Penghu Island Life

Island Life within Island Life

Now that we’ve lived on the big island of Taiwan for almost a year and a half, we wanted to branch out and explore the smaller islands of Taiwan. West of us, in the Taiwan straight (between Taiwan and China), there’s an archipelago of 90 islands, called Penghu Islands. This seemed like a great place for a long weekend summer vacation. The flight is only 30 minutes from Taichung which Passionfruit’s recovering back was ok with.

Goal: Beach seek by way of scooter

International drivers license. Check.

Sunscreen is for beginners

Maybe it’s our age, but we stopped caring about what we look like when the suns out. We don’t playing chicken with these UVs. We cover up, just like the locals, and call it all good. The heat is insane.

Gotta love a man who’s comfortable in a sarong.
The Hawaii of Taiwan
Naian Beach
Our own cabana at Naian Beach
Tomfoolery with an abandoned dinghy boat
Rachel and Roy’s ADDICT food truck (fusion, fresh seafood, craft beers)

Penghu, is an arid and wind-swept island, popular for wind turbines, kite boarders and dry-loving plants

Can you spot Pickles?
Tongliang’s Great Banyan, a 300 year old tree covering 660 sq. ft. A symbol of the indomitable spirit here.
Cactus ice cream under said Banyan tree
Road side attractions


The Erkan Ancient Residences
Beautiful geometric wood doorknobs
Charming mail boxes, a common site
The Daguoye Columnar Basalt

5 minutes later…


Island of Coral

Some beaches have soft white sand, others are 100% washed up coral. There’s so much washed up coral here that villages are built with coral, like this one. Nice up-cycling, Taiwan.


Jibei Island’s Sand Tail

A short ferry ride north of the main Penghu Island is Jibei Island. We rented an electric scooter for $6.00 USD and scooted to the tail of the “Sand Tail”. One side of the spit offers many family-focused water sports, the other side there’s absolutley nobody. It’s blissfully quiet. This is the most gorgeous beach we’ve experienced in all of Taiwan.

Main drag on Jibei
While the locals dig these shenanigans…

We dig this…

The wee downtown of Jibei in the background, where the ferries dock
Keep it Dry

I’ve touched on this in Taiwan observations (#64), walking around with wet hair even in 100+ temps is considered bad for your health. Complimentary hair dryers can be found everywhere, even beach-side.


Back on main Penghu Island, this type of outdoor BBQ is popular


Fresh cactus + lime juice


And the other hydrating snack…
7D… can you handle it? If not, better stick with the 4D chips. Wash it down with asparagus juice.


Taiwan isn’t always rainbows and unicorns, but then sometimes it is exactly

RAINBOWS and UNICORNS

Sunset at Rainbow bridge
The wild water unicorn of Shanshui Beach

In summer-y, these are our Penghu beach recommendations:

Shanshui Beach – 山水沙灘
(most social, chill, fun vibe, small waves for surfing, water unicorns)

Naian Beach– 內垵遊憩區
(tucked in a green cove, shade cabanas, remote, quiet)

Jibei Sand Tail– 吉貝沙尾
(quiet, most isolated from people, byo shade umbrella, cover shot is from Jibei)

With love from Penghu Island,

pp

Pickles & Passionfruit


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3 thoughts on “Penghu Island Life

  1. Oh yes! Oh my yes a thousand times!! Sounds a heck of a lot betta than Ocean City Maryland! But then most places are, except perhaps Shamokin, PA!! And certainly betta than “cooler by mile” Long Beach Island. But then you don’t get to hear New Jerseyites squabble with their unruly children on the boardwalk at Seaside Heights. Geezzz, what a summer delight that is. Talk about rainbows and unicorns! Those lovely dulcet Jersey tones of familial endearment! These little islands are a wonderful lovely retreat with loving, quiet polite people, good food and beautiful sights.

  2. Watch out for the cactus juice. Your mother and I could tell you about some fresh cactus juice I tried while on our honeymoon no less. It was like nothing I’d experienced before. You are lucky to be here after I started our marriage like that.

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