
πŸ’¬ Leave a comment
πŸ“€ Share with a friend
πŸ“₯ Save it for later
πŸ’Œ DM me to chat!
#travelexpert #travelmentor #mindsetmentor #travelmindset #travelmotivation #mindsetmatters #travelplanning #travelplantheeasyway #travelplanningmadeeasy #longtermtravel #worldtravel #firsttimetravel #firsttimetraveller #lastminutewanders
Load More… Follow on Instagram

Footer

Connect with me on Instagram!

lastminutewanders

✈️ Travel & Mindset Mentor
✨ Helping you plan long-term travel without the drama
πŸ‘‡πŸ» FREE TRAINING! Travel Plan The Easy Way

Sarah Meyer | LMW
She's here! πŸ‘ΆπŸ» Little Dorothy Belle finally She's here! πŸ‘ΆπŸ»
Little Dorothy Belle finally made her entrance into the world on Monday evening, two weeks and a day after her due date.
She is absolute perfection and we are more in love than we ever knew we could be. β™₯️
Have you been to Hong Kong? πŸ‡­πŸ‡° If not then i Have you been to Hong Kong? πŸ‡­πŸ‡°
If not then it should definitely be on your list.
From the big city lights to beautiful mountains, beaches and wonderful culture, there is so much more to Hong Kong than you might think!
Want to plan your trip? Follow me for expert travel tips ✈️
#hongkong #visithongkong #asiasworldcity #travelplanning #travelexpert #travelmentor #longtermtravel
We're in Hong Kong! And we brought a new little pa We're in Hong Kong! And we brought a new little passenger along for the ride β™₯οΈπŸ€°πŸ»πŸ‘ΆπŸ»πŸ₯°
Want to know how? Follow me for all the long term Want to know how? Follow me for all the long term travel planning tactics and advice to get you travelling sooner!
Don't forget to:
β™₯️ Double tap
πŸ’¬ Leave a comment
πŸ“€ Share with a friend
πŸ“₯ Save it for later
πŸ’Œ DM me to chat!
#travelexpert #travelmentor #mindsetmentor #travelmindset #travelmotivation #mindsetmatters #travelplanning #travelplantheeasyway #travelplanningmadeeasy #longtermtravel #worldtravel #firsttimetravel #firsttimetraveller #lastminutewanders
Don't listen to the disbelievers! Their fears are Don't listen to the disbelievers! Their fears are being projected onto you but that doesn't mean YOU should stop!
Follow me for long term travel planning tips! 😎
Don't forget to:
β™₯️ Double tap
πŸ’¬ Leave a comment
πŸ“€ Share with a friend
πŸ“₯ Save it for later
πŸ’Œ DM me to chat!
#travelexpert #travelmentor #mindsetmentor #travelmindset #travelmotivation #mindsetmatters #travelplanning #travelplantheeasyway #travelplanningmadeeasy #longtermtravel #worldtravel #firsttimetravel #firsttimetraveller #lastminutewanders #alopecia
Please, please, please always get travel insurance Please, please, please always get travel insurance!
You can be as "careful" as you like but there are always so many things that are out of your control!
Chances are you'll never have to make a claim 🀞🏻 but if something DOES go wrong you'll be SO glad you're covered.
In 10 years of travel I had to make one claim but if I hadn't been covered it would have ended my travels before they even got started!
Don't forget to:
πŸ‘₯ Hit Like and Follow 
πŸ’¬ Leave a comment
πŸ“€ Share with a friend
πŸ“₯ Save it for later
πŸ’Œ DM me to chat!
#travelexpert #travelmentor #mindsetmentor #travelmindset #travelmotivation #mindsetmatters #travelplanning #travelplantheeasyway #travelplanningmadeeasy #longtermtravel #worldtravel #firsttimetravel #firsttimetraveller #lastminutewanders
Here's my experience of travelling with Alopecia A Here's my experience of travelling with Alopecia Areata. Leave a like or a comment if this resonated with you. β™₯οΈπŸ‘©πŸ»β€πŸ¦²
Don't forget to:
πŸ‘₯ Hit follow
πŸ“€ Share with a friend
πŸ“₯ Save it for later
πŸ’Œ DM me to chat!
#travelexpert #travelmentor #mindsetmentor #travelmindset #travelmotivation #mindsetmatters #travelplanning #travelplantheeasyway #travelplanningmadeeasy #longtermtravel #worldtravel #firsttimetravel #firsttimetraveller #lastminutewanders
Long term travel planning doesn't have to be overw Long term travel planning doesn't have to be overwhelming! Follow me for expert tips and advice to get you travelling sooner 😎🌍
Don't forget to:
β™₯️ Double tap
πŸ’¬ Leave a comment
πŸ“€ Share with a friend
πŸ“₯ Save it for later
πŸ’Œ DM me to chat!
#travelexpert #travelmentor #mindsetmentor #travelmindset #travelmotivation #mindsetmatters #travelplanning #travelplantheeasyway #travelplanningmadeeasy #longtermtravel #worldtravel #firsttimetravel #firsttimetraveller #lastminutewanders
Here's a quick summary of places I recommend in Ne Here's a quick summary of places I recommend in New Zealand!
Follow me for more 😎
Don't forget to:
β™₯️ Double tap
πŸ’¬ Leave a comment
πŸ“€ Share with a friend
πŸ“₯ Save it for later
πŸ’Œ DM me to chat!
#travelexpert #travelmentor #mindsetmentor #travelmindset #travelmotivation #mindsetmatters #travelplanning #travelplantheeasyway #travelplanningmadeeasy #longtermtravel #worldtravel #firsttimetravel #firsttimetraveller #lastminutewanders
Load More… Follow on Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
© 2023 Last Minute Wanders
280 shares