A sailing class going on off Tainan's Yuguang Island.
With over 100 islands and a coastline of over 1500 KM on the main Island, warm tropical weather, and constant winds, Taiwan is known as a world-class sailing location. Sailing in Taiwan can be an exhilarating experience that provides a unique perspective on the island’s stunning coastline and surrounding waters. With its rich history and culture, Taiwan has become a popular destination for adventure seekers and travelers looking to explore its natural beauty via sailboat.
Brief Historical Background of Sailing in Taiwan: Even though Taiwan has thousands of islands and hundreds of kilometers of coastline, it still does not have a strong sailing culture as compared to other countries. The recreational boating industry in Taiwan only really began in 2009, when the Fisheries Agency began making floating docks for more recreational craft. Those docks are now filled to capacity, so prices are on the rise and demand is high. Boat owners are hopeful that Taiwan's authorities can further expand recreational marinas in Taiwan soon. Non-powered sailing in Taiwan is regulated by the coast guard, but all you have to do is send your itinerary to the coast guard via a smartphone app. Where to Sail in Taiwan:
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Taiwan's outer islands are some of the most beautiful and scenic places in the whole country, and each of them can be considered a secret paradise. You can find the best beaches, snorkeling, and diving on these islands. You can also find rich and important historical sites here. Transportation may be difficult, but you will never regret visiting Taiwan's outer islands, and no trip to Taiwan should be complete without doing it.
In this blog, we will introduce the main outer islands in Taiwan that are open to tourists (there are 166 islands in Taiwan, this blog only covers a few), point out their unique traits, and compare them to each other. This way you can best prepare for your trip to the outer islands, and at the same time know what you are missing out on. All the outer Islands are great, and I highly recommend visiting them all if you can. Map: Please see a map of the islands covered in this blog below: 
If Taiwan is the best kept secret in Asia, then Penghu is the best kept secret of the best kept secret in Asia. It has just everything you could possibly want from a tropical island vacation getaway. Less than an hour plane ride from Taipei with multiple flights daily, its also easy to get to. We are sure that a trip to Penghu is one that you will not regret, and there will be more things to do than you could ever have time for.
History of Penghu: 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 as 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, who retreated to Taiwan after the Chinese Civil war and still control the islands today under a free democratic government. How to get there: By Plane: There are daily flights from Taipei Songshan, Taichung, and Kaohsiung airports to Makung. the flight takes roughly under and 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. 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. For more information, look at other tour/ferry sties or book a personalized tour with My Taiwan Tour. When to go there: Spring to Autumn. Winters are rather miserable. Map: Please see below: 
Qimei is a beautiful island getaway on southernmost end of Penghu County. The main attractions there are 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.
Qimei's History: The name Qimei, meaning seven beuties, refers to seven women that committed suicide during the Ming dynasty on the island (in the mid 1500s), rather than be defiled by raiding Japanese pirates. The name also has come to mean the seven beautiful things about the island: the scenery, seawater, products, hearts of the people, geology, buildings, and history. Taiwan touch your heart! This island and double heart rock are also central to some of Taiwan's tourist marketing in the recent past. The island is 7km2 and has a population of just under 4,000 people. The main industry is fishing and fish farming, but goat and cattle farming is a growing industry as well. How To Get there: By Boat: Boats leave daily from Magong (Makung) from 6:30-9:30, stop at Wangan island, and make the round trip back in the afternoon. It takes about 2 hours to get to Qimei from Magong, and then 2 hours back. A boat ticket for one person round trip from Magong is around 800 NT. You can buy ferry tickets at the dock or via travel agency (travel agencies include scooter rental, but times are not as flexible). You can also reach the island by boat via port of Kaohsiung for about 900 NT. By Plane: There is an airport on Qimei with service to Kaohsiung and Magong. By Swimming: Do not try to swim there! Map: Please see below: 
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 Dayi Temple in our blog here. How to get there: The best way to get there is via scooter or car from Magong. But be careful to park in a designated spot because the cops there are strict. Hours: Open 24 hours every day. Price: Free! Map: Please see below: 
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, and offering a unique splice in time.
How to get there: The easiest Way to get there is by car or scooter from Magong. Price: Free, except for the Chen family ancient house which charges an admission of about 30 NT. Hours: 8:00 AM - Dusk Map: Please see below: 
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.
How to Get there: The easiest way to get there is to take a car or scooter from Magong to the very southernmost part of Siyu (Xiyu, or Fisher) Island. Hours: Siyu East Fort: 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM, closed on holidays Siyu West Fort: Open all day every day! Price: Siyu East Fort: Free! Siyu West Fort: 30 NT per adult, 15 NT for students and seniors Map: Please see below: 
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, will be discussed further below. 
How to get there:
Go across the cross-island highway to Siyu Island. On the top of the first hill you will see a brown sign pointing left to Dayi Temple. Keep going down the hill and the temple will be on your right. Address: No. 76 Zhuwan Village, Siyu Township, Penghu County 西嶼鄉竹灣村76號 Price: Free, but donations are welcome. Hours: 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM Map: Please see below: 
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.
How To Get There: It lies on the very west part of Magong City. It's really quite hard to miss. Price: Free! Hours: Open all day every day. Map: Please see below: |
Author 作家We are US Expats that have extensive experience living, working, and travelling in Taiwan. In our day, we had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But we have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. Our blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. We are just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country. Archives 檔案
March 2023
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