Hsiaomen Whale Cave 小門鯨魚洞

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:

Our Journey:

There are many ways to get to Whale Cave, but we decided to park next to everyone else at the main entrance and walk down main street. There were quite a few people, including mothers telling their children to stay off the rocks and not follow the foolish foreigner down into the cave.

Next to the cave is a small valley with walled gardens. These walls are commonplace throughout Penghu and protect crops from strong winter winds and sea salt in the air.

A view of the rugged coastline next to Whale Cave.

The best time to see Whale Cave is during high tide when the water comes up to the cave entrance.

If you wait, you can get a shot of a big wave hitting against the rocks.

A famous treat you can try next to the cave is fried shrimp buns. This is a Penghu specialty, and this stand only sells them for 35 NT a piece. 

Delicious whole shrimp and crab meat mixed with veggies, and fried together in batter.

Be sure to also check out Xiaomen beach right next to the main parking lot. The water there is clear and calm!

Thanks for reading! Be sure to like and follow to see more of our adventures in Taiwan!

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