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.
Price: Free, except for the Chen family ancient house which charges an admission of about 30 NT. Hours: 8:00 AM - Dusk Tours: There are many tours and activities available on the islands such as snorkeling, diving, wind surfing, sailing, canoeing, starlight Marine Ranch, wakeboarding, seafood Barbeque, massage, yachting, glamping, trampoline Water Sports, South Penghu Marine National Park, SUP / Paddle Boarding, kayaking, night fishing, Sheraton Four Points Eatery, Dragon Palace Intertidal Zone, Jibei Sand Tail, and many more options. For more information, look at other tour/ferry sites or book a personalized tour with Klook here or KKday here. Accommodation: We have stayed at and recommend Han's Hostel which had great service and is right next to Shanshui Beach, the best beach in Penghu (you can book on Agoda here, Booking.com here, or Trip.com here), and Cherry Inn Penghu, a newly renovated homestay in downtown Magong with great service and great prices (you can book on Agoda here, Booking.com here, Klook here, Trip.com here, Hotels.com here, or Expedia here). Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Agoda here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation on the islands. You can also find out more about where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide here. You can also book Wifi and SIM cards for Taiwan on Gigago here. Need travel insurance? Compare prices on Insubuy here. Just to let you know, if you book using the links above, we get some commission at no cost to you, and you can help support our blog. You can click here to receive $5 USD on your first Klook purchase. How to get there: By Car/Scooter: 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. You can rent a scooter on Penghu on Klook here or on KKday here. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. You can rent a car for Penghu on Klook here or on KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can search on KKday here and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. By Bus: a bus is possible on the main island, but it will be slower and more unpredictable. Take a tour: You can book a tour to Penghu including transportation on Klook here or KKday here. Map: Please see below:
History: The village started by two brothers surnamed Chen, but since then there has been nine generations over about 300 years. The town was built on a lower part of land on Siyu island for protection from strong winter winds. For most of it's history, the village was largely cut off from the outside world, lacking transportation and communication channels. Because of this, no other families (men from other towns) ever moved into the town, and everyone in the town is surnamed Chen, which is rare to see anywhere in Taiwan. Almost every house is made from traditional red brick Southern Min style, and the main road is made from traditional stones. Probably due to lack of work opportunities for later generations, currently there are over 40 ancient houses but only 70 people live in the village. Our Journey: 
We first happened upon this village on the way to Siyu East fort. We didn't know what to expect. First off we came across this restaurant.
Not pictured in this photo is a lady selling trinkets and showing off her huge pumpkin.
Every house in the village is designed in the Southern Min style. There is also quite a bit of remodeling going on to attract tourists.
A brand new reconstruction of a traditional Southern Min house. I'm not sure if they want to convert this into a hostel or what.
There were surprisingly a lot of people here strolling the streets of the ancient village.
Old wall made of coral rocks. Walls were built around everything to keep the wind out.
A reconstruction in progress.
One well known place in the town is the Wenxing tea shop, which sells potent and delicious drinks.
You have the choice of Almond tea for 50 NT or Sea Rock Flower (like jello) for 40 NT. The Almond tea is really really strong, its like drinking straight up vanilla extract, so be warned.
Ancient peanut de-shelling machine at the front of the tea shop.
An abandoned and totally broken down house off the main path. There are many, many, abandoned and destroyed houses in the town. Forgive me for shooting into the sun.
The back end of a traditional house.
Someone in the town has started converting coral rocks into animal shapes!
There are tons more places to explore and experience in this town. For more photos of the village, check out this blog. There are many tours and activities available on the islands such as snorkeling, diving, wind surfing, sailing, canoeing, wakeboarding, and many more options. For more information, look at other tour/ferry sites or book a personalized tour with Klook here or KKday here. For our full guide to Penghu, click here. You can also check out our full guide to all of Taiwan's outer islands here. You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here.
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Author 作家I am an American expat who has extensive experience living, working, and traveling in Taiwan. In my day, I had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But I have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. This blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. I am just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country. Categories
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