Twin Hearts Stone Weir, Qimei
七美雙心石滬
A double-heart-shaped fish trap built from basalt and coral reef on the northeast coast of Qimei Island, one of Penghu's most iconic postcard landscapes.
The Twin Hearts Stone Weir lies on the northeast coast of Qimei Island, the southernmost inhabited island of Penghu. Early settlers stacked basalt and coral rock in the intertidal zone to build a fish trap. Fish follow the rising tide into the walled area and are trapped there when the tide falls, so fishermen can catch them. The weir is made of two overlapping hearts, which makes it a symbol of love. It is Penghu's best-known landmark and has been registered as a cultural landscape of Penghu County. The best viewing spot is the observation platform on shore, since you need to look from above to see the complete double-heart shape. The outline is clearest at low tide. At high tide, much of the walls are submerged, so check the tide table before setting out. Qimei Island also has the Tomb of the Seven Maidens (a legend of seven Ming-era women who threw themselves into a well to preserve their chastity), Wangfu Rock, Little Taiwan (a wave-cut platform shaped like the island of Taiwan), and the Dashi Turtle-Shell Rock. The island is about 20 km around and can be toured in 2–3 hours on a rented motorbike. Getting there: take a boat from the Magong Nanhai Visitor Center, about 1–1.5 hours (usually in 'Southern Four Islands' or 'Qimei and Wangan' package tours), or fly on a small plane from Magong or Kaohsiung to Qimei Airport. Notes: boats are often suspended in autumn and winter when waves are high. There is little shade on the island, so sunscreen is essential.
Opening hours
Open all day (viewing platform open)
Nearby sights
- Tomb of the Seven Beauties
- Wang-an Island
- Dongji Island
- Hujing Islet
- Tongpan Islet
- Shanshui Beach
- Fenggui Cave
- Yuwengdao Lighthouse