Penghu

A basalt archipelago in the Taiwan Strait, with the Twin Hearts stone weir, the Penghu Great Bridge and island-hopping to Qimei and Jibei — and in summer, the Penghu Fireworks Festival lights up the bay.

The Penghu Islands lie in the southeastern Taiwan Strait and are made up of 90 islands large and small. The whole archipelago is a basalt lava plateau, its coasts lined with columnar basalt, white coral-sand beaches and stone weirs — fish traps built from piled stones by early settlers. The county seat, Magong, is one of the earliest-settled places in Taiwan and is home to the Tianhou Temple, Taiwan's oldest Mazu temple. The main island, Baisha and Xiyu are linked by the Penghu Great Bridge and can be circled by car in a day; to the north lie Jibei and Mudou Islet, and to the south the "Southern Four Islands" of Wang'an, Qimei, Dongji and Xiji.

Best time to visit: Apr–Sep. The Penghu International Fireworks Festival runs from April to June each year (fireworks are launched on set evenings each week; check that year's announced dates). Summer is ideal for water sports, island-hopping and night fishing for squid. From October to March the northeast monsoon brings strong winds and high waves, and many sea activities and some ferry services are suspended — though it's a great time for windsurfing. The summer sun is extremely strong, so take sun protection seriously.

Areas to explore: ① Magong city (Tianhou Temple, Central Old Street, Four-Eye Well, Guanyin Pavilion); ② the northern loop (Zhongtun Wind Power Station, the Penghu Great Bridge, the Tongliang Banyan Tree, Erkan Historic Village, the Daguoye columnar basalt, the Xiaomen Whale Cave); ③ the eastern route (Kuibishan's "Moses Parting the Sea", Lintou Park); ④ the northern sea (water sports at Jibei's Shawei sandbar); ⑤ the southern sea (Qimei's Twin Hearts stone weir, Wang'an's Huazhai Village, Dongji Island).

Getting there: Flights to Magong run from Taipei Songshan, Taichung, Kaohsiung, Tainan and Chiayi and take about 30–50 minutes. You can also take the Taihua ferry from Kaohsiung (about 4.5 hours) or a fast boat from Budai Port in Chiayi (about 1.5 hours), with more sailings in summer. On the islands, renting a scooter (driving licence required) or a car is recommended, or join a chartered-car or island-hopping package tour. Plan 3–4 days: 1–2 days for the main island's northern loop and eastern route, 1 day for the northern sea and 1 day for the southern sea. Note: boat trips are highly weather-dependent, so build in flexibility; the coastal reefs are sharp, so wear non-slip shoes.

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