Readers’ Photos

Exploring Taiwan’s Offshore Islands

/　tr. by Phil Newell

February 2023

中文日本語

Wai’an Fishing Harbor (Liu Zhaojun)

Wai’an Fishing Harbor is located on Penghu’s Xiyu Island, and the fishing industry flourished here thanks to the area’s ideal natural topography. Residents have used much of the money they make from fishing to build homes, so that multi-story houses are crowded together along the harbor. When the lights are shining, gazing over the fishing harbor from Sanxian Tower there is an exotic Greek Mediterranean feel to the scene.

Exploring Taiwan’s Offshore Islands

Blue Tears (Wang Duntao)

Tourism to Matsu has boomed in recent years. Besides the islands’ unique battlefield history, many people go there in search of “blue tears”—the blue bioluminescence of the marine dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans, known in English as sea sparkle. The night sky over Matsu is enchanting, with the Milky Way stretching across the darkness of the vast firmament and the moon gradually rising from the ocean. But when set off by the glow of blue tears splashed across the surface of the sea, the scene is even more beautiful. Observing blue tears is largely a matter of luck, for it is a natural phenomenon that is hard to predict.

Beihai Tunnel (Chen Qixuan)

In 1968, many underground docks were built in the Matsu Islands to transport military supplies. The Beihai Tunnel, located at Tieban on the coast of Nangan Island, is 18 meters tall and 640 meters long, with intersecting waterways. The tunnel was hacked out of the granite rock by human labor. The imposing tunnel walls and the shimmering reflections in the dark water highlight this remarkable place.

Mudou Island, Penghu (Chen Ziqing)

The Mudou Lighthouse is the northernmost lighthouse in the Penghu archipelago, and the tallest in all Taiwan. Just a 20-minute boat ride from Jibei Island, Mudou Island is itself like a light in the ocean, shining across the water to guide fishing boats home.

Wind Lion God Festival (Chen Shengwen)

Belief in the Wind Lion God is unique to Kinmen. As forest cover disappeared from Kinmen many centuries ago, the island became increasingly exposed to the powerful northeasterly monsoon winds, and statues of the Wind Lion God were erected to ward off harm from the wind. There are more than 100 Wind Lion statues in Kinmen, each with its own form, some standing and others crouching, the tallest measuring 3.8 meters high and the shortest only 19 centimeters. The carving is variously crude or refined, while the faces have protruding round eyes and big grinning mouths. Some of the statues are childlike, others dignified. They are placed in many different locations, such as at the entrance to villages, in front of private homes, and on rooftops.

Blue Cave on Xiji Island (Zhang Xiuhuang)

Traveling by boat from Penghu’s county seat of Magong to the Blue Cave on Xiji Island, you will see a unique cave created by marine erosion. The now uninhabited Xiji Island has tall cliffs made up of orderly ranks of columnar basalt. Along with the crystal-clear seawater and verdant moss, they form an image that delights the eye.

Snorkeling in Yueli Bay (Xiao Qingliang)

Yueli Bay on Penghu’s Qimei Island is a crescent-shaped natural bay that served as the island’s earliest harbor for inshore fishing. Yueli Bay boasts the most beautiful coral reefs in all of Penghu. Its special shape, gentle waves, and warm southerly winds make it an ideal home for tropical fish and coral.

Staghorn Coral off Qimei Island (Chen Meixiu)

The scenery visible on land on Taiwan’s offshore islands is beautiful indeed, but the undersea scenery is even more breathtaking. In Woniu Bay, located on Qimei Island in the southern part of Penghu County, when the corals spawn in March the coastline is dyed a romantic pink, while in August the reef turns a lavender color. Under the water in Woniu Bay, fish swim lazily through the enchanting purple staghorn coral, creating an intoxicating sight.

Houliao’s Paradise Road (Wang Qiwen)

“Paradise Road” at Houliao on Penghu’s Baisha Island is an old jetty, and seen from the air it looks like a giant snake in the sea. In summer the seas around Penghu are blue, but the waters around Paradise Road are jade green, bringing a hint of cool to the intense summer heat. Today it is one of the most popular scenic locations in Penghu
for checking in on social media.

Check-in Spot at Lanyu’s Dongqing Bay (Pan Tongxi)

When you travel to Lanyu (Orchid Island), one of the can’t-miss attractions is sunrise at Dongqing Bay. The scenes of the traditional Tao fishing boats and the sunrise change from day to day, so it is worth making a visual record of your visit there.